The Red Bear of Melka
Mar 13, 2019 11:01:38 GMT -8
Post by mcdoogles on Mar 13, 2019 11:01:38 GMT -8
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{Proof of Encounter}Proof of Encounter {Team Declaration}
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#066[/ul]
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A large, olive-drab rucksack was re-shouldered by a proverbial giant of a man and a smaller one that was tan was hoisted like a mirror image by his companion Pokémon. The road they walked was worn through the years and the gravel and stone that had been embedded into the earth was shallow and weathered from the washout that occurred whenever the seasons changed. Spring had come, and it was a wonderful sight to behold. The sun rested high in the afternoon sky, though it was yet a crisp white, as though chidden and still ashamed to burn with its intended brilliance. It made the grass stiff and rigid and, at night, one’s breath was still caught upon the air, paying homage to the dying winter. Lazy clouds rolled overhead in tight but sparse clustered and meandered along as amicably as they might.
Barrett Ryker was never one to mind the cold. Regardless of the elements, his home was found beneath the sun and his freedom was expressed in the way that the wind could run through his hair, like the caress of a woman’s hand painting back through the wild red locks. It had been so long since Ryker felt the satisfying pulse in the muscles of his legs that could only come from traveling by foot. He’d missed it far more than he initially realized.
“What do you think, Guts?” The booming timbre of Barrett’s voice came, causing his Machop’s head to turn up at him. The man spread his arms out wide and grinned, closing his eyes tight as he took in a deep, satisfied breath, “Our first journey, together! Who knows what we’ll find, but I’m ready to be surprised!”
A few high-yielding grunts and incoherent mutterings came from Guts, which was his representation of conversational skills. Ryker thought he was quite good at it, really, and understood his Pokémon on most occasions. It wasn’t as if anything intelligible was being communicated, but a real man didn’t need to hear to understand the meaning behind someone’s heart! “Ahahaha! That’s exactly right! We’ll see everything! All that Godai has to offer and take it for ourselves!”
Barrett drummed a fist against his leather-bound chest. The vest he wore was still polished and of fine make, having very little wear, except for the last few days’ worth of travel. It had been a parting gift, which he gratefully accepted. The fur-lining within was comfortable and the fit was impeccable. The collar of it was rimmed with the same malt-hued pelt and tickled his neck in a pleasant way whenever he’d roll it to work out the kinks in the muscles there. The dark wash jeans that he wore were new, as well, which suited Barrett just fine. He enjoyed the thought of such simple things representing a beginning. Overtime, the fabric would wear in, the colors would fade when they picked up the dirt of the world and he’d eventually take the places he’d been with him, sewn into the stains that he would soon collect.
Ryker rubbed at his bearded chin, the weathered laugh lines of his face pulling back as he considered the hour. It’d been a while since their last snack. “What do you have in that bag, Guts?”
The Machop unslung it as they walked and opened up the drawstring ties so that he could peer in. The Pokémon’s squashed face smoothed out in consideration before his hand shoved inside and dug around a bit. A fair bit of jerky was pulled out and both human and Pokémon indulged themselves as they ripped the meat in two parts for one another. They chewed happily, making a cud out of the salted meat and letting it linger. There was a split in the road up and ahead of them, and a sign post marked the nearest destinations, as well as the respective miles that remained to each of them. As they came over the crest of what small hill had blocked their sight from the vast expanse of road before them, they saw the divide, the sign, and the few people who stood underneath.
An old truck was parked not far off with its hazard lights on. The driver's side door of the cab was left open and there seemed to be a fair deal of arm-waving occurring about where the two people had congregated to. Ryker and Guts paused in their chewing and gave one another a look, bits of jerky yet protruding from their mouths like the tail of a fish that hadn’t yet been swallowed. They shrugged at one another, both admitting that they had no judgments about what the matter could be.
What caught Barrett’s focus as they drew within earshot was the frantic bleating of a woman donning a long, white jacket. Her hair was coiled up in a tight bun that was now a little frazzled from what was likely its usually very proper hold. She had thin glasses, but no other adornments. “Please, please, you have to do something—” She pleaded with the man in front of her, who looked well into his fifties on account of the balding and slate gray of the hair that remained.
Barrett Ryker was never one to mind the cold. Regardless of the elements, his home was found beneath the sun and his freedom was expressed in the way that the wind could run through his hair, like the caress of a woman’s hand painting back through the wild red locks. It had been so long since Ryker felt the satisfying pulse in the muscles of his legs that could only come from traveling by foot. He’d missed it far more than he initially realized.
“What do you think, Guts?” The booming timbre of Barrett’s voice came, causing his Machop’s head to turn up at him. The man spread his arms out wide and grinned, closing his eyes tight as he took in a deep, satisfied breath, “Our first journey, together! Who knows what we’ll find, but I’m ready to be surprised!”
A few high-yielding grunts and incoherent mutterings came from Guts, which was his representation of conversational skills. Ryker thought he was quite good at it, really, and understood his Pokémon on most occasions. It wasn’t as if anything intelligible was being communicated, but a real man didn’t need to hear to understand the meaning behind someone’s heart! “Ahahaha! That’s exactly right! We’ll see everything! All that Godai has to offer and take it for ourselves!”
