[NRP] Wraughry & Melomar's Journal (233 views)

[Jirachi's Wish]

POKEMON | CHILD

Name: Wraughry

Gender: Male

Pokemon: Tauros/Deerling Hybrid

Potions/Blessings: Hybrid

Stage: Child

Player: Melomar

Artist: Melomar

This Journal belongs to Melomar, don't post without permission.

[melomar]

Welcome

Welcome to Wraughry's journal! Wild to the core, he grew up on the Moldavite Plains to become a literal cowboy. Can you hang on for the ride?

Updates
- August 2024, Wraughry’s journal receives an overhaul
- June 2022, the wild tauros receives official art and journal!
- June 2013, the wild tauros and a doduo butted heads

Table of Contents
Page 01
- Post 01: Introduction by Jirachi
- Post 02: Welcome, Updates, Full ToC
- Post 03: Rules, Rights
- Post 04: Personal Profile
- Post 05: Tauros, Deerling, and Sawsbuck Profiles
- Post 06: Wraughry's Learnset
- Post 07: Relationships, Trainer
- Post 08: Home Life, Scrapbook, Art, History
- Post 09: Growth and Forms

[melomar]

Rules and Rights

General Rules
- Follow Jirachi's Wish rules in my threads, as they are written on the proboard. Let's play nice.
- Do not steal my layout. Taking inspiration for your own design is cool, though.
- Please do not use this thread to chat.
- I reserve the right to add more rules. I reserve the left, too, just in case.
- I reserve the right to pun. Repeatedly and beyond the point of poor taste.
- Be happy. Or leave! Or you could just leaf. *puts on leaf hat* :B

Characters and Content
- Pokémon (Pocket Monsters) and pokémon stats © Nintendo, original concept by Satoshi Tajiri.
- Jirachi's Wish concept by Orpheus Solon. Owned by Lirilei. Used with permission.
- Wraughry's original character concept by Melomar. I use my own work with permission. :B
- All other character concepts (such as for the poké-children and their trainers) by their respective owners.

Pokémon Art
- Obtained from Bulbapedia and its Bulbagarden Archives
- Wraughry's pokémon concept art, and the art for the consecutive growth stages, by me, Melomar.
- Original pokémon concept art by Shigeki Morimoto.
- Tiny sprites are the overworld sprites from HeartGold and SoulSilver.
- Any future fan art will be marked with the artist's name too and used with permission.

Layout Design
- Some design layout ideas were borrowed from MoogerMint and used with permission.
- Banners and Photo Album pics by me (Melomar) for this journal only. Do not use!
- Banners and Photo Album pics will use a font with permission.

[melomar]

Wraughry Kentauros

Wraughry Kentauros
- Pronunciation(s): wroh-ree kehn-ta-rohs
- Meaning, Given Name: angelicized from Old Irish “Ruaidhrí” meaning “red king.”
- Meaning, Surname: Kentauros is the Japanese word for Tauros, and means “centaur” in Greek.
- Meaning, Nickname: N/A
- Hidden/OOC Meaning(s): His name is sometimes written phonetically, as “Rorie.”

Physical Stats
- Sex, Gender, Pronouns: Male, male, he/him/his
- Stature: Even as a child he can be described as ‘burly’
- Skin/Hair/Scales: His skin is orange like the bull. Hair is a complicated three: yellow front, pink above and back, and brown bottom, all very curly.
- Optical Orifices: His eyes are a light shade of brown.
- Human Features: He is humanoid.
- Pokémon Features: Bull horns, forehead gems, and three whiplike tails. Hair is a combination of the tauros mane and the deerling coloration. Deerling ears set low like a bovine.

Clothing
- Style: Cowboy clothes! Button-up shirt, jeans, cowboy boots, cowboy hat, a green handkerchief around the neck; sometimes with leather work gloves.

Personality
- Nature: Modest
- Summary: For all of his rowdy behavior as a pokemon, Wraughry has mellowed out upon some personal reflection. He has a fiery temper, though, and bar room brawls are in his future.

- Myers-Briggs Profile:
- - ISFJ
- - direct and receive energy through Introversion, take in info with Sensing, come to conclusions using Feeling, and approach the outside world through Judging. (Myers-Briggs Foundation).
- - The Defender (13Personalities.com). Unassuming, understated, hardworking with a can-do attitude. Remembers dates and deadlines, operates behind the scenes. Devoted, deeply responsible, supportive, caring, sensitive. Traditional but versatile. Analytical. Robustly social.

