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The dusk breathed a breeze carrying a tinge of gold across the cathedral ruins marking Taqnateh's dominant building, adding bright highlights to the outlines of jagged silhouettes. Within the loose confines of a room long since devoid of both its ceiling and the integrity of three of its walls, Vendetta's currently running his left forepaw probingly across the surface of the one still standing, paying attention to the details of the structure, striding along it slowly and steadily. This place was just going to fall apart on them if they didn't keep an eye on it, after all.
High above the ground, a small, pink-furred creature drifts lazily, curious eyes scanning the cathedral ruins below. It's been some time since they last had a visitor, and while Jagdish was plenty of fun when trainers were around, it could occasionally get boring up here with so few people to play with. But, of course, she's more than capable of finding ways to entertain herself.
Oh, look! In that ruined room over there, there's some motion! The small pokémon giggles lightly, then drifts slowly downwards, staying as silent as she can. Ooooh, it's Vendetta! This could be fun. With a soft 'pop', she winks out of existence, only to pop back in an instant later, a foot above Vendetta's head, landing on it with a soft 'thwump' and an eager “Meeewwww!”
The pokémon twitches as the soft body impacts with his head as if in aborted instinct to duck, only to give his head a brief, firm shake, all the while tilting it to one side. ~Get off me,~ he insists, holding himself still, a tinge of unease in the otherwise so authoritative statement. The fine hairs along his spine raise - he's quite potently capable of dealing with her should she ever have the nerve to attack him, but she gives him the creeps and he has only minimal restraint for that emotion.
Mew giggles, tumbling off of the crown of Vendetta's head, forepaws holding onto his shoulder firmly as her body sways lightly under the pull of gravity, tail swishing to and fro. Then her tail starts curling straight upwards, followed by her hindquarters and her torso in fluid motion, until she's hanging in midair, upside-down, face hovering at eye level, forepaws still stretched out to lightly grip his shoulders. “Mew mew mew mew,” she tsks at him, shaking her head lightly. Silly Vendetta, always taking everything so seriously.
His left forepaw raises off the wall, hovering for a moment near her anchor on his shoulder, only to flick itself at it to gently but unmistakably break her hold on his shoulder, unease and grouch culminating in a grimace distorting his expression. ~Why not bother Jagdish?~ he suggests, his eyes narrowing. ~I am sure you are well aware he appreciates your presence infinitely more than I do.~ The dilemma, of course, is that he's entirely aware why Mew keeps bothering him: Because he doesn't appreciate her presence. Because she gets under his skin, with her voyeuristic, passive sadism. She's not oblivious, that much he's sure of - no matter how much she pretends not to possess coherent speech or ulterior motives, she's just as intelligent as he is.
The gentle flick sets Mew into a lazy spin, slowly tumbling head-over-tail in midair, seemingly without a care in the world. “Mewww,” she whines gently. She vanishes, only to appear on Vendetta's opposite arm, curling her limbs around it and nuzzling his fur in the most impossibly adorable manner she can, tail twitchily waving back and forth in a slow rhythm. Nope, looks like she's not planning on leaving him alone any time soon.
Oh good she's- goddamnit. Vendetta snaps his gaze around to shoots a glare at her. His arm rises in a peculiar way, as if he were first and foremost concerned in keeping her swirling tail away from his mid-section; then he gives it a light but persistent shake. ~I will not torture something for your pleasure,~ he announces, tone wary, entirely unsure what it even is that she wants of him but intending to go through all conceivable options until she's persuaded to leave him alone.
Mew loosens her grip slightly, letting herself slide around Vendetta's arm until she's hanging on from below. Then her grip tightens into a firm hug again, tail winding gently around Vendetta's arm just above the elbow. A soft purr escapes her, and she starts playfully licking at the fur of Vendetta's underarm.
Gah, gah, gah. In an abrupt motion, he tries to grab her by the scruff of her neck to gently but firmly peel her off his arm. ~If you persist with your bothersome disregard for my personal space, I am sure Jagdish will forgive me should I lose my temper with you,~ he threatens, half-heartedly, more disturbed by her mannerisms than deeply frustrated just yet.
Mew offers minor resistance to being pulled off his arm, but ultimately her grip does relent. “Mewwwwwww,” she whines plaintively, pawing gently at his arm. She struggles under his grip for a few moments, then relaxes, staring wide-eyed into Vendetta's eyes, almost submissively.
He'd love to accuse her of a completely two-faced nature, but she'd never harmed anyone, making that particular insult untrue and uninspired. For a moment, he stares at her, trying not to be swayed by the obviously false deference, blatantly but no less effectively pandering to his ego as it is - then he does let go, snorting softly. ~I am trying to assess the integrity of the Arbiter's home. Your presence is distracting.~ Might as well try.
Mew tilts her head to one side, blinking slowly. “Mew?” she asks with a rhetorical tone. “Mew mew mew mew mew,” she argues, closing her eyes and shaking her head slowly. “Mew mew mew mewww!” she adds, tone almost a whine towards the end - and as if to illustrate, she's decided to start tugging on his ears, twisting them this way and that.
That particular handling prompts a growl from the purple-furred creature, nose wrinkling noticeably, eyes narrowing, a tinge of a glow infecting them. ~Last warning,~ he says, psychic tone flat. The idea of having to attack Mew was uncomfortable for him on two levels, crawling lightly under his skin - for one, he had a strong dislike for battle with trainerless pokémon; for two, she was undoubtably a formiddable opponent. He'd seen her battle before and knew not to underestimate her, but he was quite uncertain how she'd react to a threat this comparatively direct. She'd never battled without direct request from an ally before, but he knew better than to trust her to be consistent.
The implicit threat gives Mew a moment's pause, her paws still holding Vendetta's ears in a slightly awkward position, but no longer tugging and twisting them as she considers the warning. He's evidently quite serious about his earlier threat of attacking her. It's an interesting prospect, certainly - they've both watched each other battle; they both know not to underestimate each others' power, unlike all those silly trainers that come into Taqnateh; but she's genuinely not sure how such a thing would play out. She almost wants to push him, just to see what would happen as a result…
But in the end, she decides, it probably would not be worth it. She'll just have to find some other way to wring some entertainment out of him. She utters an exasperated sigh and releases her hold on his ears, gently flopping against his head in resignation. “Mew mew mew,” she comments in a dejected tone, and then with a soft 'pop', she's gone.
✘ in progress