Hot chocolate and cold lemonade

[iamlurking]

It. Just. Would. Not. Stop. Blowing.

Teeth chattering with the cold wind even under the heavy coat, he wondered how could Natsu stand this weather. Flying types are weak to ice for heaven's sake!

Maybe going to train outside wasn't a good idea after all.

Natsuki's chirp and tug of her claw snapped him out of his misery and almost sprinted the distance remaining to Striaton's restaurant. Something hot would be very welcome in this moment.

[Michelle]

Business was slow, as was expected. Even some of the Striaton locals were out at the festivities in Nimbasa, leaving the city, and especially the cafe, feeling rather deserted. Not many people were willing to travel out in the cold to come and get a drink or something to eat either. All of it made for a cafe with waiters and waitresses just hanging about, doing next to nothing.

Cress was on the fence about the slow business day. On one side of the coin, that meant less battling and less baking, which made him rather unhappy. The days when a tough challenger came in were the best of days. For some reason, he highly doubted that there would be any challenging battles today. Most people were out in Nimbasa after all. On the other side of the coin, less customers and challengers meant less stress and that was always a good thing.

Currently, Cress was sitting at one of the tables, absentmindedly feeding Simipour and Azumarill some cheesecake that had been made earlier and not been eaten. He would have given some to his other Pok?mon as well, but they weren’t really fit to be out in the middle of the cafe. It was shortly after he had given Simipour another piece of cheesecake that the door opened. Immediately, nearly everyone in the restaurant turned their eyes to the door. Cress got up to go and see what he wanted. Normally, he would have let the other waiters and waitresses handle it, but serving someone was better than sitting and being bored out of your mind. There was no way that he was going to sit around and continue doing nothing.

“Hello sir! Is there anything that I can do for you today?” Cress asked with a small smile. Simipour and Azumarill left the table that they were sitting at upon realizing that their trainer was occupied with a customer at the moment, taking the unfinished cheesecake with them.

[iamlurking]

Glad to be inside and away from the cold, he turned to face the interior and was promptly surprised at all the personnel staring at him. And the place was empty, so it was really all the personnel. Well, almost. He could make out some Watchdogs at the back, along with some pan-pokémon, a Simipour and an Azumarill with one of the triplets. Cress, he remembered. His stomach grumbled at the sight of the cheesecake he was feeding them.

Hanging up his coat in the rack, he felt the heat of the room comforting and a pleasant shiver came with the warmth. The snow was fun. The cold? Not so much.
Looking around he was still attracting the attention of some waiters. Uneasy by all the attention, he was about to walk-sprint to the nearest table when he was approached by the triplet he had noticed before.

“Hello sir! Is there anything that I can do for you today?” Well, it was better to be in the attention of just one person than many. Something hot would be really nice in the moment.

"I'd like something warm for now, a hot chocolate." His partner made a whining noise and he quickly corrected himself, "-along with a lemonade for her please." Then he was directed to his seat, and proceeded to pet Natsuki when she perched in his shoulder.

[Michelle]

The other staff at the cafe soon went back to whatever they had been doing to occupy themselves before. Most were just sitting around, chatting with what few customers were in the building or other works. Some were playing with the various Pok?mon around the place. No one really had a problem with any of it, considering that there really wasn't much else for anyone to do. Cress had even considered telling some of them to take the day off at one point, but the thought had left his head rather quickly. Being caught short staffed would definitely turn into an issue.

"I'd like something warm for now, a hot chocolate, along with a lemonade for her please." It was nice to see people care about their Pok?mon enough to consider their wants as well, Cress thought to himself as he took the customer's order. In the back of his mind, he was also wondering if maybe this guy would consider battling as well. Cress far from voiced these thoughts though. Maybe later, after he had gotten him what he wanted.