- Likes: Winning a battle. Putting an asshole in their place. Will fight a girl (if severely provoked).
- - Dry (astringent) foods, that give a puckering mouth feel when eaten. It refers to a lack of sweet taste, and often refers to a higher alcohol content in such beverages. Foods include rhubarb, persimmons, citrus, tea and coffee, cashews, and red grape and white wines.
- Strengths: Special Attack stat
- Abilities: Intimidate, other stuff

- Dislikes: Spicy foods.
- Weaknesses: Weak against Attack stat
- Fears: None yet

[melomar]

Tauros

SPOILER: Click to show

Stats
- Overview: A quadrupedal bovine pokemon that lives in herds.
- Type: Normal
- Species: Wild Bull Pokemon
- Habitat: Plains and grasslands
- Diet: Grass
- Height: 4'07" or 1.4 m
- Weight: 194.9 lbs. or 88.4 kg

Behavior: Social, violent, and rowdy; masochistic and takes pride in its scars; charges until it hits something and capable of smashing through boulders.

Ability
- Intimidate: Lowers opponent’s Attack stat.
- Other: Abilities they pick up in RP and such

Type Effectiveness
- Damaged Normally By: (1x) Normal, Flying, Poison, Ground, Rock, Bug, Steel, Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Psychic, Ice, Dragon, Dark, Fairy
- Weak To: (2x) Fighting
- Immune To: (0x) Ghost
- Resistant To: none
- Notes: Ring target will raise Ghost-type effectiveness to 1x.

Lore
- Japanese Name: Kentauros
- English Name: The name Tauros comes from the constellation Taurus the Bull.
- Pokémon Origin: A combination of bull and bison, with a cat o’ nine tails.
- Trivia: Miltank, being a female-only bovine species, is seen as the counterpart to tauros, a male-only bovine species. They also have the same base stat total.

Deerling

SPOILER: Click to show

Stats
- Overview: Spring (pink), summer (green), fall (orange), winter (brown); a different coat color for each season.
- Type: Normal + Grass
- Species: Season Pokemon
- Habitat: Tall grass
- Diet: Herbivorous (likes plant shoots)
- Height: 2'00", 0.6 m
- Weight: 43.0 lbs., 19.5 kg

Behavior: Mischievous, silly, playful, pesky. It favors those who feed it.

Abilities
- Chlorophyll:
- Sap Sipper:
- Serene Grace: (hidden ability) Boosts the likelihood of Added Effects when attacking.

Type Effectiveness
- Damaged Normally By: (1x) Normal, Rock, Steel, Psychic, Dragon, Dark, Fairy
- Weak To: (2x) Fighting, Flying, Poison, Bug, Fire, Ice
- Immune To: (0x) Ghost
- Resistant To:
- - (½x) Ground, Water, Grass, Electric
- - (¼x) none
- Notes:
- - Ring Target changes Ghost-type effectiveness to 1x
- - If ability is Sap Sipper, effective of Grass-Type moves is 0x.

Lore
- Japanese Name: Shikijika means shiki (四季) “four seasons” + shika (鹿) “deer”
- English Name: Deerling deer + darling (or yearling).
- Pokémon Origin: Possibly based on a sika deer, which is native to Japan.

Sawsbuck

SPOILER: Click to show

Stats
- Overview: A deer pokemon whose antlers and fur change with the seasons.
- Type: Normal + Grass
- Species: Season Pokémon
- Habitat: Living in herds where the leader is the sawsbuck with the grandest antlers. They prefer to avoid humans and civilization.
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Height: 6'03", 1.9 m
- Weight: 203.9 lbs., 92.5 kg

Behavior: They become short-tempered in the fall and fight each other all the time. Winter form is calmer and easy to tame.

Type Effectiveness is the same as Deerling

Lore
- Japanese Name: mebukijika: mebuki (to bud) + shika (deer)
- English Name: They don’t know.
- Pokémon Origin: Possibly…
- - the Père David's deer or milu, of China, whose stags decorate their antlers with flowers
- - the Four Stags of Yggdrasill in Norse myth who are sometimes associated with the seasons
- - A story of Baron Munchausen, who shot a deer with cherry pits that came back the next year with a cherry tree growing out of its head
- Trivia: Summer Forme sawsbuck’s leaves can be made into tea, different flavors apparent with each region.

[melomar]

Wraughry’s Learnset

Abilities

- Sheer Force (as tauros)
- - In battle: Removes added effects to a damage-dealing move while increasing the damage done by approx. 30%.
- Serene Grace (as hybrid)
- - In battle: “Raises the likelihood of additional effects occurring when the Pokémon uses its moves,” (genIX) It will double the chance of a move having an additional effect. For example, his Energy Ball’s 20% chance of lowering the target’s defensive stats is raised to a 40% chance.

