rivalsweetscent | 000// Phone Post-O

[The Ivysaur's ears drooped somewhat as Vinnie shifted his look towards the lake. It wasn't hard to notice that something had happened. Vinnie had still come out to the lake though, so what did that mean...?]

Huh? No, not all. Go ahead.

[Bulba helped himself to a seat on the grass as well so that he wasn't just going to stand near him awkwardly.]

[There was a long stretch of silence as Vinnie stared straight ahead, unsure of how to pick words out of the whirlwind in his head and voice them. Every time he tried to grasp at something, anything he could possibly say to fill the stillness, they slipped through his proverbial fingers.

But... the quiet wasn't so bad. It was a serene reminder - even despite the turmoil inside him right now, nature was as it ever was. The stars shine down on good and bad alike. Bulba's scent began slowly filtering through his senses, bringing its soothing touch into his soul.

Eventually, Vinnie did speak. His voice was low, contemplative - a veneer of calm over his tone.]

Y'know... when I came back, I'd made up my mind. I was going t'leave the team.

[All Bulba could do was be patient. He couldn't guess at what was on Vinnie's mind, but the fact that the Venusaur was beside him would have to be enough. If Vinnie wanted to speak, he would. Bulba had learned that much. So he had stayed quiet, simply lending a presence.

When Vinnie did raise his voice, however, the words spoken were not at all ones that Bulba had expected to hear. The Ivysaur glanced at him sharply, the whole of him becoming more animated in surprise.]

Really?

[His kneejerk reaction was that this revelation was completely left-field. The part of him that took the whole team set ups for granted thought this was completely crazy. The longer he stared at the way Vinnie was watching the scenery around them, however, the more he remembered that it really wasn't. He had already known that this was going to happen, didn't he? There were other things Vinnie held important in his heart as well. That's why he thought it was important to tell him...

Bulba furrowed his brow slightly.]

... Did you?

[Vinnie could see Bulba react in the periphery of his vision, but didn't look over. If he did, it felt like he would've lost his words all over again. He knew it'd be a shock for anyone on any of the teams to hear, but...

It was fitting, he supposed, that he broke the news to Bulba first. It was Bulba that he first divulged the possibility of doubt.]

It's funny... I went t'talk to Red about it. He kicked me off the team instead. On account've being basically worthless.

[There was a hollow, dry laugh.] Which is bullshit an' I know it, but... ha. That's ironic, right?

What?

[The Ivysaur went rigid where he sat, eyes wide and trained on Vinnie. A somewhat foreign emotion was rapidly swelling in his breast, quickly filling in the small void that shock had cleared out for it. It wasn't something that Bulba felt very often, but he was definitely feeling it now.

There were a lot of things about Red that Bulba had either felt indifferent towards or just plain didn't like and they had been increasing over the years, but he was never very vocal about it. There had to be something there that his team still liked. This, however, this...

Anger. Anger was the emotion that was blindsiding him suddenly as he listened to Vinnie speak.]

I... that's completely bullshit.

[He bit his lip, pushing himself closer to the Venusaur to bodily nuzzle against him.]

I'm sorry. Screw him.

[Bulba was going to punch his lights out.]

I mean... nnnn...

[Vinnie nodded mutely as he nuzzled back. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, filling his lungs as far as they would go, before exhaling in a sigh. He didn't want Bulba to be angry, he wished the Ivysaur would let it go and allow this mess to be something the Venusaur deal with alone. But distantly, there was the tiniest feeling of gratification, knowing he cared. That he cared so intensely.

Smelling sweeter himself, Vinnie leaned his head against Bulba's and murmured:] I'm... pretty sure something's wrong. Some school thing. He wasn't like this earlier.

But even if he wasn't himself, he... [There was a pause as Vinnie steeled himself. The words were just so surreal to say.]

I don't have a Pokeball anymore. I'm officially free.

[While the school did do crazy things and changed people sometimes, Bulba wasn't entirely sold on that logic just yet. Maybe he was simply too angry, or maybe he just held on to too many grudging feelings from the last few times he had felt offended by the other trainer. They probably didn't matter. Red had said the things that Vinnie had worried about for so long. Things that weren't even remotely true and yet... and yet....

