cotton candy clouds

Sometimes, she took short little walks with her Altaria. Just to get her outside, unlike most Pokémon. Nali hated the outdoors, and much preferred to lounge around inside like the little diva she is. So usually, even convincing her to go for a short walk was a struggle sometimes, ESPECIALLY when the weather was bad. Oh lordy- a few little raindrops—and Missy would refuse to set even one foot outside the door. 

Today was nice, though, luckily. The sun was out, even if it was covered by clouds now and then. It wasn't quite enough to stop the rays from reaching the earth, at least a little - so the day was rather temperate. And Nali seemed to be in a good mood today; in fact, she seemed to actually like being outside for a change. With the way she flew so gracefully in the sky above. Mi-do could even hear her hum with her signature soprano voice. A truly beautiful sound. 

It was in times like these that Mi-do felt one with her Pokémon. Rather than just being someone who just... takes care of her. And sure, maybe she could do more to form a bond with Nali, but, well, she doubted it. She had been trying for so long after all, and even after all these years, they were still just well tolerant of each other. But then there were these little moments, where Mi-do could almost feel the rush of the wind on her skin, the weightlessness- as if she were the one soaring amongst the clouds too. It filled her with motivation and hope that these moments wouldn't just be fleeting snapshots, but rather the norm one day, if she just kept striving to build that connection.

Like Icarus, who flew too close to the sun, her Altaria decided it was a good idea to invade the personal space of a passerby and his Pokémon. She was never good when it came to recognizing other people's boundaries. Or maybe she just didn't care. Probably the latter; the whole "it is truly my world, and you are all just living in it" mindset did fit the Altaria to a tee. 

Mi-do sighed as she stepped towards the man whose Pokemon Nari was bothering, her methods being just subtle enough for only the Ninetails to notice. But when it did - it almost seemed to warn the bird with a growl. One was barely audible to human ears, but Mi-do was sure Nari had heard it loud and clear. And it was safe to say she didn't like it one bit. Like the diva she was, she took it personally and started to argue right back. She squawked like her life depended on it. Oh, why was she like this? Their walk had started out so well. Mi-do really thought they could have a quiet time bonding together, but, well, that clearly wasn't going to happen anymore. 

"나리 부탁합니다! 그러지 말고, 이 남자와 그의 동료들을 당장 내버려 두거나... 그렇지 않으면 내가 너한테 아주 화가 날 거야!"

Mi-do scolded the creature, knowing she didn't sound very convincing or intimidating. But it was enough for her Altaria, to back down, at least for the moment. And so Mi-do could turn her attention to the man and his Pokémon. "I am so sorry about that, Nari is just a little troublemaker. She likes to test boundaries like that." Mi-do sighed as her light blues eyes followed the bird, who was still gracefully soaring into the sky above them. "She's probably just jealous." The woman chuckled slightly as her gaze fell back towards the companions of the man. "But who wouldn't be, right? Your Pokémon are so pretty! I've never seen a Ninetails or a houndour look like that!"

Mi-do observed with curiosity as the man focused on his Pokémon first, employing a gentle approach to calm her down. It seemed to work like a charm, a stark contrast to Mi-do's own struggles with her Altaria, where yelling often felt like the only option. Nevertheless, she was relieved when the stranger turned his attention back to her, his reassurance making her smile.

As he mentioned that his Pokémon had been through some rough times and that he was still getting to know her, Mi-do couldn't help but express her admiration. "Well, you seem to be doing a good job so far. She really responds well to you," she remarked, noticing how the Ninetales visibly calmed even more when the man affectionately placed his hand on her head.

The strangers nonchalant attitude towards his Pokémon's unusual appearance caught Mi-do's attention. It was as if it was just an afterthought, which she found commendable. It suggested that he didn't value them solely based on their unique coloration, unlike many others might.

When the man mentioned Dai's trait, referring to the Houndour, Mi-do leaned in closer to get a better look. She had initially mistaken him for a Shiny Pokémon, but a trait? That was intriguing. "I see," she responded in awe, wondering what kind of trait he possessed. "But that's so crazy, right? I mean, here you are with both a Shiny and a traited Pokémon! What are the odds of that?" She chuckled, almost unable to believe the man's luck.