"Of course. I'll be back shortly. Just tell one of the others if you need something." With that, he turned and headed towards the kitchen, where Simipour and Azumarill were currently sitting and eating what little was left of their cheesecake. Usually, they would have been out in the restaurant, helping with whatever needed to be done. Seeing as there wasn't much to be done though, the two decided to stay back in the back. Cress gave the two a small smile as he got the hot chocolate and lemonade that had been requested. With the beverages in hand, he left he kitchen and went back to one of the few occupied tables in the cafe.

"Here you go, hot chocolate and lemonade," he said, sitting both drinks down in front of the trainer and his Pok?mon. "Is there anything else that you want?" He asked with a polite smile. "Oh, and if you don't mind me asking, what made you decide to come out to the restaurant when its so cold out?"

[iamlurking]

The atmosphere from the restaurant was very pleasant, including the fact that he could finally feel his toes again. Next time he was training, he was going to do it somewhere where at least there was no wind.

"Here you go, hot chocolate and lemonade." He was snapped of his thoughts when the order came in. Well, that was fast. Then again there were almost no customers. Steam was rising from the cup of chocolate, and he decided to let it cool just a bit in case he burned his tongue. He set out his arm in the table and Natsuki immediately settled in his forearm, sipping at the lemonade through the straw quite happily. He noticed the triplet had yet to leave so he faced towards him again.

"Is there anything else you want?," Before Austin could even think he continued. "Oh, and if you don't mind me asking, what made you decide to come out to the restaurant when its so cold out?"

Taking a sip from the beverage, he grimaced at how hot it was and the sting in his tongue. He should have let it cool more.

"I was out for training, we decided to try luck in Route 3 when we saw that there was no snow report. We did not account the wind though. We were near the day-care when the cold got worse and decided to get somewhere warm. And so here we are" He finished, and tried again to take a sip, without burning his tongue this time. Quite more delicious than he had expected!

[Michelle]

It was really rather adorable, watching the Swoobat drink from the straw in the lemonade. Of course, it wasn't the first time that Cress had seen something like that, but it was still cute.

"I was out for training, we decided to try luck in Route 3 when we saw that there was no snow report. We did not account the wind though. We were near the day-care when the cold got worse and decided to get somewhere warm. And so here we are." Cress nodded, showing that he understood what the trainer was talking about. He wouldn't have gone out on a day like today, but then again he got all of the training that he needed from inside the restaurant. Sometimes he had to stop and remind himself that people didn't seek out most trainers to challenge them.

"Yes, it can get pretty windy out this time of year. I'm happy that you decided to go out training today though. As you can tell," he made a quick look around the near empty cafe, "there aren't many people out and about today and those that are are in Nimbasa." He stopped himself, realizing that he was probably talking more a lot more than necessary. "Ah, excuse me. I didn't mean to ramble on so much."

Over on the other side of the cafe, Simipour had been recruited to help wash what few dishes there were to be washed, including the ones that he and Azumarill had just been eating off of. Once he was done with that task, Azumarill having left him to hang out with some of the pan Pok?mon that were wandering around the cafe, Simipour made his way over to Cress. He looked at the Swoobat curiously. It wasn't as if Swoobats were never seen in the cafe, it was just that Simipour could be a rather curious Pok?mon at times. Cress gave the monkey Pok?mon a slight pat on the head as it stood beside him.

[iamlurking]

Natsuki was already halfway the lemonade so he started scratching the ruff of her collar to distract her. She could get grumpy when she found out there was no more so soon. Sipping more from the chocolate, he listened to the triplet in front of him.

"Yes, it can get pretty windy out this time of year. I'm happy that you decided to go out training today though. As you can tell," The waiter turned around to see the restaurant, so he did too, noticing the Simipour watching curiously from the dish washer. "-there aren't many people out and about today and those that are are in Nimbasa. Ah, excuse me. I didn't mean to ramble on so much."

"It is no problem, do not worry. Besides I have wanted to visit here since I caught wind that it was no longer a Gym. It's also a good moment to do so apparently. Having nothing to do can be very boring." He waved his hand as he answered. Noticing the Simipour was making his way over here, he nudged Natsuki slightly and made a motion to the monkey Cress was currently petting. She looked at Austin, and he nodded. "Go make new friends, I know you're curious too." Getting his arm from the table she then floated in face level with the other, chirps and sounds coming from those two were all he needed to know about what was happening. She was social enough for both of them.