Bulba took in a deep breath of his own, filling his senses with Vinnie's scent and letting it linger. Being angry wasn't going to do anything at the moment. For now there were other things to address. The Venusaur's flower could ease some of Bulba's negativity, but it did nothing for the wave of nervous energy that crashed through his stomach.

Being free meant Vinnie had no obligations there. He could come and go as he pleased. But if he went, what would even bring him back?]

... What are you going to do?

[If Red's words had come a year earlier - even a few months earlier - Vinnie's spirit would have been completely broken. But the timing as it was, he had to admit to himself, the end result of the talk had really still been the same. It had just been a parting on much, much worse terms.

He'd been afraid of being worthless for so long. This was already the worst case scenario - and now that it actually happened, it meant... Vinnie really had nothing to keep fearing. He knew his own worth, and he had a path that he wanted to follow, independent of his team. None of that had changed.]

Keep following the original plan, I guess. Get a major. Focus on actually learnin' something from th'school I otherwise couldn't.

[The relief that flooded through the younger saur was so sudden and jarring that he almost started laughing, unable to figure out another way to process it. Bulba kept a lid on it by biting his lip again, knowing there was no good way to explain just why he was so relieved. As far as Vinnie was aware, there was no reason for those extremes.

He did nod a bit too eagerly against him though.]

I see... That's pretty solid actually. [Says the nerd.] Were you still thinking something botanical...?

[ Bulba's eagerness, thankfully, came off simply as friendly encouragement. The Venusaur glanced over at him finally, looking less shaken and uncertain than before.]

Mm. Environmental conservation.

[He didn't know exactly which classes or what he had to study in order to pursue this, but for the most obvious of reasons, it was a subject he cared about deeply. The rest he could figure out now that he was back at the school.]

[The Ivysaur was already looking at him. There was still some worry in his eyes, but that was hardly a surprise, all things considered. Vinnie's gradual shift was comforting, and Bulba smiled a bit to try and encourage that.]

That's a really good fit. You'll do really well with that.

[No doubt. Vinnie might not have cared much about school itself before, but the motivation hadn't been there. If it was something he was passionate about like this, then there wouldn't be any problems.]

[Vinnie nodded again. He was fairly confident he could do good in the subject as well - when he applied himself, he had the diligence, and a fair bit of intuition to help him out. He had never been hopeless with most academics, even before.

There was no way that it could be anything as gruelling as the past two years of physical training he'd put himself to. Having accomplished as much as he had already, Vinnie definitely wasn't a stranger to hard work.]

I want... t'be able to do something I couldn't as just a Venusaur. Or just a human, either. I always knew how to use both through fighting - I think... I could use it t'contribute more than that.

[He paused, lowering his gaze for a moment.] I know I can be more than just a trainer's Pokemon.

[It was an interesting thing to consider, really, applying both pools of knowledge to accomplish something that just one could not. To go out and actively put it to use was not something that had ever crossed his mind as something he himself would ever do. Becoming more of his own person had not entirely branched past his own trainer pokemon status.]

… You know, that's really admirable. I never really thought about it much… If there's anyone that can do it, it's definitely you.

[Bulba leaned up to nudge his nose against Vinnie's neck with a small sigh.] You absolutely can. I think you're probably more than that already, really.

[The corners of Vinnie's mouth twitched into a small, tentative smile upon hearing Bulba's words. This was the right thing to do, he told himself. He did the right thing. Everything he was feeling right now was just another process of starting to move forward again.

Having a direction, his own direction, it felt good. Better than what anyone else could give him. The Venusaur's face softened as he closed his eyes and pressed his nose against Bulba's hair.

Quietly, he muttered a simple but appreciative:] Thanks.

[Bulba hummed a bit in response. All he could do right now was back Vinnie up in the things he decided he wanted to do. This one was easy to get behind.

He eased under Vinnie's touch. His anger was all but set aside for now, to be picked up and re-evaluated when the right time came. Now it was just the gentle sounds of the lake and Vinnie's breathing as they moved together. Bulba lowered his gaze a bit, not looking at anything in particular as he spoke up in a soft voice.]