Current Learnset

- Raging Bull
- Tail Whip
- Work Up
- Horn Attack

Level Breakdown

(tauros/sawsbuck)
- Solar Beam (ソーラービーム Solar Beam): Level 52 Grass-type, Special attack with STAB bonus and 100% accuracy. The strongest Grass-type move, energy is absorbed from light in the first turn then fired the next. Replaces Work Up.

- Double-Edge (すてみタックル Life-Risking Tackle): Level 44 Normal-type, Physical attack, with STAB bonus and 100% accuracy. A reckless tackling attack where ¼ the damage done to the opponent is inflicted back upon him. Replaces Tail Whip.

- - - - -
By TM (tauros/deerling)
- Energy Ball (エナジーボール Energy Ball): Grass-type Special attack with STAB bonus and 100% accuracy. Drawing up power from nature, then fires it at the opponent and has a chance to lower SP DEF. Replaces Horn Attack.

- - - - -
(tauros)
- Raging Bull (レイジングブル Raging Bull): Level 35 Normal-type, Physical attack, with STAB bonus and 100% accuracy. Attacks with a tackle like a raging bull that can break barriers such as Light Screen and Reflect. Replaces Tackle.

- Horn Attack (つのでつく Horn Thrust): Level 20 Normal-type, Physical attack, with STAB bonus and, 100% accuracy. He whips his head around and attacks with his horns. Replaces Assurance.

- Assurance (ダメおし Make Sure): Level 15 Dark-type, Physical attack with 100% accuracy, If opponent has already taken damage in this round, his attack power is doubled. Replaces Payback.

- Payback (しっぺがえし Retribution: Level 10 Dark-type, Physical Attack with 100% accuracy. Storing power, he then attacks; if the opponent moves after, the attack power is doubled.

- Work Up (ふるいたてる Cheer Up): Level 5 Normal-type, Status Effect. Rouses himself, raising ATK and SP ATK.

Final Learnset

energy ball
raging bull
double-edge
solar beam

Starting Learnset

- Tackle (たいあたり Body Blow): Level 1 Normal-type, Physical attack with STAB bonus and 100% accuracy. He charges the opponent and slams into them, with no secondary effect.

- Tail Whip (しっぽをふる Tail Wag): Level 1 Normal-type, Status effect with 100% accuracy. Lowers the opponent’s defence when he wags his tails, causing them to snap midair.

[melomar]

Relationships

Trainer
- Nigel Monday: primary trainer in the summer months. Does not always take Wraughry back home with him.

Family
- DoDo: What a little shit. I oughta kick his ass again. Their ass.
- Eclipse: Another little shit. He’s loyal, though.
- Lilac/ORANGES: Delightful. Just, really. Loud. Delightful. But she sings beautifully. Loudly.

Friends
- Name: Relationship

Acquaintances
- Name: Relationship

Frenemies:
- Name: Relationship

Enemies
- Name: Relationship

[melomar]

Background

Home Life
- A family-owned ranch on the Moldavite Plains.
- Home description

Scrapbook
- Official art, by Melomar: Each rectangle links to fullsize artwork! Unless No Photo Exists; then it does not exist.
[stars] [stars] [stars]
[scrapbook]
(links to fullsize art)

Art
- Artwork Name, by Artist Name: Description and other info.

History
Describe

[melomar]

Progress

Pokémon to Child

SPOILER: Click to show

Requirements
☑2 Weeks' Time: 16 June 2022 to 30 June 2022
☐ 1 Journal Set Up: done
☐ 1 Decision on Gender: male
☐ 1 Solo RP
- - Name Short description.
☐ 1 RP with another Pokémon
- - Name, with whom (owner). Short description
☐ 1 Receiving a Star from Jirachi
- - Name, short description

Form
Name: For certing purposes
Stage: Child
Pokémon Breed: Tauros/Deerling
Shiny: No; Hybrid potion, no blessings
Gender: Male
Hair Style: If applicable
Attitude/Nature: Nature
Clothing Style: If applicable
Pokémon Features: Which features does the poke have?
- List, describe

Child to Teen

SPOILER: Click to show

Requirements
☑ 2 Months' Time - Date Grown to Child --> Date to Grow to Teen
☐ 1 Response to Star Finding
- - Title is Linked Here: With which child(ren) if any (played by Whom), plot summary
☐ 4 PDs (play dates)
- - Title is Linked Here: With which child(ren) (played by Whom), plot summary
- - Title is Linked Here: With which child(ren) (played by Whom), plot summary
- - Title is Linked Here: With which child(ren) (played by Whom), plot summary
- - Title is Linked Here: With which child(ren) (played by Whom), plot summary
☐ 2 Solo RPs or Journal Entries
- - Title is Linked Here: plot summary
- - Title is Linked Here: plot summary
☐ 1 Skill Learned
- - Title is Linked Here: With which child(ren) if any (played by Whom), plot summary
☐ 1 Evolution!
- - Title is Linked Here: With which child(ren) if any (played by Whom), plot summary