Austin turned again, and saw that Cress was still standing after all this while. It was his job, but standing when he was sitting still seemed rude. That and his partner would look at him disapprovingly sad if he did not make any new "friends". Plus, he did not want another jacket with tears because of her claw again.

"Would you like to sit? It must be tiring to be standing up all the time."

[Michelle]

"It's no problem, do not worry. Besides I have wanted to visit here since I caught wind that it was no longer a Gym. It's alos a good moment to do so apparently. Having nothing to do can be very boring." Cress took note of how the trainer seemed to encourage his Swoobat to go and interact with Simipour. "Go make new friends, I know you're curious too."

It always warmed Cress's heart to see any of his Pok?mon make new friends. It was just one of those things that happened when someone that you cared about was happy. Simipour was rather enjoying himself. The two seemed to be getting along pretty well, even though they had just met. Even though he couldn't understand a word that the two of them were saying, Cress was sure that they were getting along. If they weren't, Simipour probably would have left by now.

"Would you like to sit? It must be tiring to be standing up all the time." Cress took the offer, pulling out one of the other chairs at the table and sitting down. It was a nice break from standing, which was what he was normally doing considering that when the cafe was busy, as it normally was, there weren't much time nor many places to sit down.

"Thanks for the offer. Usually I don't have time to sit down and talk to customers. Its one of the many trials and tribulations of being a waiter I suppose," he said with a small smile. What he said was true. Even though he immensely enjoyed it, sitting down and having a conversation with someone while he was at work was far from a common occurrence. Cress was more than willing to take advantage of the opportunity though. "You chose a good a time as ever to come and visit here, I must say. On a normal day, I doubt anyone working here would have had time to sit down and chat." He paused for a very brief moment, taking less than a second to think of what to say next.

"You're Swoobat seemed to really enjoy the lemonade. I've never seen one drink it before."

[iamlurking]

Feeling a bit less guilty now that they were both sitting, he looked at the two pokémon who were still talking, or playing, whichever one was it.

"Thanks for the offer. Usually I don't have time to sit down and talk to customers. Its one of the many trials and tribulations of being a waiter I suppose. You chose a good a time as ever to come and visit here, I must say. On a normal day, I doubt anyone working here would have had time to sit down and chat." Before he could reply and repeatedly say that it was not of much importance Cress continued.
"Your Swoobat seemed to really enjoy the lemonade. I've never seen one drink it before."

Still a bit dazed by how little time to think and talk the other used, he found it a bit odd. Natsuki was certainly not an average Swoobat. But with all of the pokémon and people living together, surely there must be another one who indulged in human food?

"Well, she is really fond of the taste, and very curious about everything you put in front of her. I asked for a lemonade in a café, she tasted it and in love with the flavor ever since."

[Michelle]

"Well, she is really fond of the taste, and very curious about everything you put in front of her. I asked for a lemonade in a cafe, she tasted it and in love with the flavor ever since." He listen carefully, even though there was really no need to. It wasn't as if the conversation was overly important or anything. He was still a good habit, and one that Cress had definitely developed over time.

"That sounds like Simipour. He's constantly badgering me to try whenever I bake something new. He seems to think not everything not only needs my seal of approval, but his as well." In fact, that was what always happened whenever the monkey Pok?mon was out while he was cooking. Actually, that happened with most of his Pok?mon, but it was only his Simipour that did it to be a critic. The others just demanded to be fed because they liked his food.

Simipour, while the two trainers were conversing, let out a quiet call, signaling for Azumarill to come over and join him in talking to the new friend that she had just made. After all, the more that merrier, right? Cress took notice of this, but didn't really see any problems with it, so he didn't interfere. It didn't seem like he would be pulled away for a battle anytime soon, so he let them continue.

