((Thank you for your kind words. Arashi is the first character I ever used in an RP, and he's been developing for years. If you want, you can use him in a fanfiction. All I ask is credit, and a link to the story/stories. By the way, I pick Zen Headbutt and Roost.))

Arashi hummed a vague approximation of a sea shanty to himself absent mindedly as he meandered into the unnervingly clean and scentless room his tutors had indicated earlier that day as the chamber in which he would meet his starter, wondering all the while which Pokemon he would be presented with. He'd known for some time that the tutors had been analysing their students for compatibility, but he was less than sure about what they felt he rated. His humming dropped off into expectant silence as he took his place in the circle of emergent students, heart thrumming with anxiety and thrilled anticipation as he resisted the urge to fidget with his cumbersome graduation gown, and he beheld the rising pedestal emerging seamlessly from the off-white floor with momentarily widened eyes. More excited than he was willing to let on whilst he was under the eyes of the other graduates, he reached out immediately for the gleaming sphere that contained his new companion, and provided one of the few splashes of bright colour in the room. It wasn't a colour that he had any love of, but it was, in this circumstance, one that heralded the beginning of the rest of his life. "Let's have a look at you, then." He murmured, giving the ball a light toss, already as mentally geared-up for the event he'd been waiting so long for. Out of the beam of light the ob
ject produced, a small and round avian burst forth, peering up at him with eyes that sparkled with intellect and mild bewilderment. Arashi smiled at the sight of his assigned partner, both relieved and gratified. Natu, a creature of green, yellow and dull red. He'd met some of these before, had even counted some as cousins, and he was pleased to have been matched with one.

Ignoring everyone else in the room, Arashi crouched down to regard the little bird, reaching into his pocket for a handful of berries to offer it while he attempted to discern its gender. That was often tricky with the smaller ones, but he'd have plenty of time to figure it out. His immediate impression was that it was a male, though, so he selected a name from his mental list which he felt would fit a male, but be equally acceptable on a female. He was unsure what sort of upbringing this individual had received, and what its expectations might be, so he would tread carefully in his initial overtures to the bird, but he knew it was important to establish a rapport as soon as he could. Therefore, after humming a few bars of a greeting-song that long-term exposure to his Natu 'cousins' had taught him, Arashi began to speak. "Hello, Little One, would you like something to eat?" He murmured softly, extending his berry-filled hand as he met the Psychic type's searching gaze steadily. "My name is Arashi, and I'm your assigned human. If it is agreeable to you, I'd like to name you Hada. It's a name that carries the meaning 'thought', which I think is rather fitting for a being so closely tied to the mind as yourself. I imagine you're quite eager to be out of this place and into the fresh air, hmm? We'll be there soon enough. I'll just leave these here for you while I get my Pokedex, okay?" This said, he carefully tipped the berries down in front of the Natu, watching for a moment as it pecked hesitantly at them, indecisive as to which to consume first. There, he'd greeted the Natu politely, tendered information, and offered sustenance. Things were, thus far, going smoothly. He didn't want to fluster or intimidate the bird, though, which was why he was moving so swiftly onto the Pokedex. Persistent close attention would, after all, be more reminiscent of a predator than a friend. Straightening up once again, Arashi lifted the aforementioned item from its place on the podium, flipping it open for the first time, and allowing the artificial light from its screen to illuminate his features as he investigated the item.

Arashi watched carefully as the processes were explained to him, taking mental notes which he intended to transcribe into his journal later. The information about the badges intrigued him, as he'd never quite known what one was supposed to do with the things. It was reassuring to know that a) they were actually useful and b) there was a way to prevent them from being stolen. He had also been previously unaware of the process behind the use of TMs and the like, although the theory behind them had been covered. Arashi couldn't yet think of any questions, so he resolved to answer the device first, setting aside the issue of queries until he'd come up with some. [ARASHI ZADKIEL] He entered into the device, selecting 'yes' when it queried him as to the veracity of the name he provided. He quite clearly remembered the photo shoot which had produced the picture adorning his trainer card - it had been a somewhat lengthy occurrence, necessitating several repeat attempts by the hapless - and somewhat luckless - photographer. This was due to the relentless and ill-advised pranking efforts of a few of the students, but luckily there had still been enough light to shoot with by the time all the custard had been removed.