Form
Name: Name
Stage: Teen
Pokémon Breed: Name
Evolving: Yes/No
Gender: This probably hasn't changed?
Hair Style: Describe/ref
Eyes: Color
Attitude/Nature: Nature
Clothing Style: Even if they don't care
Body Style: Scrawny, brawny, overweight, tall, short, etc.
Pokémon Features: Which are visible

Teen to Adult

SPOILER: Click to show

Requirements
☑ 3 Months' Time - Date Grown to Teen --> Date to Grow to Adult
☐ 1 Response to Growth
- - Title is Linked Here: With which child(ren) if any (played by Whom), plot summary
☐ 5 PDs (play dates)
- - Title is Linked Here: With which child(ren) (played by Whom), plot summary
- - Title is Linked Here: With which child(ren) (played by Whom), plot summary
- - Title is Linked Here: With which child(ren) (played by Whom), plot summary
- - Title is Linked Here: With which child(ren) (played by Whom), plot summary
- - Title is Linked Here: With which child(ren) (played by Whom), plot summary
☐ 2 Solo RPs or Journal Entries
- - Title is Linked Here: plot summary
- - Title is Linked Here: plot summary
☐ 2 Skills Learned
- - Title is Linked Here: plot summary
- - Title is Linked Here: plot summary
☐ 1 Evolution! - -

Form
Name: Name
Stage: Adult
Pokémon Breed: Name
Evolving: No, potions, blessings, megastones
Gender: Well?
Hair Style: ...
Eyes: Colorrrr
Attitude/Nature: Nature
Clothing Style: IDK man
Body Style: Don't hate your body
Pokémon Features: How weird do they look?

[melomar]

Backstory: Rehome Event Prompt: 'Vacation! Summer! Fun! It's time to get away from the day to day and have a little fun! What's the plan? A day (or week) at the beach? A trip to the mountains? Maybe just spending time with friends? Tell us about how relaxation and fun is found!'
Date: June 2013
Word count: 2222
Interaction with: Nigel, Eclipse the Umbreon, unnamed Doduo
In which a boy starts a summer internship and a young doduo distracts a raging tauros from attacking their herd only to get attacked instead.

SPOILER: Click to show

Nigel Monday would never argue the fact that he was cityfolk. But he would also never deny his roots. His family, and more specifically his aunt and uncle, were pokémon rangers. They serviced a pokémon sanctuary on the Moldavite Plains, and often brought sick and injured wild pokémon back to the pokémon center for treatment and rehabilitation.

Nigel loved nothing better than to spend time with that family helping them at work. But this summer he was old enough to call it an internship and actually get paid. He was very excited. Soon he would be able to make his own living working with pokémon.

But just what exactly would he spend his life doing, with regard to pokémon?

Just this morning, his aunt had asked him that very same question. “Have you decided what you want to do?”

With his mouth full of breakfast, he had merely shaken his head negatively. (He knew better than to speak with his mouth full; he had only needed to feel the wrong side of her spoon once to understand the consequences.) All he really knew was that he liked to help -- to help both people and pokémon alike. He liked to make things easier on them, especially when they weren’t able to help themselves.

“Would you like to be a nurse?”

“I’m no Nurse Joy,” he had laughed, finally at liberty to do so. They both had laughed. No one was as good as Nurse Joy, neither this Nurse Joy nor the one back home. “All I know is that I want to work with pokémon.”

While Nigel had finished up the last of his meal, his aunt considered their conversation carefully. Her husband was already out on the plain wrangling up some unruly tauros that had recently been causing trouble for other pokémon, so she could not discuss it with him just now. “Well, then I think you should make it the goal of your internship this summer to decide once and for all what your calling in life should be.”

Her intentions were only for the best, of course. She wanted him to choose not only the “right” path in life, but also the one that would make him happiest. But an ultimatum was not really going to help matters.

Nigel sighed and kicked at the bone-dry earth. He wore a duster jacket and boots but the dirt still managed to cake everybody’s clothes. Not that he noticed. He just wasn’t sure what direction to take himself, other than toward his uncle. He sighed again and mounted one of the homestead’s resident ponyta; it was one that had grown with him through the years and never failed to recognize him. It made an inquisitive little snort, upset by his apparent distress. He cracked a smile and the tension subsided for now in the face of his friend’s worry. “It’s fine. Let’s go find my uncle,” he said, patting its neck.

