Rocky Road ~ House of Kate, Cabot, and Nip

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Melanie beamed back and cracked a toothy smile back at Cabot with an eager wave of her stubby arms.

"To make it nice and cool in the house of course!" she insisted. "Why if we work hard enough, maybe we can get icicles to form from the ceiling!"

Kate flattened her ears out before giving a sheepish paw at the back of her head.

"Er... not that that doesn't sound great for me but I think we should hold off on that until we get some solid partitions," the Weavile said. "Not everyone's gonna find that popular here."

Melanie tilted her head back with a baffled expression. Kate was a Weavile and she was a Kyurem. Or at least a shade of one. So then...

"Huh? But why not? That sort of weather feels wonderful!"

 

[Virgil134]

Cabot began to splutter incredulously.

"Wha- How would that be wonderful?!" the Rampardos cried, raising his arms up into air. "A house is supposed to be warm and comfortable, not cold and miserable!"

 

[windskull]

Nip brought a paw up to lazily scratch at his chin, tilting his eyes upward while in thought. "No no, I can see where they're coming from. Ice-types and heat don't exactly get along."

Tempest stepped forward and gave him a light nudge on the shoulder. "But not everyone here comes from a cold climate" He paused to look Cabot and Pleo over. He didn't really know if shades had types, but he didn't have to be a genius to know that neither Cabot nor Pleo were ice-types. "We'll need to balance things around here so that it's a nice place to stay for everyone. Once we have separate rooms though? That's a little different."

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Melanie cocked a brow back at Cabot in confusion at his outburst about icy weather being 'cold and miserable', and reflexively opened her mouth to protest only for Tempest's words to reach her ears. While a cooler temperature would have been more comfortable for her, Kate, Nip, and Tempest, she remembered from Kate's memories that most Pokémon without fur or feathers seemed to genuinely struggle with cold weather. And even among feathered Pokémon, most were Flying-Types who found such weather against their preference even if circumstance forced them to endure it from time to time.

It was hard to argue the Ninetales didn't have a point for a house that was meant to be shared, but still, how had she never thought of this?

"I suppose I never really thought of it that way."

"I mean, I guess I did model you after a god," Kate sighed. "I've never really seen them as the type to have to stop and think about others."

Kate caught herself and fell silent, as it crossed her mind that while she hadn't intended it as such, her comment cut a bit closer than she'd intended. There were no shortage of problems in Varhyde that weren't ultimately because of or made worse by some deity, friend or foe, barging in and trying to put their thumb on the scale to influence things in history, and she assumed that things were little better in Edialeigh. She never recalled any stories of them stopping to ask what the Pokémon who had to live with their choices had to think of it, it was just their judgement and 'mons were left to pick up the pieces.

Maybe she was oversimplifying the matter, after all Melanie had turned out to be more than just some dispassionate avatar of ice... though on the other claw, she could've just as easily been because that's what she would've wanted from a patron god, even if reality was different. Kate shook her head, trying to dispel her increasingly uncomfortable thoughts as she forced a smile onto her face and waved back.

"But don't worry about that," she said. "There will be plenty of time to play around and come up with something that works for us all down the road."

"Hrm. I suppose, though what should we be doing right now?" Melanie asked. "Should we be laying out our stuff? Marking out where we want to put things? Or...?"

 

[windskull]

Kate's statement gave Nip pause, and his smile faltered ever so slightly. His feelings about god's had been a tangled mess since he came to Cibus and met Pokemon that would be gods in his world. And he'd scrunched those feelings into a tiny little ball and stored them in back of his mind, along with his trauma and everything else he didn't like thinking about. There were some things he just wanted to accept as fact. Like the idea that Yveltal, though callous to the suffering of the living, accepted all the dead with open and caring wings and made sure they were tended to properly.

Tempest, sensing Nip's current emotional state, decided to speak for the both of them. "I may not have all the memories of the original Tempest, but I think he found reason to believe that gods could be both caring and callous. Sometimes at the same time."

Nip started to say something, about hen thought better of it and changed the subject back to their new home. "Dividing up the sleeping room seems like a good place to start. Some of us will need more space than others, after all."

 

[Virgil134]

The conversation made Pleo shift uneasily, as he turned to Cabot with a worried look.

"But, I'm not callous to others... right?"

Cabot looked at Pleo with a small smile and gave him a reassuring pet.

"No, of course not," the Rampardos replied. "Though I guess all gods being Protectors meant to look out for others isn't something to take for granted in other worlds."

Pleo visibly eased up at that as Cabot let out a small sigh and shook his head.