Once he was done entering his own information, Arashi pointed his pokedex at Hada in the manner previously demonstrated and pushed the relevant buttons - a pleasantly tactile activity. The Natu shied a little at first, still acclimatising to the odd situation and the number of people in the area, but Arashi trilled soothingly as quietly as he could manage. He wanted to reassure his partner, but he didn't want to be mocked either. Hada appeared to be mollified, but was still a little flustered. Casting a glance up at Arashi somewhat imperiously, as though to reprimand him, the avian rustled his little wings about for a moment before he settled, taking a spot close to his human's left foot in order to gain some form of shelter. Arashi, on the other hand, was pleased to note that he had been correct about Hada's gender, and he contemplated the moves listed thoughtfully. He glanced over at all of the statistics, trying to build a mental picture of his companion's state of being and capabilities. He was able to toggle the Natu's entry to read as a party member, before turning to the professor nearest him. "How are we to input names for the Pokemon we capture, or does the pokedex not store that information? Is there a directory of the different functions the device can perform? If so, how is this accessed?"

"My thanks, that was most informative." Arashi responded with a slight smile, resolving to input Hada's name as soon as they were out of earshot of the other graduates. He wasn't particularly familiar with any of them, having not been the most social of students, but they had been told often that safety in numbers was advisable for those just starting out. He had mulled this possibility over numerous times during his study, and had decided to observe whether anyone approached him after obtaining their starter, as he was not very accomplished at starting social interactions with his peers. If anyone had decided that his contribution would be valuable, he would weigh their offer of companionship up against whatever he knew about them. It would, he acknowledged, give him an opportunity to view normal human-Pokemon interactions at close range over at least a moderate length of time. Thus far, he thought that the twins were the best prospect for travelling partners, but he would be reasonably content with any if he were only spared the brashness of the Nidoran Duo.

The information afforded about Hada's moves would be useful in planning future encounters, and he resolved to make sure that he understood the capabilities of each before setting his Natu on anyone else's Pokemon. After all, he wouldn't want to confuse Leer with another similar move, for example, and end up messing things up. That would be unfair to Hada. "Yes, doctor, I have a few." He answered after a moment, "How do we determine whether or not our Pokemon learns a move they are on the verge of acquiring? After all, there are a few that are not as useful as others. Is 'Dexter' an artificial intelligence of any level, or merely a name for a program? Also, does this Natu have any specific dietary requirements?" Hopefully, he would not seem as though he was totally clueless, with all the queries he was spouting, but he had always been an inquisitive sort, and he wanted to avoid forming misconceptions about his new equipment and partner. Out of the corner of his eye, he tried to monitor the activities of the twins, hoping that they would not leave before the Nidoran Duo did. He would sooner go alone than travel with either of them.

Arashi's  royal purple eyes widened in appreciation as he digested the information about Dexter. It would be fascinating to interact with an artificial intelligence, and perhaps this would even be a guarantee of intelligent conversation on the road. He was glad that the AI would be able to tell him when Hada learnt new moves and gained levels, as it would be rather difficult to guess without such an aid. It was also a relief to know that Hada could not inadvertently poison himself through his food intake. He knew how appealing bright berries could be, after all, and not all were benign. Noting carefully the preferences stated, pleased that he had all but the Weedle anyway. That was when it happened. A high, unexpected sound caused both him and his starter to startle, and the slightly brash presence of his unlooked-for mentor rapidly approaching his personal space caused Arashi to twitch uncomfortably. Not only was Allora being unnecessarily enthusiastic, she was interrupting a professor. Sending his teacher a pained look of apology, Arashi sighed and moved down to comfort his frantic Natu. The distressed Psychic type had not expected this sudden increase in noise levels in his vicinity, and had only just settled into his new situation. Therefore, he had begun flapping and scurrying in circles as he attempted to shelter behind Arashi, but could not get far enough away from Allora without venturing too far from his partner.