Mi-do's Altaria then perched herself on her head, and she could almost feel the bird Pokémon's haughty gaze as she figuratively and literally looked down at the stranger's Pokémon. Nevertheless, Mi-do extended her hand towards him with a warm smile. "But where are my manners? My name is Mi-do, though you can call me M, Mimi, do..." She laughed softly, shaking her head. "Whatever you want, I go by whatever."

From his reaction, Mi-do gathered that indeed there were some struggles and kinks in the relationship between trainer and Pokémon. But wasn't that normal? This realization brought a soft smile to her lips. She felt a little comforted by the fact that she wasn't the only one who grappled with her Pokémon sometimes. "It's okay if things don't always go flawlessly—they are still in learing, after all, so a few bumps in the road are to be expected, right? But the fact that you're still trying to make things better instead of just giving up on them...that's what makes you a good trainer." Her gaze fell on his Pokémon, particularly his Ninetales, which had chosen to sit right beside its trainer. Its tails swayed gently back and forth, giving Mi-do the indication that despite the challenges he might face with his Pokémon, they truly trusted and cared for him.

Even the little Houndour—though it still seemed a bit upset with her and Nari, though Mi-do couldn't blame it. It was still trying to protect its trainer, even if it was hiding between his legs. Which only proved her point more in her mind. He mentioned the rarity of having both a trained and shiny Pokémon, which in her mind was quite the understatement. Still, she chuckled and nodded. "Yes, I've heard about that—they tend to be quite prevalent here in Cerynia? Or, well, not prevalent, you don't see one every day or anything, they just show up a little more often in this region compared to others." Mi-do really, really wanted one for herself. She didn't even care about the trait or Pokémon!

Well, she took that back. The Pokémon was quite important; she didn't want a scary one like a Ghost-type or something like that.

“Interesting name, whatever,” he mused when she introduced herself a little too optimistically. Still, Mi-do laughed as she gave him a playful look. "Ah well, what can I say? It's foreign," she joked, still holding out her hand for him to take—but he didn't? Even his Pokémon seemed to try and nudge him to do it, but he didn't seem to quite get the hint. Strange, but okay... maybe he just didn't like physical contact like that? Slowly and feeling a little rejected, Mi-do's hand fell back to her side.

“I’m Míngzé, but Ming is fine too,” she quickly composed herself when he said that and nodded, as if nothing incredibly awkward had happened just two seconds ago. "Minge-" she earnestly tried to pronounce it right. "Míngz?" No not quite.. "Míngzé! Yes, I think I got it right this time—that's quite the unique name! Does it stand for anything?" She always liked to know the meaning behind names—because some had really profound ones. Unlike her own—she was named after a popular song from her home region—and oh... he was holding his own hand up now?

Huh?

Okay, now she was lost—first he didn't want to take her hand, but now she was supposed to take his? Was he playing a game with her? She frowned slightly and, feeling a little unsure, she grabbed his hand and shook it.

Mi-do's smile faltered slightly when she learned that his Ninetales had been a rescue. Don't get her wrong—she was grateful that there were people like him who could offer Pokémon a second chance. But honestly, it shouldn't have to be like that in the first place. Pokémon shouldn't have to be rescued; they deserved a good life from the start. The fact that this wasn't always the case pained her deeply. "That's terrible," she murmured softly, her gaze shifting back to the Ninetales, who seemed to hang on her trainer's every word, as if understanding the conversation. Maybe she did understand—Mi-do certainly believed she was smart enough for that. "I'm glad you were able to get her out of that situation," she added, gratitude and appreciation flashing in her eyes as she looked back up at the man.

"They do indeed, although I have yet to encounter one in the wild," he responded, steering the conversation away from the somber topic, which lifted Mi-do's spirits slightly. "Me too, but—" she began, folding her arms. "That could honestly just be because I don't venture out much? Especially not into forests or something. Because- I... okay;" she shook her head, trying to find the right words to explain her reasoning. "I kinda have a fear of Pokémon, especially wild ones, so as you can imagine, that holds me back tremendously with things like that." Even non-wild Pokémon could be a little scary for her sometimes. She chuckled awkwardly, hoping he would understand and not think of her as weird or anything for her fear. She had received weird looks about it in the past. Some people just couldn't believe that she feared the very things that were around her all the time—Pokémon were everywhere, after all.