Azumarill left the pan Pok?mon and Lillipups that she had been playing with earlier to join her close friend Simipour and Natsuki the Swoobat. She began to chatter away as well.

[iamlurking]

"That sounds like Simipour. He's constantly badgering me to try whenever I bake something new. He seems to think not everything not only needs my seal of approval, but his as well." ...That made sense actually. He had heard the pan-pokémon and evolutions were unusually curious even for pokémon with trainers. If he were to take on cooking Natsu would probably taste everything he made, not that he would ever do anything fancier than a soup or grill something. He'd probably burn it.

"Natsu would probably demand I let her try anything I made as well if I actually manage to prepare anything fancier than pre-cooked food."

Austin looked to see the progress she was making, and was only a bit surprised to see there was also an Azumarill there as well. She was a definitely a social butterfree. Or Swoobat in this case.
Taking another sip of the now lukewarm beverage, he noted surprised, that it was almost empty. It had been quite a while since he had a pleasant conversation this long with a practically stranger.

"I do think, however, that I cannot imagine why this place is so empty now when there's chocolate this good in here. Especially with the cold."

[Michelle]

"I do think, however, that I cannot imagine why this place is so empty now when there's chocolate this good in here. Especially with the cold." Internally, Cress beamed with happiness. Anytime that someone complimented anything that he made, regardless of how many times the same exact thing had been complimented before, it made him feel just slightly better about himself. Outwardly, on the other hand, a small smile was all that escaped on to his face.

"I imagine it has something to do with the fact that it is cold out. Not many people are willing to make the trip out here just for some hot chocolate. The festivities in Nimbasa have been keeping customers as well. Not that I can blame them." He had been to Nimbasa a few days prior, when the restaurant had been so empty that he and his brothers had just told all the other employees to take the rest of the day off and go home. The three had then taken advantage of the closed cafe, which was something that rarely ever happened and went to Nimbasa for a little bit.

It had been a relatively joyous experience while they were there. Cress would probably go back if he could, but he wasn't planning on it anytime soon. He had his responsibilities here at the cafe and he had never been the type to blow off work. Cress left that up to Chili.

All in all, the blue haired waiter was somewhat surprised that he had actually managed to have a decent, lengthy conversation with someone. Usually, conversations like this got cut short by his need to be somewhere else, but that was obviously not the case today.

[iamlurking]

"I imagine it has something to do with the fact that it is cold out. Not many people are willing to make the trip out here just for some hot chocolate. The festivities in Nimbasa have been keeping customers as well. Not that I can blame them."

"We actually rather like cold weather. Sinnoh is cold usually, and I'm more accustomed to it. Natsu and I can train properly even in snowing conditions, but the wind is another matter." Speaking of the queen, the Swoobat came towards him, and grabbed very carefully the glass, taking it with her and her new friends. He wasn't worried that she could break it, many had been broken before she got the hang of taking a glass without spilling it.

"Something I have yet to understand is why this little bugger" He said while pointing to the Swoobat, who was taking turns and sharing the lemonade with the Azumarill and Simipour, "-is actually really fond of the snow and likes to play in it when her typing makes her vulnerable to it. Not that is a bad thing."

[Michelle]

"We actually rather like cold weather. Sinnoh is cold usually, and I'm more accustomed to it. Natsu and I can train properly, even in snowing conditions, but the wind is another matter." That would make sense. Cress himself had never actually visited Sinnoh. He had always thought that traveling might be nice, but leaving the cafe for any amount of time was just something that he couldn't begin to consider doing at this point. Maybe later on in life, but right now he had his priorities were here.

Azumarill and Simipour both took drinks of the lemonade. They had had it many times before, as it was a rather popular drink in the summer. It was a much rarer treat during the colder months though, as not many people ordered it, so not much was made. Both had silly grins on their faces, happy to have someone other than the usual Pok?mon to share and interact with. A bright idea popped into Azumarill's head. Without warning, she ran off, back to the kitchen. While whatever staff was in the room wasn't watching, she grabbed a piece of cake off the counter. She didn't mind what kind it was, the particular piece that she grabbed happened to be chocolate, and ran back out to Simipour and Natsuki. Azumarill offered the cake to her new friend, as a way off saying thanks for sharing the lemonade.