"Kindly refrain from terrifying my partner, Allora. I imagine this has been a rather trying day for him. Additionally, I was in the middle of listening to the professor here explaining my partner's dietary requirements. I would rather not disparage you so early in the day, but it was rather impolite of you to interrupt her so." Arashi enunciated slowly, attempting to mask his irritation behind an overly polite facade. Often, when he was annoyed, he retreated behind formal diction in order to remain in control of the conversation when he could not control the situation. This was just another such occasion, he reflected as he realised that he didn't really have any other options. He knew none of his yearmates well enough to claim that he had already agreed to travel with one or more of them, and she was indeed better company than the boys with the Nidoran. That didn't mean he was happy with the situation, but he acknowledged that it could have been worse. Besides, it wasn't as though he'd had any attachment to those twins. "Hada," He whispered to his companion, "This loud and abrupt individual is known as Allora, and she is one year my senior. For reasons best known to herself, she has decided to be my tutor in all things adventure-related, which explains her unannounced presence here. She will not harm you, she is merely overly excited at the prospect of finally dragging me all over the region and showing me things I would have likely found anyway. We must attempt to be civil with her, as she means well." The diminutive avian appeared sceptical, but at least he was now no longer flapping about as though he had spotted a Zangoose on the prowl.

Arashi quite sympathised when Hada stared at Allora as though she were mentally deficient in some way, obviously irritated at being talked to in such a manner. Haughtily, the tiny Pokemon turned up his beak and spun on the spot to face away from the noisemaker. This, while indicative that he no longer feared for his life around Allora, was distinctly rude. Snickering slightly, Arashi wondered whether Allora knew that she had stung the Natu's ego. His as well, come to think of it, but he was used to it. My - me, indeed. He snorted mentally, adjusting his clothing where it had been rumpled. At least his former upperclassman had reasonably good ideas for destinations, he reflected, as he had intended to investigate those ruins at some point or another anyway. Perhaps not as soon as this, but he had no problem with stepping it up to imminence. "Isn't she? Regrettably, she has quite driven out of my head whatever it was that I might have enquired after - she's good at that sort of thing. Will I be able to ask Dexter the same sort of questions I can ask you?"

At least he wasn't the only one flummoxed by Allora's overabundance of energy and sheer bounciness, he mused. He wondered briefly how she'd behaved when she'd been paired with her own starter, and whether she'd distressed anyone at the time. Perhaps he was a little heavy on the snark when it came to her, but it was in his nature to be prickly when someone insisted on making him feel uncomfortable, and she did so more than most. Why she was so intent on interacting with him while he tried to maintain distance, he simply didn't know. What he did know was that she was always too abrupt and too swift-paced in her dealings with him for his liking. He ended up feeling swept along, and lashing out with his words when he felt lost. Not ideal, but she didn't seem to realise the reasons behind his behaviour, so that was alright. Perhaps he would start to see a mellow side of her during their travels? Surely she couldn't remain hyperactive the whole time? If she was, he decided - only half in jest, he would run away and live as a Pokemon until he was sure she wouldn't find him.

Relieved, Arashi smiled at the professor - one of the few people in authority he'd deemed worthy of his personal respect. He didn't particularly mind that it took a moment for her to recall his name, given the number of students she had to deal with regularly, so he nodded without rancour when she asked whether she'd got his name right. It was good to know that his source of information could be queried reliably, and that he was less likely to get lost. Unfortunately, not having been out of the farm grounds all that much, his grasp of the region's geography wasn't as great as it could have been. When the teacher mentioned that he had post from an anonymous and cloaked stranger, he stiffened at first in nervous suspicion. Could it be harmful, a trap? But who would be audacious enough to booby-trap something in the hands of the professors. Then again, she said that she didn't know what was within it, but it didn't feel heavy enough to contain anything dangerous that would be casually dropped off. Deciding to risk it, he tentatively opened the box and peered inside. What. Was. That.

