dressofheaven | 7th Grail: [Video/Action for Goldenrod]

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7th Grail: [Video/Action for Goldenrod]

Hydra, let go.

[A shiny, newborn Deino gives a plaintive whine, but Ilya ignores him and pulls her hair out of his reach, offering a long stick instead. He begins to bite into it with gusto.]

You know, people keep talking about how troublesome it is that Deinos love to bite things, but I think there's another problem, and I'm not so sure they're the only ones that have it. Deinos are blind, right? And so is their first evolution, Zweilous. But when they evolve into Hydreigon they can suddenly see. Doesn't that seem like it might cause problems? What would it be like to be blind all your life, then suddenly be able to see? They say Hydreigon is vicious, but maybe it's just scared.

[There's a snapping sound, and Ilya glances over at her dragon, who has bitten straight through that stick and is now trying to find something new. She sighs and offers him another one.]

I don't know what can be done about it, though. You can't really help them try to see before that. I suppose you could try blindfolding the Hydreigon, but I don't think that would work very well.

[The second stick snaps, and a sudden gust of wind blows her hair across Hydra's nose. He snaps it up immediately.]

Ack! ... Although, I guess I do understand the first problem, too. Hydra, let go. I said, let go-

[And with a muffled chomping sound, most of the rest of her hair suddenly vanishes into the maw of the Garchomp that just snuck up behind her. Ilya scowls.]

Not you too, Typhon! Why do you dragons think my hair tastes so good?

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[ ~~And the parallels continue.~~ Ahem. Xion tilts her head as she watches Illya deal with her dragons, while Tiamat the Hydreigon and Bahamut the Garchomp look over her shoulders. Tiamat snaps her hand-jaws while Bahamut roars at the Pokemon, though they seem to be amused more than trying to tell them off. ]

I was curious about that the first time I got Tiamat, but considering it's their way of feeling out things, I just let her bite things until she got familiar with them. When she got her eyesight, she didn't seem to have any problems.

[~~It's really pretty astonishing.~~ Erm. Ilya tugs a bit on the hair Hydra has, but she can't get it out. She grimaces.]

Wait, so you're saying he's biting my hair so he can familiarize himself with me? I guess that sort of makes sense, but it doesn't explain Typhon there.

[She twists her head around to glare at her larger dragon, only to pull a bit too hard and yank her own hair. She yelps a bit, and immediately Typhon releases her and pulls back, looking abashed. Ilya sighs in relief.]

At least she knows better than to hurt me... How did you deal with Tiamat, then? I can't imagine it's okay to just let them bite you.

[ ~~And I just noticed they both also have 7' Garchomps, too.~~ Looking at this is making Xion silently grateful she has short hair ~~MORE CONTRAST~~. ]

I would hold her around a lot. She figured out biting my hand was attached to my arm when I held her close. Sometimes, she would even rub against me to--

[ As if on cue, Tiamat rubs her main head against Xion's cheek, which causes the girl to laugh a bit and pet her for the gesture. ]

--to figure out what my body is like without biting, since I didn't want her biting a lot. [ ... After a certain accident with Whitney happened, so. ]

[~~IT JUST KEEPS HAPPENING~~ Ilya would never cut her hair even to stop this, though. It's her pride and joy.]

Haaaa, so it's not like they have to bite to figure it out. Then if he likes my hair so much...

[She gets a thoughtful look on her face for a moment, then leans over Hydra, letting her hair spill all over him. He jumps and makes a little squeaking noise, but soon is curiously nosing his way through it, nipping here and there but mostly too absorbed to bother. Finally his face comes into contact with Ilya's.

And before he can do anything, she wraps her arms around his neck and starts rubbing her cheek against his.]

There, there... how's that? Does it make you feel better to have your Mistress against you, Hydra?

[He squeaks again, and rubs back. Ilya giggles.] Xion, it's working!