"Anyway, I guess we should start by unpacking what we have," he said. "It's still early enough in the day that we can do some shopping, so maybe we can do that afterwards, since I don't think we even have anything right now to divide this room."

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Kate couldn't help but side-eye Cabot a bit after his comment about 'all gods being Protectors' in his world. The Legendaries of her world surely would've seen themselves 'Protectors' of their own domains in life, not that that really worked out all that well when they got into spats with each other.

If the Legendaries in Cabot's world were all as child-like as Pleo was, perhaps they still had a bit of childhood innocence to rein them in and keep them more down-to-earth with normal 'mons. Though then again, 'mons tended to do some pretty stupid stuff when they were young, and Pleo didn't sound that weak. Perhaps the gods of Cabot's own world just simply hadn't come to a point where they'd get into conflicts and build up strong enmities with each other yet and that in a few centuries, his descendants would be in much the same boat as her.

"I mean, I can't really speak for the gods in my neck of the woods since they're busy being dead," she murmured. "But I don't think you should worry too much about it. Different worlds, different rules."

The Weavile paused a moment at the mention of 'shopping'. She knew Team Spectrum had a tab that covered food, drink, and their necessities. So then, did that mean...?

"Does that also get added to the team tab?" she asked. "If so, I think I saw a few shops with furniture that might come in handy. A few even seemed to have stuff that looked like it could've come straight from Varhyde."

"Sounds like a good enough reason to take a closer look!" Melanie insisted. "Who knows? Maybe they'll have some furniture big enough for Pokémon like me!"

One after the other, the two and their housemates tucked their belongings into a corner and made their way back out of their new house. Laughing and chattering with each other as they daydreamed aloud about their new furniture and the plans they had for their new home.

<><><>​

 

[Virgil134]

After Team Spectrum's battle against Eien, things soon returned back to normal for Cabot, or at least relatively normal now that Pleo was over five times as large as he used to be. He, Kate, and Nip had gotten most work done around the house by now, with the place now being well furnished and each of them having their own proper bedrooms that they shared with their Shades.

The only thing they had yet to take care of, was the floor. He'd never liked the marble flooring all that much, and Kate and Nip didn't seem to really enjoy feeling of it underneath their feet either. After bringing home a sample of a dark gray carpet, it didn't take much for him to convince his teammates to get a carpet flooring for most of the rooms, and before they knew it, installation came and went.

Cabot watched as Pleo nestled on the carpet in the living room alongside Melanie, happily chirping about how soft it felt. The Rampardos smiled at the sight, before eagerly turning to Kate.

"Well, what do you think of it?" he asked.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Kate shuffled her feet against the carpet before stooping down and pawing at it. The Weavile looked up and cracked a small smile in reply.

"Well, it's certainly an upgrade over that hard stone floor, that's for sure," she said. "Though did they say what this thing was made out of? I don't think I've ever run across a rug that felt like this before in my home world."

 

[Virgil134]

Cabot paused a moment, before he sheepishly pawed at the back of his neck.

"I'm not fully sure actually," he admitted. "I think it's some type of wool..."

The Rampardos shook his head, before going into the kitchen, one of the few areas in the house that still had a marble flooring. He opened the fridge, taking out two cans before turning back to Kate.

"Soda?" Cabot asked, throwing one of the cans her way before she could respond. At this point he'd lived long enough with Kate to already know the answer.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Kate threw up a claw and snatched the can out of the air, shooting a wry smile back at the Rampardos.

"You sure have picked up on me quick for someone who's only known me for a few months," she said. "Though I suppose I can kinda relate, since I certainly didn't have this back home."

The Weavile popped the lid to the can and threw her head back, chugging the drink down in a swift motion before wiping her mouth with the back of her claw. After a moment to smack her mouth, she let out a loud burp and cracked a cheeky grin back.

"Not complaining though," she said. "After all, I don't think the team would appreciate me constantly chugging pints on the job, and this 'soda' stuff lets me get at least some of the fun on hand."

 

[Virgil134]

Cabot looked back at Kate with an amused smile.

"Heh, well, living in the same house has certainly helped me get to know you and Nip better," he said, swishing his large tail back and forth as he pulled back the lid of his soda can. Cabot took a sip and made his way back to Kate, before the two walked into the living room, the Rampardos welcoming the soft feeling of the carpet underneath his feet. He noticed Pleo and Melanie were still laying on the carpet, and sat down on a leather couch that he and his teammates had gotten shortly after moving in.