"Something I have yet to understand is why this little bugger is actually really fond of the snow and likes playing in it when her typing makes her vulnerable to it. Not that its a bad thing." Cress took notice of the Pok?mon and their sharing.

"Maybe since it isn't a battle, she isn't quite as worried about it. Pok?mon can be quite peculiar at times, that is for sure. Snow is rather fun to play in though. I know that given the chance, my Pok?mon love to play in it." He paused for a moment, rethinking his statement. "At least, the ones that can move around freely without being in water do."

[iamlurking]

He could practically feel her beaming from his seat and was surprised she didn't get fussy when they finished the lemonade between the three of them. Seems like she really did get along with the other ones.

"Maybe since it isn't a battle, she isn't quite as worried about it. Pokémon can be quite peculiar at times, that is for sure. Snow is rather fun to play in though. I know that given the chance, my Pokémon love to play in it. At least, the ones that can move around freely without being in water do."

"That does sound possible. If there's snow, most likely you'll end wet from slush balls she flings at you. She did try to make a snow woobat once." He smiled at remembering the crude mountain of slush with the twigs posing as wings. He should put it as a wallpaper for his xtransciever again sometime later. "In battle she is wary when someone calls a blizzard or is against an ice pokémon. I do think she holds a bit of a grudge against Frostlass."

Meanwhile the two trainers were talking, Natsu was really enjoying herself. She did not even mind that her lemonade was over because she shared it with her new friends. They were really bright and a nice clear blue color. Her new Azumarill friend dashed to get something, wasn't it called cake? Her heart-shaped nose sniffed it and she liked the smell. It smelled like what her partner was drinking but different. Getting an idea, she flapped once more again in direction to the one the had hair like her partner. She nudged the shiny thing that divided food sometimes in the direction of the food.

[Michelle]

"That does sound possible. If there's snow, most likely you'll end up wet from slush balls she flings at you. She did try to make a snow woobat once." Cress smiled a bit. The very thought reminded him of the time his Pok?mon, along with his brother's Pok?mon, spent a good bit of time trying to construct snow statues of the three of them. It hadn't worked out all that well in the end, considering the snow got melted quite a few times accidentally. The group had had fun though, so none of the Pok?mon were to put down by the fate of their creations.

"In battle she is wary when someone calls a blizzard or is against an ice Pok?mon. I do think she holds a bit of a grudge against Frostlass."

"They're a bit like us then, if you think about it that way. I don't know a single person that hasn't enjoyed the snow at least once in their life, but it can be rather scary when in large amounts, like a blizzard or something."

Simipour picked up the fork that the Swoobat had been nudging it. It had never occurred to either of the blue Pok?mon that others couldn't eat human food as well as them if they didn't have hands like they did. With a smile on his face, Simipour cut off a piece of the cake and held the spoon out in front of his new friend, hoping that she would take a bite. One thing that both of Cress's Pok?mon realized was that most other didn't get the opportunity to eat such good food all the time. Neither could fathom living like that.

[iamlurking]

"They're a bit like us then, if you think about it that way. I don't know a single person that hasn't enjoyed the snow at least once in their life, but it can be rather scary when in large amounts, like a blizzard or something." Austin smiled, he did know of one person who did not like snow or cold at all. Shame for him to be living in Sinnoh.

"Actually, I do know a person who absolutely loathes cold, don't even mention snow. He's a friend of mine and to his misery he lives in Sinnoh, specifically near Mt. Coronet to his displeasure. He would love Unova in the summer." Now that he thought about it, maybe he could call in a favor and bring him over here for vacations. That had to be at least in spring however; he would bite his head off if he was at the mercy of this wind.