Barrett drummed a fist against his leather-bound chest. The vest he wore was still polished and of fine make, having very little wear, except for the last few days’ worth of travel. It had been a parting gift, which he gratefully accepted. The fur-lining within was comfortable and the fit was impeccable. The collar of it was rimmed with the same malt-hued pelt and tickled his neck in a pleasant way whenever he’d roll it to work out the kinks in the muscles there. The dark wash jeans that he wore were new, as well, which suited Barrett just fine. He enjoyed the thought of such simple things representing a beginning. Overtime, the fabric would wear in, the colors would fade when they picked up the dirt of the world and he’d eventually take the places he’d been with him, sewn into the stains that he would soon collect.
Ryker rubbed at his bearded chin, the weathered laugh lines of his face pulling back as he considered the hour. It’d been a while since their last snack. “What do you have in that bag, Guts?”
The Machop unslung it as they walked and opened up the drawstring ties so that he could peer in. The Pokémon’s squashed face smoothed out in consideration before his hand shoved inside and dug around a bit. A fair bit of jerky was pulled out and both human and Pokémon indulged themselves as they ripped the meat in two parts for one another. They chewed happily, making a cud out of the salted meat and letting it linger. There was a split in the road up and ahead of them, and a sign post marked the nearest destinations, as well as the respective miles that remained to each of them. As they came over the crest of what small hill had blocked their sight from the vast expanse of road before them, they saw the divide, the sign, and the few people who stood underneath.
An old truck was parked not far off with its hazard lights on. The driver's side door of the cab was left open and there seemed to be a fair deal of arm-waving occurring about where the two people had congregated to. Ryker and Guts paused in their chewing and gave one another a look, bits of jerky yet protruding from their mouths like the tail of a fish that hadn’t yet been swallowed. They shrugged at one another, both admitting that they had no judgments about what the matter could be.
What caught Barrett’s focus as they drew within earshot was the frantic bleating of a woman donning a long, white jacket. Her hair was coiled up in a tight bun that was now a little frazzled from what was likely its usually very proper hold. She had thin glasses, but no other adornments. “Please, please, you have to do something—” She pleaded with the man in front of her, who looked well into his fifties on account of the balding and slate gray of the hair that remained.
“Look, ma’am, I told you a hundred times, already! I’d love to help, b-but I ain’t equipped for this! I can give you a ride to the nearest ranger’s station! They’ll be sure to send a search party.” The older man protested, removing his hat and holding it between his hands and wringing it. There was a sadness on his features.
“That could take hours! Who knows what could happen by then! Please, please, you have to do something! Why won’t you just try!” She grabbed at the man’s shirt and that seemed to put him even further on edge.
Barrett and Guts were not far off, and when the accosted man spotted him, he jabbed a finger in Ryker’s direction. “You! G-get this crazy woman off me!”
Ryker’s brow popped and his head shifted between the man and the rather impassioned woman. The man looked scared and she looked…well, Barrett didn’t know what. Scared, angry, lost? Women were complicated, and emotional women were far more so. Barrett liked things to stay as simple as possible, so he sided with what seemed to make the most sense. Barrett stepped towards the pair and the woman’s head snapped towards the giant, her eyes widening as she saw the towering and imposing form of him.
“W-what are you doing? Don’t you even—” Before she could fully get out her protest, Ryker had scooped an arm around her middle and plucked her off of the ground, peeling her away from the assaulted man. With a shrugging motion, he lobbed the woman over his shoulder and held her by the back of her legs while she kicked at the air and beat fists into the strong muscles of his back. “How dare you!? Put me down, this instant! Who do you think you are?!”
Barrett’s head turned over his shoulder towards the offensive woman and then back to the man who was now straightening out his shirt. Ryker grinned at him, his eyes squinting to near closed from the broadness of it. “I’m Barrett Ryker!”
“That could take hours! Who knows what could happen by then! Please, please, you have to do something! Why won’t you just try!” She grabbed at the man’s shirt and that seemed to put him even further on edge.
Barrett and Guts were not far off, and when the accosted man spotted him, he jabbed a finger in Ryker’s direction. “You! G-get this crazy woman off me!”
Ryker’s brow popped and his head shifted between the man and the rather impassioned woman. The man looked scared and she looked…well, Barrett didn’t know what. Scared, angry, lost? Women were complicated, and emotional women were far more so. Barrett liked things to stay as simple as possible, so he sided with what seemed to make the most sense. Barrett stepped towards the pair and the woman’s head snapped towards the giant, her eyes widening as she saw the towering and imposing form of him.
“W-what are you doing? Don’t you even—” Before she could fully get out her protest, Ryker had scooped an arm around her middle and plucked her off of the ground, peeling her away from the assaulted man. With a shrugging motion, he lobbed the woman over his shoulder and held her by the back of her legs while she kicked at the air and beat fists into the strong muscles of his back. “How dare you!? Put me down, this instant! Who do you think you are?!”
Barrett’s head turned over his shoulder towards the offensive woman and then back to the man who was now straightening out his shirt. Ryker grinned at him, his eyes squinting to near closed from the broadness of it. “I’m Barrett Ryker!”
| Edit Reasons: Fixed spoiler tags, spell check, replaced code template, fix font size and style, added proof of encounter, fixed spacing |
| Word Count: 1,213 |
| Character Name: Barrett Ryker |
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