When the man finally saw him, Nigel still felt unsure of himself. As he trotted up to the boy on his prized wrangling rapidash, Nigel attempted a grin, but his uncle wasn’t fooled. “Nige! You look worn out, like you just blew in off the plains. You all right? You gettin’ enough sleep?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He certainly didn’t want his uncle to worry. “Auntie wants me to decide what I want to do with my life so it’s been weighing heavily on my mind.”

His uncle grunted and nodded, then turned the rapidash around so they could ride side-by-side. “Sounds like you’ve got a lot to think about.” He turned back to Nigel and grinned. “Nigel, only you can choose what you wanna do. It’s got to be you because only you will know that it feels right to you.” He shrugged, “There’s probably somethin’ you like to do best and you just haven’t thought much about it yet.”

His grin slipped away and his face suddenly became like steel. “But now it’s time for more pressing matters. Don’t let this distract you today, or you’ll regret it. We’ve got a rogue band of tauros runnin’ amok and you’re going to need to be alert.”

“Yessir.” Nigel understood that while he had a lot to think about, he would have all summer to do so. And it was thanks to interesting challenges like the tauros today that he would get a variety of opportunities.

- - -

Many pokémon made their homes on the Moldavite Plains, not just the tauros. One such pokémon was a young doduo. His heads had never seen eye-to-eye, not even when they were glaring at one another.

The head on the doduo’s right side, for now known as Head One, liked to sing. When he did, the sweet sound lilted on the breeze. Pokémon from all over the field stopped whatever it was they were doing to listen. They gathered around and sat quietly, eyes wide and glittering, as if in a trance. Even the wildest pokémon were gentled by his song.

Head Two (on the left) seemed completely tone deaf. He was jealous of the attention his brother received. There was nothing he could do once a concert was conducted; he was expected simply to listen like all the others. He used to try to sing along, but the noises that erupted from his throat were nothing short of hideous. Once he opened his mouth, calm pokémon became enraged and the well-mannered kicked dirt at them.

Head One had learned their lesson. Whenever Head Two tried to sing, Head One pecked at him. As a result of Head One’s diligence on the matter, Head Two rarely managed more than one flat note.

Head Two was ever in a sour mood and today was no exception. While his twin napped, he kept watch, brow furrowed. His brother had had another successful performance and had fallen asleep feeling very accomplished. And what had Head Two to feel so great about? Absolutely nothing.

Sullenly, Head Two surveyed the vast grassland and the hazy mountains beyond, eventually spying some strange behavior among other pokémon. A lone tauros pawed at the ground and lowered his head while trotting around. Sometimes he flicked his tails and a distinctive snap! could be heard hopping across the tops of the breeze-touched grass.

Earlier today the doduo had witnessed from afar a commotion among the herd of tauros. One bull had challenged the leader and won. The loser had not lost in many years (never in the doduo’s lifetime), and now he was taking it out on whomever he could.

The doduo twitched. Head One stirred but did not wake; Head Two would wake him if danger was imminent. Head Two watched his slumbering twin for a few heartbeats then steeled himself before letting out a loud, reverberating honk! Throughout the scattered pokémon body, heads lifted and glanced around until they saw the culprit. GWAH. Yes, he sounded horrible, but his cry made an excellent warning call. Even his twin blinked awake and peered up at him with sleepy curiosity. When everyone realized his reasoning was the irate bull, they closed their ranks and as one began to move away. And Head One realized that while danger was indeed imminent, Head Two had done the right thing. It was surprising, admirable. Had his brother always been this courageous?

The ousted bull would have none of this. He was practically itching with fury, and now he had just one target available to him. He snorted a low, deep-chested chuckle. Someone was going to pay, even if it had to be this scrawny little bird. Pawing the ground once again, he focused on the lone doduo and charged.

The twins honked with fright as one and leapt two feet in the air. Head Two suggested that they lead the bull away and try to lose him. Perhaps they could find a tree or rock face to put between them. The twins were in agreement on this and fled at top speed. Doduo is known for its high landspeed, even if they are weak fliers. This pair was no exception.

But now that he had begun his charge, the tauros would not rest until he fought them or something stopped him.

- - -

“Nigel, look!” The boy’s uncle pointed out across the grassland as a multitude of pokémon ran past them. Beyond, they could see the chase unfold.

“He’s going to catch that doduo, isn’t he?” Nigel asked.

“At this rate, he probably will. Come on.” They raced after the two runaway pokemon.

