[Deleted]

Perhaps being at Busy Bee Lobby was a good idea. Mingling with teams about to go on missions would surely get Charizard invited along with them someday. However, maybe boasting about all the Pokemon he beat in a language barely anyone understood didn't exactly endear anyone to him. And maybe it was understandable to need food and drink, but perhaps marching up to a big horned man and demanding to see his team in the Stadium was not a good use of that sweet courage. All in all, one thing led to another, and he was tossed out with a smack on the back and a telling down to "Come back when you cool your flame 'Zard!" Cool his fire, nobody got to tell him that! Cool his flame, he'd make it hotter tonight!

Scum liked to roam this area, he'd been told. Those idiots that tried to speak for Pokemon, the Plasma ones...stealing Pokemon and selling both humans and beasts, Rocket...or, better yet! Absolutionists...easily identifiable criminals that would harm civilians, he even heard they shot a local hero! That made him burn, it was like a rampaging Dragonite, nobody would complain if he blew them to kingdom come...right? If that failed, he doubted being out at night, a big target like himself, wouldn't draw some kind of unsavory attention. He couldn't wait.

"What the-Dry Bones dust!" He heard a wavering voice and excitingly peered down one alleyway a shadow had darted down. His tail flame showed...retreating shells. How disappointing. Not even he was eager enough to chase down fleeing people. "(Come back.)" He called in a dull monotone, not even expecting them to look back at the giant Charizard that was practically the size of the alley, "(We can fight and-forget it.)"

Back to prowling then.

The Charizard yawned like a Pyroar, and just like one, was completely indifferent to most presences around him. Waiting for a challenger, another reason for his flame to burn bright.

[heirtothemonado]

N wandered toward Busy Bee lobby, with the intent of picking up some food for his Pokémon, when a sound echoing from the alley going to the Black Market. With a quick motion, N had a Pokeball in his hand, slowly and carefully, making his way toward the source of the noise. He turned the corner, and saw the biggest Charizard he'd ever laid eyes on. It was a good 2 feet taller then him, and it's wingspan was easily the width of the alley it was crouching in. Steeling his nerves, N got a bit closer.

"...Greetings" N said. The Charizard didn't look like it was particularly on edge, but approaching a 7 foot tall dragon takes caution regardless of what mood it's in. "Do not be afraid. I am a friend." N said. This was always what he did when he approached a Pokémon he wasn't familiar with. While he still had a Pokeball in his hand, it was purely in case this Charizard turned out to hostile. He really didn't want to hurt it. It since it was in an alley instead of somewhere like Pokémon Cove, perhaps it was abandoned? But an abandoned Pokémon definitely wouldn't have the frame that this Charizard had. His curiosity piqued, N slowly got closer for a better look....

[Deleted]

Greetings.

With a grunt of confusion, Charizard shot a look at the source of the voice. A human? He knew for a fact that humans tended to control something more powerful than them, like Pokemon. It was an interesting prospect to fight, but this human didn't seem to be approaching with the intent to fight. A shame. Even with the Pokeball in hand, the human just seemed tense, not angry. The words coming out of N's mouth gave him slight pause, and the strange sight of a Charizard tilting it's head like a quizzical dog greeted the world. "(Hah? Afraid?)"

Amusement started to gleam in the Pokemon's eyes, and he leaned down so his eyes were aligned with the human's. It was a difficult task, he was so tall and his surroundings were so restricting. Still, afraid indeed, this human didn't appear dangerous in any way. That just left his or her words to consider.

Friend.

What...an odd thing to say. Acquaintances were people who just met. Companions or partners were fighting buddies. Friends? Well, friends were people you trusted, you helped each other. Therefore, they were acquantinves, and just barely that! Weird human! "(...I just met you, we can't be friends.)" He rumbled, then rolling his eyes as if this conversation was stupid. Really, it was, a human won't understand him anyway, even a Trainer needed time to understand their own Pokemon. Maybe the close proximity would scare this tall human off, then he could continue without some civilian getting in his way or needing protection.