"We don't have soda in my world either, but I certainly wouldn't mind if it existed," Cabot remarked. "It tastes pretty good, and I probably shouldn't drink too much stuff with alcohol like rum anyway... Besides, berry juice can't really make me do stuff like this."

He chugged the rest of his drink, before putting the can on a low table in front of the couch. The Rampardos leaned back with his hands behind his neck and let out a loud, long burp, prompting him to shoot Kate a teasing smirk.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

"Hah! Not bad!" she said. "Guess you sailors really are a colorful bunch!"

The Weavile hopped up onto the couch, kicking her feet up and propping them up against Cabot's side comfortably, before pausing and blinking after a moment of realization.

"Though... are Pokémon from your world really that big on rum?" she asked. "Would've expected something like beer to have more takers given that it's cheap and you can get through more of it before getting drunk."

 

[Virgil134]

Cabot looked at Kate as she pressed her feet against him, before letting out a small sigh. The couch had just enough space for him, Kate, and Nip to all sit on together, yet whenever he and Nip weren’t both on it Kate had a habit of just kicking her feet up... even if he was already sitting there and her feet had nowhere to go but against his side.

"You know, the new floor means that if you sit upright your feet can be comfy against the carpet instead of... well, me."

The Rampardos shook his head, a small smile forming on his face as he decided to just focus on Kate's question.

"But, you're right, rum's definitely the most popular drink in the Cradle," Cabot said. "Every island has their own culture and drinks, but rum is one of the few drinks you'll see consistently being made everywhere. I guess it's because most islands are pretty warm and there's not that much land in the Cradle to work with. You can grow a lot of sugarcane in a small space since the plants can get pretty tall, so there's plenty of material to work with from them. Also, sugarcane's not like wheat or rice where making alcohol from it is taking away material for other food. I mean sure, there'll be less sweeteners to work with, but nobody's going to go hungry if a 'mon who owns a sugarcane field sells his entire crop to a rum-maker."

He paused a moment, before a mischievous smile settled on his face. Based on what Kate had told him about her world, she and most Pokémon in Varhyde really liked beer, and even drank it from these really large glasses. He'd heard of similar things happening among the Pokémon on Gestirn Island, but never really understood them since... well, they were for beer. Though given that Kate was never one to shy away from some banter, perhaps it wouldn't do a little harm to rib her taste in alcohol...

"Besides, rum does taste way better," the Rampardos teased. "Who'd wanna drink something as gross as beer, anyway?"

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Cabot looked at Kate as she pressed her feet against him, before letting out a small sigh. The couch had just enough space for him, Kate, and Nip to all sit on together, yet whenever he and Nip weren’t both on it Kate had a habit of just kicking her feet up... even if he was already sitting there and her feet had nowhere to go but against his side.

"You know, the new floor means that if you sit upright your feet can be comfy against the carpet instead of... well, me."

The Rampardos shook his head, a small smile forming on his face as he decided to just focus on Kate's question.

"Well, you don't seem that bothered by it now do ya?" the Weavile teased, sticking her tongue out in reply. "And this happens to be a bit more comfortable for me anyways, so what's the harm?"

"Besides, rum does taste way better," the Rampardos teased. "Who'd wanna drink something as gross as beer, anyway?"

Kate gave an incredulous furrow of her brow at the Rampardos' reply. Wasn't he a sailor? She knew Cabot's world was a bit of a weird one from the way he'd described it in the past, but she'd never heard of a sailor in Varhyde passing up a pint before.

The Weavile gave a teasing poke at Cabot's side with her left foot, curiling her mouth up into a wry smile.

"Because it makes you warm and fuzzy inside and you can drink more of it with buddies?" Kate asked. "Besides, life's not always sweet and there's no reason drinks always have to be either. Tea can get a bit bitter at times, but where I'm from, I've never heard anyone complain about it. 'mons in your world don't bury that in sugar, do they?"

The Weavile flicked her ears, before a teasing smirk spread over her face.

"Or maybe 'mons from your world just have got a sweet tooth," she chimed. "Though you should be careful with that, Cabot. Indulge yours too much, and you'll wind up rotting them away!"

 

[Virgil134]

Cabot tried to stifle a laugh and reflexively jerked to the right as Kate jabbed his side, only to be stopped by the couch's armrest.

"Hey! My teeth are fine!" he chuckled in response. "And rum makes you feel just as warm and fuzzy inside, if not more! Maybe Pokémon in Varhyde just can't handle alcohol all that well if they get drunk so quickly from it, huh?"

Cabot eased up a bit and shook his head, a warm smile still on his face.

