Team Rhythm | June Task: Riolu

The sun was high in the sky, little clouds dotting out the pure escape of blue that hung above their heads. Briefly the sun was spotted out by a sleek black form, wing tips seeming the brush the sky that kissed the face of the earth. The avian flapped his wings once, twice, than a third time before diving towards the ground, wings tucked in tightly by his sides. As soon as the tops of heads of ‘mons filling the streets of Andalusst city, the Murkrow unfurled his wings and came to an easy glide by his companion. The Charmander was reading two sheets of paper, her banner flicking back and forth. “Hey, Aeron; apparently we need to find a Riolu by Sundance’s request.” She looked around the mass of bodies around, and she could count almost five or six Riolu that passed. “How are we going to do that? There are so many of them!”

The Murkrow seemed to shrug, his wings flapping in perfect rhythm with her pulse. “I’m not so sure, Candlestick. We’ll find whoever they are soon enough, probably by chance. Just take it easy, and maybe we’ll have luck.” Aeron seemed much too relaxed for this kind of task. Out of all the dangerous ninjas out there in Andalusst right now, he just had to choose the Riolu! Candle rolled her eyes at his comment, staring back at the sheet of paper yet again. ’A nervous disposition, huh...’ She shook her head, closing her pretty coloured orbs for a moment. Really, how are they going to find a Riolu with so many of them? Maybe Aeron was right, the slow and relaxed pace of the day seemed to be getting to her. With a puff of smoke trailing from her maw, the Charmander placed her clawed hands behind her crania, casting her gaze up towards the spotless sky.

“Ack--!”

Candle recoiled backwards, the pieces of paper flying from her hands. After regaining her balance, the Fire-type brushed herself off before blinking, seeing a small Riolu sprawled out on the ground. A metal object fell away from Fighting-type, scattering towards the Charmander’s feet. “I’m sorry!” The tail flame on her tail flickered a light shade of purple. “Are you alright?” She reached down, pulling the Riolu up to his feet. He nodded briskly, adjusting the scarf wrapped around his head.

“Can’t dawdle. Must go. Thank you!” His accent was thick, something like Iaponese? The Murkrow narrowed his ice blue orbs in the Fighting-type’s direction. And with that, the Riolu was already off, dashing between the mass of Pokemon bodies. Aeron perched upon his partner’s cranium, folding his wings in neatly against his sides. She had gathered up the fallen items, holding up the pieces of paper and held the weapon tightly.

“Hey, little guy!” Candle frowned, holding the kunai up into the air. “You forgot... Oh. He’s already gone.” She stared at the metallic object in her hands, rolling it over and over again. The avian resting upon her crania fluttered one of his wingtips in front of her nose, causing the Charmander to sneeze. “What birdbrain?”

“That might be the Riolu you’re looking for.”

“What? He couldn’t be.”

“Donovan, the Heliolisk, said that the Riolu had a thick Iaponese accent with a nervous, or scared, demeanor. It even says in that paper.” Aeron nodded in the direction in which the Riolu fled. “Ask another Riolu around to see if they have the same accent. Besides, that kunai looks like a weapon the ninjas would use, just as they warned us.”

“You’re going to be wrong this time, birdbrain.” Candle huffed, marching up towards another Riolu, and tapped their shoulder. “Excuse me?”

The Riolu turned, head tilted. In his arms were a basket of berries. “Yes?” No accent. The Charmander grumbled slightly under her breath, shaking her head as a “nevermind” before stalking back towards the place where Aeron was waiting for her. A silent exchange passed both of them before they took off into the crowd, tracking the Iaponese Riolu they had ran into before. The amount of ‘mons around slowly began to dwindle down as the two of them reached a more secluded place, the Fighting-type rounding the corner and into a stretch of grass and scattered trees. Candle stepped forward, mouth open. The Murkrow held out one of his wings in front of his friend before flying on ahead, taking the kunai in one taloned foot.

“Sorry to bother you yet again, but you dropped this when we ran into you earlier. I must humbly apologize for that.” Aeron landed, handing the kunai back to the Riolu. The small canid-like creature looked much too nervous to stand still and talk.

“I must go. Thank--”

“There must be something we can do to make up for my friend’s rudeness, yes? What about ice cream and a game of badminton? Sundance would love to play with you.” The Murkrow placed a comforting wing on the Riolu’s back, giving the Charmander a slight nod under the shade of his hat. The Riolu seemed to ponder over the Murkrow’s kind offer before nodded quickly, the motion barely visible under the scarf around his crania. Candle smiled softly, grasping one of the Riolu’s paws in her hand.

“The ice cream here is quite good too! I really like the pecha berry swirl. I can get you something back in Andalusst!”

Together, the Explorers brought the near trembling Fighting-type back into town, and straight to Sundance. The Weavile waved to them, a friendly site to welcome them back. He placed a clawed hand around the Riolu’s shoulder and gave a thumbs up towards the two. “Good job you guys!” Sundance grinned. He handed them both one accessory voucher each before leading the Riolu away to wherever they would keep him. Candle sighed through her maw.

“I feel bad. What if they don’t give him the ice cream that we promised?”

Aeron laughed lightly, gliding up into the sky and breathed out a long and steady breath. "I'm sure Sundance will do something good. Now, what about that task for Gavina...?"