[ ~~Both are fashioned after someone's likeness... Oh, the stories they could tell each other.~~ Xion gives a wide smile at Illya's successful attempt. ]

That's great, Illya! It might still take a while to get them out of the habit of biting, but they'll learn. Sometimes it's still good to have them exercise their jaws, too.

[ She'd say more, but Bahamut, feeling a bit neglected that he isn't getting pats, rubs his snout against Xion's other cheek. Of course, since he's a Jolly, 7' dragon, his excitement causes her to tumble onto her back with a yelp. She's still managing to hold onto the Gear as Bahamut licks her face while Tiamat roars in protest. ]

Well, that's what the sticks are for.

[She giggles as she sees Bahamut shove his way into the mess, absolutely adoring the sight. She doesn't seem all that concerned about Xion's safety, but then she has a sort of built-in belief that no good Pokemon would be dangerous to its trainer.]

They really love you, don't they? Haaa, I hope I can introduce mine to yours soon. Is your whole team that affectionate?

[Of course, Ilya's not one to talk, as Typhon, having gotten over her bout of guilt for hurting her, is now shoving her way in, nuzzling her tiny trainer on the top of the head. With a giggle, Ilya raises a hand to scratch her chin.]

[ As Xion's trying to answer, she's trying to wrestle Bahamut off of her with little success. It's when she finally gives him some petting on his head does he let her sit right back up, to which Tiamat takes immediate advantage of and wraps her arms around Xion's neck. She roars at Bahamut who only gives his draconic version of a laugh to her face. ]

Hmm, I think so? They all show it in different ways and at different levels. Bahamut has always been excitable. Tiamat's been treating me like I'm way younger than her, though.

[ She has momma instincts, but of course that translates differently to Xion, who hasn't been well acquainted with such behavior beyond Minnie. ]

I do try to treat them all well. Axel, my Typhlosion, was a bit more... troublesome when he was a Quilava, but he changed. I think he tells the others to be the same so that doesn't repeat.

[Ilya, however, having had a wonderful mother (for all of eight years) immediately seizes on that possibility.]

Maybe she thinks you're her child! Though, it'd really be the other way around if you raised her... But if she worries about you that might not matter.

Hmmm... Was Axel your first? Berserker was mine, but he was never troublesome for me. [Keywords at the end, there.] Orpheus, my Dusclops, is a little more tricky, though. But I think ghosts are kind of like that.

[ She blinks and looks up at Tiamat at the implication. ]

She does. I didn't think it would be like that beyond Pokemon wanting to protect their trainers naturally... [ How does I mother? ]

Yeah, he was. Back then, I was a lot more inexperienced. At the time, I didn't mind his behavior.

[ Because low self-esteem. Herp. ]

Didn't mind it? [Ilya folds her arms.] That's wrong, Xion. They need rules. They need to know what's okay and what isn't. If they don't know that much, they have no idea how to make you happy, or even what to do with themselves.

Pokemon bond themselves to us so we can help them become stronger, wiser, better. We are their Masters, and it's our duty to them to show them the way. If we don't do that, we've failed them. You understand?

[Her passion shows in her voice and in her expression. And she hasn't yet mentioned a trainer's own stake in ensuring their Pokemon are obedient either. She's surprisingly adamant about it being for their own good.]

[ Her spiel catches Xion by slight surprise. While she can agree for the need of rules, she doesn't like it if it extends to hurting them. She's quiet as she thinks on this. ]

I do. Still, I don't think myself that far above them. [ "Master" is such a stronger word in comparison to "Trainer." ] I train and care for them. I'm a t... means for them to get stronger and better overall.

[ Very nearly said "tool," but that might not be right for this conversation. ]

It's not a matter of above or below. It's about roles. Taking on your own is your responsibility to them just as fighting for you is their's to you. They need you.

[She scratches Typhon's chin as she tries to figure out how best to frame her explanation to someone who just can't really understand her Holy Grail Master/Servant philosophy.]