Meanwhile, Natsuki was happy that they had picked up her intentions, and ate off the spoon immediately. That cake tasted delicious and nudged again her friend to give her another spoonful. It was better than the food she usually ate. Not that it was bad, it was yummy but this was very much preferable and she could feel her energy going up faster than usual. She hoped her partner was having as much fun as her and that he made friends with the other one that was talking, they were fun, there was good food and he was brighter than usual.

[Michelle]

"Actually, I do know a person who absolutely loathes cold, don't even mention snow. He's a friend of mine and to his misery he lives in Sinnoh, specifically near Mt. Coronet to his displeasure. He would love Unova in the summer." That was one of the drawbacks of never traveling, you were always at the subject of thinking that the people you lived around were the same as people everywhere else. This was one of those times.

"Well, I suppose when you have to put up with the cold and snow for most of your life, you would grow tired of it." It was odd to think of weather being cold and snowy for more than four months a year. Maybe if he ever did decide to travel, Cress would make sure to go to Sinnoh and see just what this trainer was talking about. A light bulb went off in Cress's head immediately after thinking. He had been talking to this trainer for quite some time and hadn't gotten his name yet. While it certainly wasn't normal for him to ask for customer's names, he usually didn't talk to them for this long either.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's your name? We have been talking for a while and I was just wondering. I'm sure that you know mine, but its Cress just in case you didn't."

Simipour and Azumarill were elated to see their new found friend liking the cake. The monkey happily gave Natsuki another piece. It wasn't every day that they got to make new friends with Pok?mon that came into the cafe. Usually they left to quickly or were Pok?mon they were battling against. Plus, they liked showing off how well their trainer could bake. For some odd reason, the two liked to boast about how successful he was.

[iamlurking]

"Well, I suppose when you have to put up with the cold and snow for most of your life, you would grow tired of it. If you don't mind me asking, what's your name? We have been talking for a while and I was just wondering. I'm sure that you know mine, but its Cress just in case you didn't."

"It seems I didn't take notice of it likewise! My name is Austin by the way." He scratched his cheek a bit nervously, he didn't mean to be rude but he did got a bit lost in the conversation.

"Well, I do know your name, I challenged this restaurant when it was a Gym still. I went against one of your brothers though, Chili." He hoped to dear god that was the name of the brother with red hair and he hadn't forgotten it and got wrong.

Natsu was enjoying herself quite a bit, she was happy and it was comfy and everyone was bright. Except that in that moment his partner's silhouette turned a bright pink, the kind she saw when he tripped when around strangers. She motioned to her friend, the Azumarill, to take the remnants of the cake to Austin while all of them got closer, not minding that breadcrumbs still sticked a bit in the sides of her mouth, she could groom herself later.

[Michelle]

"It seems I didn't take notice of it likewise! My name is Austin, by the way." That cleared some things up, knowing the trainer's name. At least now he could stop referring to him both mentally and verbally, if he ever had to, as the trainer. "Well, I do know your name. I challenged this restaurant when it was a Gym still. I went against one of your brothers though," Chili." If Austin would have challenged him while this place was still a gym, he may have remembered him. Remembering someone that challenged one of his brothers though was completely out of the question. There had been so many trainers that had passed through the gym that Cress was surprised he remembered the amount that he did.

"Well, its a shame that you didn't get to battle the best trainer in the gym," he said jokingly. Cress liked his brother's just find, but there was nearly always an argument about going about who really was the best out of them. It was the source of many not so serious and rather hilarious debates.

Azumarill sat the cake on on the table, motioning for his trainer's new friend to try it. Simipour joined Azumarill, staring up at Austin expectantly. The two really wanted up to taste it and see what his reaction was. Cress rolled his eyes. "You don't have to eat it if you don't want to," he said with a smile. He was mostly happy to see that his Pok?mon had made new friends.

[iamlurking]

"Well, its a shame that you didn't get to battle the best trainer in the gym." Austin could hear the joking tone inside the words and followed with the game. He was also curious as to how the skills could be compared between the three brothers.

"Chili gave me quite a fight for the badge back then, how do I know if you're the strongest one really?"