- - -

It was only a matter of time before the doduo tired. The tauros was fueled by rage, but the doduo only had fear to draw upon. Eventually the doduo was cornered between the tauros and a large old tree; their round, fluffy body heaving. Head Two had a plan, but it would take inner strength he wasn’t sure they had available to muster. Head One, drooping a little with his tongue lolling from his long narrow beak, watched the tauros approach at full speed, booming out a bovine bellow.

Get ready.

The doduo planted wide feet firmly in the grass and crouched, two sets of beady eyes narrowing. Ready, brother.

We have to time this just right.

I trust you. It was probably the first time Head One had ever consciously felt, let alone mentioned this sentiment to his brother.

Jump! The young doduo could not fly like other birds, nor could it jump like a ponyta (which one head thought he could see out of the corner of one eye -- perhaps a good omen?). But it could jump off to the side! And as it did so, twin beaks struck viciously at the battle-scarred tauros. Fury Attack!

The enraged bull tossed his head in frustration when he saw the doduo leap out of the way. He swatted them with his trio of tails in retaliation, from which he heard a satisfying pair shrieks. But in his inattention, he knocked himself senseless on the ancient trunk of the tree.

The doduo watched the world whirl completely around, with a ponyta and a rapidash spinning with it. Each equine pokémon had a rider that jumped off his mount and ran to the scene.

Ah! It hurts!

You’re pecking me!

I can’t see!

Stop pecking me!

Now you’re pecking me!

Then stop!

Ahh! I can’t!

Me either!

“Uncle, is there anything we can do?” Nigel asked, feeling a bit winded, but more from fear than anything else. The tauros lay on his side, legs twitching in midair. And while he watched, the doduo ran haphazardly, its twin heads attacking one another.

“Nothin’ we can do for the doduo for now. Those heads won’t stop until its fainted.”

Nigel frowned with worry. After a moment of consideration, he pulled a pokéball from his belt and cried, “Eclipse!” When his hand-raised umbreon appeared he pointed to the frenzied doduo. “Keep an eye on that doduo! When it faints, come get us!”

“Breo!” With a bright flare of his golden markings, Eclipse bounded off after the doduo and slipped into the grass like a shadow.

Nigel turned back to face his uncle, who had carefully moved to the tauros’ side to investigate his condition. “So he was finally ousted from his herd,” the man muttered to himself, shaking his head.

“You know him?”

“This was the leader of the herd that roams these parts. That is, until today he was. One of the younger bulls was causin’ trouble for weeks now. They musta finally squared off in a duel this morning. I’ve been watching them closely to make sure they don’t hurt anyone over it.”

Nigel watched the tauros closely, studying his face. Even though he was out cold, his twitching spoke more of energy and fire than of nerve damage. “What’s going to happen to him now?”

“Well, it’s only proper to take him back with us and make sure he isn’t injured too much from that blow to the head. He also has some cuts from earlier. Nige, tauros pride themselves on the scars they carry but there’s a wound that may never heal. We’re going to keep him for observation for a while and decide what’s best for him.”

The boy was still frowning, but he nodded in understanding. The rest would be up to the tauros. “And the doduo?”

“Brrreee!” Nigel’s umbreon returned, hopping through the grass like a gazelle, calling out to them with each leap. He seemed to love it out here, despite the blazing sun. Perhaps Nigel would have to keep Eclipse out of his pokéball a while longer. It suited him just fine; it was a bit lonely without him nipping at the boy’s heels.

“Well, well,” his uncle chuckled. Eclipse was always a kick to have around. “Let’s go check him out and see how he’s doing. I’m worried about the eyes, one of the heads was acting like he’d been blinded. A doduo relies on keen eyesight to watch out for predators. That way, one head can always stay awake and keep watch. So if his eyesight’s permanently damaged he won’t be able to come back out here.”

Had the doduo’s eyes really been damaged? Would they heal completely? If not, what then?

[melomar]

Backstory Two: 'Can you see me now?'
Date: 12 June 2020
Word Count: 874
Interaction With: Nigel, Doduo
In which Nigel feels bad for the pokémon, and the pokémon begin to heal.

SPOILER: Click to show

Nigel rode home with his uncle looking anywhere but at him. The thought that this wild doduo would be stuck with humans for the rest of its life made him feel solemn. Not even Eclipse could cheer him out of his gloom, it was just too heavy. It wasn't just the bird, but also the tauros that he worried for. He understood what it meant that the bull had lost his place in the herd. They would not accept him now, nor would he return with his damaged pride. What kind of future did these pokémon have?

"Well, without the sight in that one eye, it would be too dangerous to let them free," his uncle said later, after they returned to the ranch and had the two pokémon given a thorough examination. "We've tried to heal them best we can but the damage has been done and only time will tell if his sight returns."

