rain, rain, come and play. (for akhor.)

[kay]

The young sunset unfurls her purple tendrils through the grey skies of Reinshaw, washing the heavy clouds with gold and lavendar light. A rainfall washes everything clean and makes everything new; perhaps that is the appeal of the warm, wet town, its streets silvery slick with water and all of the yellow windowlights misty in the haze.

The residents of the town are quite used to the climate, for the most part, and as a result, it is business as usual in Reinshaw. It is the hour and not the inclement weather which makes the streets so quiet and peaceful this evening. Now and again the roar of a vehicle on its way up the road; now and again a person or a couple passing beneath the shield of an umbrella--otherwise, however, this night is a quiet one with little more than the constant din of the raindrops falling on the ground to break the silence.

Beneath the sloped wooden roof of a cart, a school-aged girl in a raincoat and rubber boots attends a tiny collection of bright samovars. At her side is a Pikachu, similarly attired. Street vendors are not uncommon in Reinshaw, as as the residential streets wind into the commercial districts, they are much more commonly seen. This one offers exotic teas to the curious palate, and one of the brightly-coloured paper cups full of the rich brew seems a welcome respite on a cool, wet evening.

Drawn, it seems, by the tantalizing aroma of boiling herbs that wafts from the quaint wooden booth is a young girl no older than its attendant. Her brown hair, loosely braided over either shoulder, is soaking wet. So are her red skirts and oversized sweatshirt. She is without escort and without a coat or appropriate footwear, and yet she seems completely unperturbed by the rain. She smiles and lingers as though it were a summer afternoon, her arms wrapped around her torso for warmth as she gazes at the menu board above her head.

[AKHOR DRYZEIRAN]

Reinshaw was one of Akhor's favorite places. The light drizzle that seemed a constant companion of the town drew him back several times a year. Such weather was his favorite kind, and the atmosphere it created with the quaint charm of the village was truly peaceful. Even now it shone with a bright luminescence of royal colors, warm golds and rich purples. It was the kind of natural display that struck the trainer into a standstill, his bright, electric blue gaze trained calmly on the grey skies above.

He was dressed in water-spotted clothing. A black leather jacket, trimmed in gold, hung unzipped about his body. Tiny beads of water gathered on its slick surface, and rolled gently off before dripping to the ground. The smooth white cloth that made up the tank top he wore beneath proved to be much more permeable, and so was slightly dampened. A dark silver belt sat in the loops of his black, cargo-like pants, and was adorned with several pokeballs, the tops of which were obscured by the hem of the jacket. The black pants extended down into the high walls of a pair of similarly colored army boots, which were laced and tightly tied. A brilliant emerald green necklace adorned his chest, and deep within' it could be seen the engraved image of a clover.

A wet nose nuzzled his hand, and Akhor glanced down to see Kyanzara, his Jolteon, asking for his attention. He came to the realization that he'd been standing there for some time, and was not surprised to find a couple of gazes turned his way, "Sorry, Ky." He apologized softly, his voice deep and smooth. Stepping forward, he picked up a casual pace. He didn't seem to mind the fact that his clothes were getting wet, nor did Kyanzara appear to care that he was unsheltered from the rain. Both truly enjoyed the weather, and were content with walking openly within' it.

Akhor's destination was a small vendor he visited occasionally. He'd discovered it once before during a previous visit to Reinshaw, and was glad to find it still there upon his next. It was impossible to know whether one would return one day to find the same vendor there, as it was not uncommon for them to pack up and leave. As he approached however, the male was glad to see that it once again had not vanished.

He approached nearly soundlessly, coming to stand a foot or so behind, and slightly to the right of a young girl who appeared to be inspecting the menu. He waited a short moment, before stepping up beside her, "Excuse me, miss, but are you ready to order?" He regarded her with a vacant but pleasant expression, and clearly didn't mean anything rude by asking. He was more than fine with waiting if she was prepared, but if she was not and she didn't mind, he would like to.

((Just a little note, Ky is pronounced Kai =) ))

[kay]

Fay looks at Akhor as though he has roused her out of a dream, her clear brown eyes coming into focus in such a way that suggests she has been staring at the menu without actually seeing it for some moments. The girl is slow to reply, but when she does, her words seem carefully measured. "No, by all means," is her reply. She inclines her head, stepping back and away from the booth to allow him to approach it fully.

Her arms fall to her sides as she shuffles over, and she tucks her hands behind her back. The arms of her sweatshirt partially obscure her hands; in the rain, the largeness of it makes her seem evn smaller by comparison. Regardless of this she stands, eyes cast skyward, impassively letting the raindrops slides over her cheeks as she awaits her turn. Only by a chance aversion of her eyes does she catch sight of the Jolteon at Akhor's knee.

"Oh," she remarks softly. "I'm sorry. Good evening." It is immediately apparent, on looking at her, that the girl is speaking to the Pokémon. She bows her head deferentially and steps back again to give Kyanzara a comfortable berth. Her calm features then settle on Akhor, watching him intently as he places his order. She seems politely interested in the choices he makes, and in the selection of herbs the vendor has to offer and the different ways in which they're combined.

When he is through, she lifts her voice to address him again. Again her tone is thoughtful, as though she has been carefully considering her words the entire time he was speaking to the vendor. "I've never had this kind of tea before," she informs him. "I'd like to try, but it's difficult to know where to begin. You seem to understand how to do it very well."

[AKHOR DRYZEIRAN]

A slight, almost imperceptible smile flickered across Akhor's lips upon the girl's response. As she slid back, he stepped up to take her place, his attention turning entirely to the vendor and his supplies. He already knew what he wanted, and as such ordered without any sort of hesitation. With a casual smile, the vendor nodded and began to put together the herbs that the male had requested: chamomile mixed with lavender, with a few drops of honey.

Kyanzara's attention however was fully engulfed by the girl beside him. The pokemon's light, misty gray eyes stared intensely at her, his head tilted partially to the side as he regarded her with slight curiosity. At the small bow Fay produced, Ky watched her for a brief moment longer, before he too dipped his head in a respectful greeting. Once more the girl slipped back, and this time Kyanzara stepped up, coming to Akohr's side.

As Akhor turned about, his attention turning to his surroundings while the vendor prepared his drink, Ky came to settle in a sitting position beside him, facing the open street. Both pairs of eyes came to rest almost simultaneously on Fay as she spoke, both regarding her with calm, serene expressions. The trainer and pokemon were near perfect reflections of each other, which was part of what made them such a wonderful team.

An eyebrow arched in response to the girl's query, and the male slipped his hands casually into the pockets of his leather jacket, "What kinds of teas do you like?" He asked, lifting one hand to brush the damp bangs of his hair from his vision, before he replaced it in the depths of the pocket. The best way to order the correct thing at a small shop like this was to start in consideration of what one would typically order at a place with set drinks.