He saw that Cress was about to answer when he noticed the three pokémon at the side of the table, the Azumarill motioning to the piece of cake that still remained and the Simipour watching intently at him. He looked at Natsu and saw that she hadn't groomed herself to take care of the crumbs, so he unfolded the table napkin and took care of the most part of the mess.

"You don't have to eat it if you don't want to" Cress pointed out with a smile but Austin shook his head slightly and ate the rest of the cake in one bite, as there had been only a small portion of it left. The chocolate cake was delicious.

"It would be rude to say no to a dessert, especially one that looks tasty, and as with the hot chocolate, this is really good." Shame it was only a little bit.

Natsuki beamed when the color pink went back to the bright yellow it was before and considered the mission a success, looking very happy all around.

[Michelle]

"Chili gave me quite a fight for the badge back then, how do I know if you're the strongest one really?" Cress smirked. That sounded like a challenge to him. A faint spark of hope that someone would actually want to battle today was lit within him. Just as he was about to ask Austin if he did want to battle, the trainer started eating the cake that Simipour, Natsuki, and Azumarill had brought over.

"It would be rude to say no to a dessert, especially on that looks tasty, and as with the hot chocolate, this is really good." Cress smiled at the compliment. No matter how many times he was told that whatever he made was excellent, receiving praise from someone new always made him quite happy.

"Well, I'm happy you liked it. Your Swoobat seemed to enjoy it as well." He had more pressing matters than continuing this conversation on his mind though. "As for proving that I'm the strongest one here, I think a battle would do just fine for that." Simipour and Azumarill were excited beyond belief now. Even though they had just made friends with Natsuki, the prospect of battling her was very exciting. "So how about it?"

[iamlurking]

"Well, I'm happy you liked it. Your Swoobat seemed to enjoy it as well. As for proving that I'm the strongest one here, I think a battle would do just fine for that." Seems like he would get his training done after all, he was a bit worried however. He had just picked up his training regime from where he had left it months ago, what with Team Plasma debacle. "So how about it?"

"What do you say? Want to have a battle girl?" He motioned to the Swoobat in his shoulder who chirped ecstatically, and immediately tugged on his arm to get him standing. It was such a sudden action that he ended stumbling and made a face fault in the floor. That hurt.

Meanwhile Natsuki was so excited she didn't mind her strength and caused another accidental fall, it was not the first time this had happened, but it still distressed her quite a bit when it caused, floating protectively over him until he at least got in all fours. She decided she would try extra hard for her trainer this time, even more extra hard than usual.

[Michelle]

"What do you say? Want to have a battle girl?" Cress smiled as the Swoobat clearly showed that she wanted to battle as well. The bat Pok?mon may have been a bit too excited though, considering she ended up knocking her trainer onto the floor. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Azumarill and Simipour giggling at the accident. Cress shot the two a slight glare, and while they both stopped, amusement was definitely still present in their expressions.

Being the good person that he was, and not wanting to seem rude in front of everyone else in the cafe, Cress held his hand out to help Austin up off the floor. He wasn't quite sure what the seemingly protective Natsuki would make of it, but that could always be found out later. "Can't battle very well from the floor, now can we?" he asked jokingly.

[iamlurking]

While he tried to get up (Not a very easy thing to do with the hit to his nose) he could hear the giggles of the Cress' pokémon, and, well, embarrassment can be a very powerful motivator. It did help that Cress helped him get up as well and took his hand gratefully.

"Can't battle very well from the floor, now can we?"

Meanwhile Natsu was quite a bit worried, even when it was only a stumble. She saw the other one with blue hair come near, which made her a bit wary even when he was the one that had brought the lemonade. She did not move but still kept a keen eye on him, gaining a bit of respect on her when he saw she didn't do anything bad. Oooh those two giggling would pay, she would make sure of it.

Once he was up in two feet he dusted his clothes and rubbed his nose. It still hurt. But he had battled before in less than beneficial conditions so this wouldn't be too hard.

"I am not on the floor now, aren't I?" He pointed out. "Very well, shall we go?"