So that was that. Everything depended on if the doduo could heal on their own.

They released the doduo from the pokéball and into a paddock for them to wander around in. The railings were high enough to dissuade them from jumping for freedom. It would turn out messy if they did.

The doduo swayed a little, disoriented. Then it was downright confused.

"Let's leave it be for a while, let it acclimate to the new setting."

- - -

Head One and Head Two looked at each other and then at their surroundings, then back at each other again.

Where are we?

Did the humans do this?

Where is home?

Are we stuck here, now?

The doduo whimpered softly as they wandered over to one of the rails and pecked half-heartedly at it.

Brother, my sight is still gone. They did not fix my broken eye.

Yeah. Head Two's sinking feeling bled into his voice like their wounds had seeped into their feathers. They were stuck here, now. They would be transported in that pokéball whenever the humans wanted to wherever they wanted. But we can still fight.

There was a sudden CRASH! that knocked the doduo away from the fencing. On the other side of the barricade that had quite possibly saved their lives, the tauros snorted. He kicked at the metal bar with his sturdy hoof and meandered away. Don't think I have forgotten what you did, little bird.

The doduo slowly caught its bearings and settled down. We did what we had to! Head Two retorted once they were capable of speech. You were just being a bully!

Nice pun. The tauros snorted and turned away from them. His hindquarters were impressive, both muscular and scarred.

So he's next to us. Head Two glowered sourly.

Head One let out a ragged sigh. It could be said that he had been worried that Head Two would incite another charge from the bull. Thankfully his rage seemed to have cooled down somewhat at least. Things could be worse, he managed with a weak smile.

Turn and look at me.

Surprised, Head One nearly complied, then turned away in shame. No.

Let me see it.

It won't matter if you see it or not. The humans did the best they could.

Despite himself, the bull could hear the doduo talking amongst its heads and started to feel a little repentant of the damage he had done to them. He had not meant to hurt them so badly. Scratches and slashes heal, and ugly perhaps, but they do heal, unless it's something like an eye. He turned just enough to see them out of the corner of his eye.

Let me see it, Head Two repeated. Next time I won't ask and I will force you to show me. Head two pictured just how he would do it, too, knocking them down and holding that fluffy little head down with a foot. It was hard to say if he showed this imagery to his twin. Well?

Fine! Head One slowly turned toward Head Two, beak pointed downward and out of the way. There.

It only took a moment for Head Two to squawk in shock. The eye was still there. He could barely discern a scratch bisecting the eye. That was all that was wrong? He should be able to see, right? The scratch, though, showed more damage as it continued past the eye, upward and down. It was a big, red, swollen mess. Perhaps the eye was more deeply cut than Head Two had imagined. You look... dashing... with your new scar.

Head One did not believe him at all and looked away. When he did, he noticed the bull watching them. Caught in the act, the tauros snorted and looked away. So he was worried about them on some level. It really was bad. Head One wanted to cry.

We're gonna be okay, Head Two said. I told you, we'll be fine.

I know you did. But you were just being nice, weren't you?

No! I meant it. Believe me.

Well, I did before...

And keep doing it. If we're strong we'll get well and return to our home.

Okay, I'll believe you, still. I want to go home.

Me too. Let's make sure we go.

[melomar]

Backstory Three: 'enRaged away from home'
Date: 13 June 2020
Word Count: 1263
Interaction With: Doduo
In which pokémon become acclimated to the ranch and the doduo learns the move Rage.

SPOILER: Click to show

The next day dawn came too soon to the ranch, in the doduo's opinion, as first light woke most of the animals in the yard. The sun's rose gold light crept along the hills in the distance, and a grassy breeze filled the air. Also spilling into their nostrils were the smells of dirt and animal dung, which would not have been as noticeable out on the Plains. Home was so close yet so far away.

Boredom was also unavoidable here. The doduo was tapping the bars with twin beaks before noon. Once they got used to normal sounds of the farm, even if they not identifiable, there wasn't much to do. No predators to worry about, no unruly members of the herd, or the tauros herd. There was no playing, running was in a circle or not at all. What did anyone do here all day?

Days passed, then a week. Periodically a vet came to look at Head One's eye, and then left them alone. In fact, very little attention fell upon the doduo. Compared to the tauros, that is.

The bull became known as Rorie. It seemed to the doduo that 'Roarie' was a fitting name, for the bull's rage fueled such outbursts. "That bull Rorie--" MOOO!, slam, "and there he goes again." So it amused the young bird, even if the tauros did not appreciate having a name at all.