With mine, for example... I care for them, look after them, set aside time to train and play with each and every one of them. But I have my price for that, and it's loyalty. They need to believe that I'm looking out for them, that my orders are for their own good. And that means they have to trust and respect me. If they don't, they're either going to ignore my orders and get hurt, or just follow them blindly and lose faith in me. That's what being a Master... or a Trainer is all about.

I can see it that way.

[ Xion's tone isn't confrontational, and more just calm acceptance. Steadfast. Because that's Illya's view, and what it means to be a trainer differs for everyone while largely encompassing what the other girl said.

Still. ]

I can't ask for loyalty as payment back. They'll come to that on their own, if they want. I just hope and trust they will at some point. If not, I'm still going to try.

Haaa... you're a softie, aren't you?

[She chuckles a little, grinning at the camera.]

Well, I guess that's fine in its own way. If what I'm seeing is right, it seems to be working for you.

Just try not to let them walk all over you, okay?

[ Her? Xion? Of course not. She gives a small grin at that. ]

I try. It'd help if they all weren't... bigger than me.

[ Sans the sea dragon and psychic spidertank who is more wide and still heavy, almost all of her Pokemon are larger and taller than her. ]

[That gets another little giggle out of her.]

Well it's not like you're the only one with that problem! I think you'll be okay if you give your best.

I'm going to. Even if they're all maxed out, there's always something we can do better.

[ Pause. ] Oh, right. My group is planning to be around Goldenrod for the Bug Contest. I plan on challenging Whitney- [ Slight wince. ] -while they're doing so. I might see you and Saber soon?

Please do not allow them to stain your hair with their drool.

[ She just sounds as though she's taking it a bit more personal than she should. ] Now that you have brought that up, I never knew... Perhaps it is cruel to evolve them to that final stage?

[ Saber's around in the Breeding Centre, she's just keeping herself busy while the two "puppies" play among themselves. ]

Huh, that's a good point. I hadn't thought about it like that.

[Admittedly he hasn't known for very long that these Pokémon are blind, and he didn't know the second stage was blind at all, but it's certainly something to think about!]

The more I hear about this evolution, the less I want Tory to evolve. But I guess if it's just scared, that would explain why it lashes out so much. I wonder if there's any way to help them through it? I don't think blindfolding would work all that well...

[...]

Oh, and uh, are you alright? That looked pretty painful.

Oh! I was going to be part of the Contest too, but I'm sure there'll be plenty of time for us to see each other before and after it. And really, I should challenge Whitney too... I've put it off long enough.

[Judging by her expression, though, she really doesn't relish the idea.]

You think I want to let them? It's not my fault they seem to think it's delicious.

[She sighs, looking her hair over. She's gotten it out of the maws of the two ravenous dragons by now, but the damage has been done.] I need a shower...

Mmm? I'm not sure "cruel" is the right word. It just seems like something to should be careful about. Do you have a Hydreigon, Saber?

That's what I've been trying to figure out. Xion's seems to have come through it okay, so I guess there's hope, but you have to be really careful and make sure they've "seen" a lot through touch by the time they evolve, it sounds like.

[She sighs at that question, pulling a lock of her hair into the video.] It didn't hurt, really, except when Typhon tugged a bit. But now my hair's a complete mess.

I'll be sure to keep that in mind, thanks! It's good to hear there's some hope for 'em, at least!

[As far as her hair goes? Well, he can sympathize. He can't leave his down without at least three of his Pokémon atempting to mess with it.]

At least it didn't hurt any? I know how that goes though; my Murkrow won't leave my hair alone! He keeps trying to make a nest outta it.

[AND YOU WONDER WHY, MONDO...]

Maybe bring Saber with you? She can get... loud when she loses.

[ Uncontrollable would be a better word, but. ]

If you think it is such a problem, then just don't allow it to evolve, I guess.

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7th Grail: [Video/Action for Goldenrod]

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