The feather was magnificent, and the feeling it inspired incredible. He couldn't remember when he had last felt that relaxed and soothed, and he knew right away that this was one possession he simply couldn't lose. For a few moments, he simply stood still and stared at the thing, reflections of its shimmer-rainbows dancing faintly in his eyes. The loss of the feeling when he removed his fingers from the ob
ject was poignant, and he almost reached out for it again - but he knew that this would be unwise. Closing the box and stowing it securely in his pack so as to not be tempted into staring at it for too long and causing Allora to come back and see what the matter was, he turned to his professor with an uncharacteristically childlike ex
pression of awe. "Do you know what that was, professor?" He breathed. Even Hada had been staring at the box, once opened, for all that he couldn't see its contents from the ground. Perhaps, as a Psychic type, he had picked up on the prevailing emotion in the room? Perhaps he had picked up on something else? Who would give me such a thing, and with no preamble whatsoever? I don't understand. Who would even part with it?

Bemused by his professor's words, and guessing that she was no more aware of the feather's identity than he, Arashi decided to drop the issue. Mentally, though, he filed away her reaction to Allora's name. Then, deciding to make the aforementioned upper crust young lady wait a few moments more, Arashi entered Hada's name into his Pokedex, and completed the requisite au
dio input in a patient and thorough manner. Bending down, he showed the intrigued avian the relevant entry, then allowed Hada to scurry up his arm and onto his shoulder, where he could express his opinions in a more obvious manner than on the ground. This done, Arashi straightened and, waving a brief farewell to the professor, began to stride at an even pace in the direction of Allora's voice, taking care to move as noiselessly as he could.

He still wasn't quite used to Allora's overbearing ways, despite having known her since that first fateful time that she had accompanied her parents on a trip to the Zadkiel's farm. His parents didn't trust many clients with the location anymore, preferring to do business through the Sages, so any visit was a memorable occurrence. Just his luck that the daughter of some of those esteemed few had apparently decided immediately that he was a cute kid to be smothered and nurtured as much as possible. Perhaps she had decided to consider him her kid brother? With a slight shudder, Arashi hoped not. Any brother of hers would surely be in constant danger of being either annoyed to death or set on fire - quite by accident. Why Allora was so fascinated with firestarters was not known to him, but he sincerely hoped that none of her Pokemon were mischievous by nature. "You hollered?" He drawled silkily, as soon as he had drawn near enough to converse at a normal volume.

Given his level of experience at watching Pokemon, Arashi could tell that Clara was a healthy and well-mannered individual nearing her second stage. Nodding to the canid in turn, the breeder's son smiled slightly in remembrance of his previous encounters with the Houndour. Clara was a lot easier to get along with than Allora, and seemed to comprehend the concept of personal space. Hada seemed curious about the other Pokemon, and peered down inquisitively, trilling something sounding like a query. Presumably, he was trying to ascertain whether or not he would be safe in present company. When Allora presented him with his surprise gift, he was somewhat startled - after all, he continued to act as though she were a thorn in his side. While his family were prestigious, they did not generally hold with extravagance, so he had not considered that he would be holding a receptacle such as this until he had managed to acquire one by his own means. He was about to thank Allora, when she stunned him further by implying that there was actually a Pokemon inside. He'd thought that the ball was the gift!

Hesitantly, concerned that she might have decided to get him something that was on fire - as many of her favoured type seemed to be, he flicked the Luxury Ball into the air. Perhaps he would be lucky, and it would be something reasonable. A feline perhaps? Something from his old region? He'd quite fancied having a Persian or somesuch when he was younger. To say that he was surprised yet again would be an understatement, but he made certain to school his ex
pression into one of formal gratitude rather than a slack-jawed look of incredulity. A Beldum. In Johto? "My goodness." Arashi enunciated crisply, gazing at the creature. "I must say, I have never before seen a Beldum in person. Many other Pokemon, yes, but not this one. Congratulations, you have managed to confound me with your generosity, and provide me with an experience I might otherwise have missed. For this, I thank you. On an entirely different note, however, your volume is giving me a headache, and I would rather you lowered your voice." Then, in order to assure her that he actually was thanking her, Arashi gave her one of his lazy smiles - the ones he wore when most at ease. While he might not actually be at ease, he felt that this was one occasion that merited a smile for Allora.