The doduo, on the other hand, received names when it became obvious that Head One's sight would not return to that eye. The consensus around the ranch was that it be named Dodo, for the way it had pecked itself into unconsciousness. This was unacceptable, of course. But no, the boy had other names picked out just for them.

Head One received the name of Dominic, which he seemed to like. Head Two was dubbed Reagan. He told them in his own language that these names had meanings. Dominic meant "of the Lord," which baffled the doduo. "It is a name that is given to people born on a Sunday," the boy went on, "the first day of the week." Reagan meant "impulsive," which Head One thought was very fitting. If anything, Head Two thought, it was the bull who should receive that name.

But those were the names now borne by the doduo, and the only way the boy and his uncle referred to them.

"You now have a big responsibility, boy," the man said when the names were given. "You have named them, so they are now yours to gentle and train."

A loud SQUAWK! issued from the annoyed bird. They didn't belong to anyone! The two humans chuckled while the doduo tried to peck at them through the bars. And it was something that they stewed about for days.

I am nobody's bird but my own! Head Two raged.

Of course not. But we're going to see much more of the boy from now on. If only we could return home. Maybe we should try to get free when they come to feed us! What do you think?

I think that's a relatively dumb idea. That opinion was shared by the tauros, not Head Two.

What?

You heard me. Beyond your paddock are just bars and more bars. We're all stuck here.

Well why are you still here anyway? You didn't get hurt. Head two glowered at Rorie through the bars.

No, not much I didn't. I'm not sure why I'm still here. Maybe they'll sell me to the rodeo.

What's that?

It's where humans show off the animals they've stolen from the plains. They do horrible things to them and sell them off to other ranches.

Will we be in the rodeo too?

Rorie eyeballed the spindly little bird. Don't know. Maybe. Would you be fun to watch? Maybe when you do that thing where you peck at each other. Maybe the clowns will get hold of you and toy with you.

What are clowns?

They poke fun at the animals in front of an audience.

The doduo did not like the sound of that. What do you think we should do?

I don't know. But I don't like the sound of this.

There's nothing you can do, little Dodo bird.

Hey! Don't call us that.

I will if I want to. You can't make me stop, the bull chuckled.

We can call you "Roarie!" You roar and kick at everything!

Watch your mouths.

Make us!

The bull roared and charged at the fencing between the two paddocks. The bars rattled and shook, as if they were ready to give under his might. But they held, and the doduo was safe. For now.

The little bird jumped back, briefly filled with terror. But when they realized they were safe, their anger soared. They hopped about, flailing. They jumped at the bars, rattling them viciously. Pecking at them, the racket was shrill. But they made only a fraction of the racket Rorie had.

The bull chuckled. That's all? Silly Dodo-bird, you've got nothing to me. You were lucky that time. That's all.

The dodo shrieked. I was not! He was not! We were nooootttt!

- - -

"What is that Dodo doing?"

"I dunno. He's been pretty upset for a while now."

"How long?"

"I dunno."

- - -

"Still at it?"

"Yup."

- - -

"Shouldn't we do something about 'im?"

"Naw, just let 'im tire 'imself out."

"Okay then."

- - -

Nigel and his uncle returned home from the herds on the plain towards the end of the day. They were so tired that as soon as their mounts were cared for they went in to dinner without another look at the animals. It wasn't until after dark that a racket outside became noticeable.

"How long has he been like this?"

"Most of today."

"So you left him in a Rage, just to let him knock himself out?"

"Pretty much. There wasn't much else to be done."

"Did you try a pokéball."

"I guess you could see if that'll work. But no, we didn't."

Nigel's uncle was nearly in a rage himself when he returned to the doduo's paddock with Nigel. "I don't believe this. Apparently he's been going at it all day."

Wordlessly, Nigel approached the gate and watched them through the bars. Clearly the doduo was trying to attack the bull through the bars that separated them, despite extreme fatigue. They were dragging, no longer able to leap into the air. They scratched with supremely heavy claws. They could hardly keep their heads up. But the bull was safely out of reach, looking bored and smug. "What do we do?"

It wasn't luck. It. Wasn't. Head Two couldn't get it out of his head. That day, he had planned things out. It was a fast plan but sound. It wasn't luck.

And Head One cheered them on. It was strategy!

You're just. You can't admit that I beat you.

"I think if we put him into a pokéball he will at least regain his strength. Whatever it is that got him to use Rage may still be angering him when we let him out again."

"D'you think he'll do this again?"

"I don't know. But maybe we should separate them. I was hoping they would help each other get used to the ranch, but I guess not."

Nigel's doduo found relief a moment later when they were recalled back into the pokéball. Both heads were too tired to converse. But their animosity with the bull was not about to end.

[melomar]

- - Back Story End - -