[heirtothemonado]

N gave a slight chuckle at the Charizard's response. Of course this Pokémon wouldn't be scared of him. It's not like he could hurt him. "Of course" he replied. As the dragon Pokémon bent down to look him in the eye, N's heart skipped a beat. This Pokémon's eyes were fierce, the eyes of a warrior. N could feel the power behind them.

"...Perhaps we aren't friends, but..." N started. The Charizard was intimidating, that was for sure, but it still was out here alone. "I admit, you've piqued my curiosity. What's such a magnificent dragon doing squatting in an alley? You definitely don't look like you've been abandoned." N paused. His thoughts wandered back to the dragon's eyes. He had the eyes of a warrior, and was definitely built like one. "....are you a fighter of some kind? Perhaps, instead of friends, you could think of me as an ally?"

[Deleted]

The change was subtle. Eyes that had at first been looking down at N with bored tolerance suddenly sparked with curiosity. That...was impossible. The languages were too different, how was he answering back without even knowing him? "(You're...talking with me.)" Charizard mumbled dumbly, trying to crush down the insistent curiosity, "(How are you talking with me...you're no Pokemon.)"

I admit, you've piqued my curiosity. Was it weird to return the sentiment?

Despite the utter confusion of talking to a non-Pokemon being, Charizard seemed to recover fast enough, at least enough to still answer with his pride on the line. "(Hmph. I'm here looking for any local "bad guys", to fight, obviously. I heard some like to gather where there's more darkness. It's just, if they give other heroes problems, clearly that's a fight that won't be disappointing. Know what I'm saying?)" It was the only path for a warrior like him, he knew, leaving home was only to make sure he's never grow stagnant...how would he know how good he was if he only fought things weaker than him?

At the word "ally", Charizard huffed and raised his body back to its impressive height. "(Let's say I say "yes". Am I gonna need ta' protect you? I'm not looking for allies that make fights harder. If you need protecting, stay where it's easy to protect, yeah?)" A little rude, but he refused to entertain fantasy. Most humans were just that, human. It didn't matter this one could communicate with him, if he was still human, they didn't need to dive into danger together.

[heirtothemonado]

"You're right. I'm not a Pokémon." N replied. "However, I've been around them from a very young age. Because of that, I'm been able to communicate with most Pokémon pretty well." N didn't blame Charizard for reacting the way he did. After all, it wasn't often you came across a human that could communicate with Pokémon. However, he could sense the pride radiating off this Pokémon, so he left it at that. Instead, he focused on why Charizard was here. Of course a Pokémon like this would be looking for a fight.

"I'm afraid you won't find a fight like that in this alley. Most you'll find here is a thug or two. The police have a pretty good handle on things like that. Mostly." Of course there were exceptions, if the job board in Sunshine Circle was anything to go by, but most of the action was outside. "If you want to find something strong enough to fight you, I think you'd have better luck outside the city" Was N trying to appeal to Charizard's strength? Maybe....

N smirked a bit at the last remark "Well, unless you want to become one of my Pokémon, no, you don't need to protect me. And I have a feeling a Trainer wouldn't work well with you" N reached onto his belt, unclipping the other two Pokeballs from it and showing the three of them to Charizard. "I have my own team, and they can protect me well. You don't need to worry about my safety with them around."

[Deleted]

Disappointment flickered in Charizard's eyes, and a big sigh escaped him, "(Is that so? Explains why the thugs run from me, they're all small-fry!)" It all made sense, and that made it so much worse, he couldn't fight that, now could he? "(Missions outside, huh? Need to team up for that, don't ya?)" He grimaced, "(Wasn't looking forward ya that...hope nobody messes it up.)" All he needed was some weak teammate, and he'd need to waste his time helping them rather than fighting!

"(A trainer...)" Surprisingly, Charizard nodded in genuine respect, "Got it." He replied quickly, "You're fine then, rather have ya on a team then, least I know you're tough." Charizard wasn't one to not say what he was thinking, but in terms with Trainers, he actually seemed respectful. It took a tough human to capture Pokemon in those Pokeballs, didn't it?