She appreciated how he humored her, claiming that the fact that her name—being whatever—was foreign made a lot of sense. He introduced himself honestly, and she tried to honor that by saying his name correctly, even if it took her a couple of tries. “It’s from Fènghuáng, I believe it means something like ‘clear and graceful,’ which is, yeah—" he explained when she asked if his name had any meaning, prompting her to nod. "Clear and graceful," she repeated, her voice light and friendly. "I think that's pretty fitting," Mi-do said honestly, and maybe even a little wistfully. "And, uh, I mean that in a very respectful way!" she quickly added, hoping he wouldn't misinterpret her words.

Their handshake was a bit awkward, to say the least, but they managed it in the end. So that was something, right? He then asked about her name, likely referring to her real name and not "whatever." "It's from Beasin, because that's where I'm originally from. I only came to Cerynia a few months ago—I have some family living here, so I'm staying with them for now."

Mi-do sensed that delving into Mingze's Pokémon's past might have touched upon a sensitive topic. She understood how seeing the conditions a creature had been forced to endure could be deeply unsettling for anyone. Yet, she couldn't help but notice the confidence with which his Pokémon carried herself—a resilience that spoke volumes. It was as if her tumultuous past didn't define her, a trait Mi-do found incredibly admirable.

Glad to find someone who shared her fear, Mi-do eagerly nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes! Exactly!" she exclaimed, as if he had just voiced a revolutionary idea. "And it drives me up the wall sometimes that people don't get that!" She continued, her frustration evident. Indeed, it was a legitimate fear; Pokémon were incredibly strong and intelligent creatures. It was only wise to approach unfamiliar Pokémon with caution, just in case they harbored ill intentions. After all, appearances could be deceiving.

Apologizing for her outburst, Mi-do chuckled lightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get all worked up over it. I just... had to explain myself to others so many times. It just feels so good that someone just gets where you're coming from, you know?" she explained earnestly, grateful for the understanding.

Mingze's reaction to her compliment didn't go unnoticed. Despite his initial reluctance, Mi-do caught the subtle smile that graced his lips. "Of course I do! I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it," she assured him sincerely. She was genuine in her words; she didn't offer praise lightly. Although they hadn't known each other long, Mi-do felt that the adjectives she used to describe him were fitting.

As the conversation shifted to the significance of names, Mi-do nodded in agreement. "I think it's such a nice tradition," she remarked, contemplating the idea. If she were ever tasked with naming a child, she would want the name to hold significant meaning as well.

When Mingze inquired about her reason for moving to Cerynia from Beasin, Mi-do explained, "Yes! I actually came here to try and find my inspiration again. I'm a writer, you see! So I'm sure you can understand that finding my muse is essential if I want to get any work done," she joked, though the truth of it resonated deeply. Art block, writer's block—they were every creative's worst enemy. Mi-do could hear her Altaria making some sort of noise, which she chose to ignore, focusing instead on the conversation at hand.

"See? This guy gets it! Gosh, why couldn't more people be as sensible as him? Or at least a little more understanding." Mi-do couldn't help but nod in agreement. "Only when it inevitably goes wrong one day, will they understand." His response resonated with her. It was true, most people didn't grasp things until they experienced them firsthand. But there was something in his tone that hinted at a personal connection to the sentiment, more than he probably cared to admit. Perhaps he had his own encounter with a Pokémon that went awry.

Or maybe not. Maybe he simply held steadfast to his beliefs, much like she did. Regardless, Mi-do didn't pry. She just acknowledged his words with a nod.

As she began to apologize for her earlier outburst, he assured her that there was no need. Once again, he articulated exactly what she felt "Though to be honest, I don't do that anymore; or at least not so often," she confessed, reflecting on her reluctance to explain her fears. "Because like you said, it gets really tiresome after a while, but also because- well... I've come to realize that sometimes, you can't make someone understand if they're not willing to listen." She paused, her tone taking on a more reflective quality. "It's like trying to fill a cup that's already full. You can pour and pour, but if it's not receptive, the knowledge just spills over."

When she mentioned she was a writer, she noticed a flicker of surprise on his face, a reaction she'd grown accustomed to. But this time, she understood it. She didn't exactly fit the stereotype of a writer. "Poetry mostly, but also some short stories here and there!" she explained, acknowledging the eclectic nature of her work. Each piece was a blend of various elements, offering something different on every page.