"Rest assured, Allora, no amount of time between our encounters would be sufficient for me to forget you." Arashi replied, picking up on what he perceived to be his travelling companion's regret at the time they'd spent apart. It would not hurt, after all, to reassure her that he would not disregard her outright after a period of relief from her exuberance. He didn't dislike her, after all, she merely exasperated him. Besides which, she was one of the few who actually attempted to connect with him and, on some level, he appreciated that. When Allora sprung ahead, he returned Clara's nod and strolled along behind, not wanting to dislodge Hada. As he walked, he scanned the Beldum with his Pokedex, contemplating his new arrival. "Hmm, well, it's nice to meet you." He spoke gently to the Beldum floating alongside him. "I didn't expect a second party member so soon after meeting my starter, but you are by no means an unwelcome addition. Indeed, you are a rather fine individual, and I am pleased to be in your company. My name is Arashi, and my partner here is Hada. With your permission, I would like to name you Kaer. Literally, the name means castle. Figuratively, it can mean strong, valiant, kinsman and friend. I thought it an appropriate suggestion, considering both your physical characteristics - including those of the rest of your evolutionary line - and your status as a companion of mine."

The courtyard was a welcome relief from the stuffiness and aroma-bereft air within the building, and Arashi savoured the feeling of the light breeze on his face as he strode towards the stone Gyarados. It was true that he would have to contact his parents in the immediate future, as they still retained his travelling case and backpack, and would be most peeved if he did not bid them farewell in person. They hadn't wanted him to lug the supplies he'd need for his journey whilst within school corridors, but they'd promised to meet with him soon after he'd been matched with a Pokemon in order to give him his send-off and meet his new partner. "Any sign of my parents?" Arashi asked, as he drew nearer to Allora. He was hoping that Uncle Isaac would show up as well, as he was eager to show the Espeon that he had been paired with a Psychic type, and ruffle his ears one last time before he set off. He didn't say this, in case Allora laughed - he never told anyone that he called an Espeon 'uncle' - but he had to ask about his family.

((It's okay, life happens.))
Looking in the direction pointed out by Allora, Arashi could see that she was quite correct. His mother, her lavender eyes peeking out mischievously from behind her corn-gold fringe, was snickering with amusement at something that Allora's father had said. She was half a head shorter than the man, and dressed in practical blue and cyan clothing with leather boots, Uncle Isaac draped around her neck like a boa and yawning. Arashi's father, his curly lilac hair bobbing slightly in the breeze, had slight crinkles of laughter evident around his cerulean eyes - a clear indication that he was about to join in the merriment. He was attired in green, sensible outdoors-wear and his own leather boots, and was accompanied by his faithful Venusaur Yanagi. She had been one of Arashi's nannies when he was a tot, and was now apparently in charge of ensuring that his luggage reached him, as she had his backpack and travelling case strung on her vines for ease of transport. She had very likely insisted on carrying them herself, determined to do something useful for the human she still tended to think of as a little one.

It was good to see them, and Arashi could already feel his heart lightening from a weight he hadn't realised was there. Stepping up his pace, he strode eagerly towards them, his face split by a wide and genuine smile. Turning towards the sound of his approach, his parents beamed at him, while Yanagi immediately extruded another vine for the purpose of lifting him off the ground in an enthusiastic hug. Hada seemed slightly alarmed by the change of pace, but he was soon soothed by Isaac's murmurings of reassurance. Though avian and feline respectively, their shared Type and connection to Arashi gave them a tentative rapport, and it was clear that Isaac was not hunting. The way in which the elder Zadkiels fussed and checked over Arashi's new companions was somewhat embarrassing, but it was no more than he'd expected, and he knew that it was one of the ways they showed that they cared. He hoped that he hadn't interrupted anyone's punchline, but he was happy right where he was for now.