I'm... I'm really glad you were planning on sticking around.

You'd miss me, right?

[That Bulba had become more comfortable saying such things made Vinnie feel, well, pretty pleased as an advocate for saying whatever was on your damn mind, and as a someone who held him dear. There were things that were unsaid that still needed saying, sometimes.]

I'm not that easy t'get rid of.

Thank goodness for that. [He said it with a small laugh.]

I really would though. Miss you.

[Far more than Vinnie probably thought he would. Bulba had grown far too comfortable and accustomed to the Venusaur simply being there. Even when he was just a friend in his heart, Bulba had missed him terribly when he was gone, and that was even when he was pretty damn sure that Vinnie was coming back. If Vinnie left now, there probably wouldn't have been very much to keep the regrets that Bulba had been trying to avoid from eating him right up.]

... There's, mm, something I'd like to tell you, actually...

[A pause and a slight frown.]

Maybe now's not the best time though.

[Vinnie blinked and lifted his head. He hadn't expected Bulba to have news, but... maybe that was why he asked to hang out after prom in the first place? Well, the Venusaur rather ruined that plan, in that case. It was an unfortunate clash of timing.]

You sure? What kind've thing?

Yeah, it's fine. It's not really anything important.

[Bulba had never been very good about giving his own feelings any sort of importance, but he felt they especially paled in comparison to what else Vinnie suddenly had going with him. Besides, he thought as he wiggled up just a bit closer, if waiting meant he got to stay this close for just a while longer... then it was fine. This sort of thing wouldn't last afterwards, he was sure.]

It can wait.

[Well, this was Bulba, he reminded himself. It usually took a while for him to muster up how to say something - so Vinnie would just have to be patient and let him pick his own pace to reveal what was on his mind. Even though the Venusaur had calmed down a bit, he couldn't shake off the rattled feeling entirely. That would probably take a good night's sleep at the very least.]

Al'right. But, y'know, if it's bad news, might as well get it over with and lump it all together.

[He lifted his head to look at him, picking up a small smile of comfort.]

It's not anything bad. [At least he really hoped not. He didn't like entertaining the idea that maybe it was.]

I'll tell you later, when things are a little more settled, ok?

Okay.

[Fair point. Vinnie sighed as he realized that actually, the headache wasn't quite over yet. He scratched the scruff of his hair with a grim sense of forboding.]

Shit, I'm gonna have t'tell the rest of my te...

[My team. He caught himself on the words, unaccustomed to having it not fit. Hrm. Well, Bulba knew what he meant anyway, so Vinnie didn't bother correcting himself.

He did, however, shoot the Ivysaur an uncertain glance that begged the question, was this something Green's team had to know about too? What exactly was the protocol here?]

[They already hadn't been rivals in the real sense of the word for a long while, so it had taken a while for the rest of the implications to catch up with him but... with the mention of teams came the small dawning that he wasn't sitting next to a rival anymore. Something he knew, but hadn't quite registered. Vinnie was simply Vinnie now.

How this was going to affect Red team, Bulba really couldn't say. He dully wondered how they were going to deal with Red afterwards, a bit bitterly.

And what about his team? Blue's? Bulba met Vinnie's glance, his mouth thinning into a thoughtful line accompanied by slightly worried brows. Abandonment issues were things that brought Green team together, but he didn't think anyone ever fancied the thought that anyone would actually get kicked off a team. At least not any of theirs. This was really messed up.]

... I can tell mine, unless you don't want me too. I don't think it will take too long for them to find out anyway though.

[Vinnie thought on this. He really didn't want this being a bigger deal than it needed to be, honestly, but in terms of how Green's team might react, he had even less of an idea than Bulba as to how that would go.]

I guess you can tell Green, an' he can decide however he wants t'deal with it.

[Bulba nodded. He spoke a bit softer, but felt the need to be honest about it:]

I was probably going to tell him anyway. But you know... I mean, I know you probably won't need it but... if you do need anything, he'd probably have your back, for what it's worth.

000// Phone Post-O

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