"Besides, even if life's not always sweet, it still is most of the time! Sure it has its bitter moments, but things always get better again eventually," the Rampardos insisted. "That's one of the reasons why I'm serving the navy, to help reunite Anyilla and give other 'mons something to look forward to!"

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

"Hey! My teeth are fine!" he chuckled in response. "And rum makes you feel just as warm and fuzzy inside, if not more! Maybe Pokémon in Varhyde just can't handle alcohol all that well if they get drunk so quickly from it, huh?"

"Maybe I'd take more offense to that if it wasn't coming from a 'mon who couldn't handle a pint," Kate teased.

Cabot eased up a bit and shook his head, a warm smile still on his face.

"Besides, even if life's not always sweet, it still is most of the time! Sure it has its bitter moments, but things always get better again eventually," the Rampardos insisted. "That's one of the reasons why I'm serving the navy, to help reunite Anyilla and give other 'mons something to look forward to!"

Kate couldn't help but reflexively tilt her head at the Rampardos. While Cabot was fun to be around, there were times when he seemed a little too cheery for his own good. And times he talked about his Empire's navy tended to be among them.

It's not that there weren't similar Pokémon of his mold back home. But with the war with Edialeigh simmering in its- gods what year was it by now anyways? Its seventieth? Anyhow, things usually didn't end well for their idealism, and often not for them either. After all, they were from the land where blunt truths were said to be favored over honeyed idealism.

"You should be careful with that, Cabot," the Weavile murmured. "I can't speak for the 'mons you hang around with, but I've seen more than a few 'mons who got used by the military back home from that sort of idealism. And I don't think that being on the water constantly magically would change its nature."

The Weavile gave a wry smile back.

"Though maybe I'm sweating things too much. After all, you seem like you can take care of yourself," she said. "Not that I'd expect to be popular with your friends if we somehow ever met."

 

[Virgil134]

Cabot blinked at Kate's remarks, putting a finger to his mouth before pausing. From what Kate had told him about her world, he knew that she was from a kingdom that had been at war for decades, and where the guards would regularly extort the locals for 'donations', just like he'd heard Company guards did back in his world. Even if what she'd said seemed more than a little cynical, he could understand why given how her military was like...

"I'll keep it in mind, but I really don't think the navy is using me. We're really trying to do something good here, and my captain did back off on capturing Pleo," the Rampardos insisted. "As for my friends... I mean... if you were still actively robbing other 'mons I guess they probably wouldn't like you..."

He suddenly perked up. "But that wouldn't be an issue if you were a former outlaw! I get that you're a thief in your world, but you're not here in Cibus, because you don't need to steal to get by. Same would apply if you somehow ended up in my world, since you could just join the navy and become part of the same crew as me. It's not like in your world where there's an ongoing war, and you won't be treated worse just because you used to be a thief. After all, two of my friends are former pirates, yet they're just as much part of the crew as everyone else! In fact, there were even a few times where Captain Nugget needed them specifically to steal stuff from the Company, so your old skills would definitely still be useful."

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Kate couldn't help but side-eye at Cabot over his offer. Was the navy in his world really that much better than the army in Varhyde? Or did Cabot just have the luxury of serving under it at a time when it wasn't really fighting that much?

Whatever the case, she had to admit that Cabot was decent at putting forward a recruiting pitch. And him always being as starry-eyed as he was was kinda endearing. Why, between that and his spiel, it almost made her want to go ahead and try out this navy life. Almost.

"I'll keep the offer in mind," she said. "Though I think there's an option you're overlooking there, Cabot."

The Weavile gave a quiet smirk in reply.

"After all, you could just as easily come to my world and become an Outlaw," Kate said. "Wouldn't be the first time a 'mon's taken up that life after bailing from a military back home."

The Dark-type stuck her tongue out teasingly for a moment, before continuing on.

"I mean, if your Navy's as open to thieves in its ranks as you let on, I'm sure you've learned a thing or two about being sticky-pawed," she insisted. "And with how hard you hit in battle, you'd have Outlaws left and right tripping over themselves to get you to join their crew!"

 

[Virgil134]

"H-Huh?! Me as an outlaw?!"

Cabot looked at Kate in startled surprise. As much as he liked being Kate's teammate, he was expecting her to just considered his offer, not invite him into a life of crime! The Rampardos grew increasingly flustered as Kate continued on, and when she was finished, stammered out a reply.

"B-But I can't do that!" he protested. "I don't want to hurt innocent 'mons or take away their hard earned stuff! What would my parents think?!"