[Celeste Bonnaire]

Celeste frowned as she observed the pitiful selection of teas before her. She had just run out of her stash of looseleaf tea that morning, and she was in dire need of a cup to perk her up before she started teaching in the afternoon. But, there wasn't nearly enough time to run to the nearby grocery store to pick some up, so she decided to explore the school's cafeteria in hopes that they would carry some. Honestly, she wasn't sure what she was expecting. In her experience, large establishments never invested in looseleaf tea. Instead, they had a tendency to turn to tea bags since they were cheaper and more efficient. Although, Celeste considered it all to be in bad taste. Bagged tea couldn't even compare to looseleaf teas.

However, Celeste found that she had no other option but to accept the reality spread before her. She had meager pickings: green tea, Earl Grey tea, and black tea. All were bagged, and Celeste's displeasure was written all over her face as she gingerly grabbed a pack of Earl Grey tea. Elaine, sensing Celeste's disapproval, gently nudged Celeste's thigh in comfort. Celeste's free hand came down to rest on her Delcatty's head thankfully. Reaching over to grab a styrofoam cup and some hot water, Celeste made a mental note to pick up some looseleaf tea before dinner, lest she was forced to drink this monstrosity again.

((Levi McLaren I hope this is fine!))

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+1 to Swablu's hatch count!

[Levi McLaren]

There was nothing quite like a fresh cup of hot tea to start the morning. But there was just one slight problem with that though. What!? It was the simple fact the academy cafeteria's selection of these peculiar caffeinated products, er, wasn't much of a selection at all. Oh how he had missed the days where he would just kick back with steaming cup of fresh tea while lounging in the hot springs down in Lavaridge Town. For the love of Arceus, those were indeed the days.

You would think that by now, Levi would have grown accustomed to this particular lack of variety. From the looks of it, he was never fully satisfied by the sometimes stale taste of the Gray Haven's teas. Just like everything else he's ever done - or in this case, like all the things he's ever drunk - the tea needed to be, well, perfect.

"Typical..." Indeed.

Having detected her trainer's seemingly inevitable disappointment, Ahri the Ninetales, nuzzled her furry self against him, appearingly as a means to ease his innermost pain. "It's quite alright, friend. I'm just...ugh, I should have expected this..." the young warden justified as he moved a free hand to pet the fox pokemon on her temple. As much as he'd like to have Syldra the Dragonair accompanying him on this tedious escapade as well, the mythic dragon pokemon was at times considered to be taking up a tad too much space.

Especially at a dining table.

In fact, she might have been long enough to constrict an entire table for all we know. "I suppose this will have to do for now, Ahri. Let's move on." Levi decided, settling for pre-sealed bag of the generic green tea available, the Ninetales tailing him. Of course, the man wouldn't be fully indulged in it. Nonetheless, it was a start.

You could say that herbal tea was a guilty pleasure of Levi's. That is to say, herbal tea with actual herbs in it. As he took a few steps towards an empty table a few feet away, beady eyes spotted a woman and a feline pokemon nearby. Perhaps she'd been thirsting for tea as well? And so he couldn't help but to speak out...

"You too, huh? Can't say I blame you though."

{it's great! i just tend to go with the flow! ;D }
Celeste Bonnaire

[Celeste Bonnaire]

Celeste glanced up from her steaming cup of water as she heard someone speak. Looking over at them, she was surprised to see a rather tall man — a staff member member, she assumed, as he looked far too old to be a student — with a Ninetales by his side, although she hid her emotions well with years of trained poise. Noting the unopened bag of tea in his hand, Celeste immediately knew what he was referring to, and sighed heavily as she picked up her cup, raising an eyebrow in distaste at the liquid within.

"Yeah," she offered him a faint smile of understanding. "It's a pity that the only tea the Academy serves is bagged. Honestly, they should at least buy a few tins of looseleaf tea, if only for the staff's use. Bagged tea is nowhere as rich as looseleaf is, not to mention the extra packaging that is wasted on it..."

Stopping herself before she could ramble, Celeste diverted her attention to the man's Ninetales, who Elaine had trotted up to and was greeting with playful meows. "Your Ninetales looks well taken care of. Strong, too. I actually have a Ninetales too, although she's much better at performances than she is at battling."

When she noticed an anxious student hovering nearby, Celeste took a few steps closer to the man, allowing the student to access the drinks she was in front of. They scurried off after snatching a few coffee creamers, and Celeste watched them go, brushing a few strands of loose hair behind her left ear.

((Yeah, that's pretty much how I write too haha Levi McLaren ))

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+1 to Swablu hatch count

[Levi McLaren]

Pity...

Indeed it was. You would think for a school as popular as Gray Haven, that could be expected to have a higher quality accommodations for both staff and students alike. Apparently that was not to be the case. Still, it was a bit of a surprise that even after his days as a scholar in his own right, Levi would learn to handle these trivial matters. Surely, he hasn't. And even if he does come to terms with the fact at some point, he'd likely one heck of a job disguising that feeling behind that poker face of his. Take what life gives you, they say. Live for the moment, they say. But how can he do when he can't even get a perfect cup of tea the way he wants it!?

The Lava warden began to brew that utterly dissatisfying cup of tea whilst listening in on the woman's brief rant on how...perfect looseleaf tea would be for them. And..."It is truly a shame. And honestly, I agree. I do prefer my tea made from real tea leaves as well. Not this...unorthodox substance in a package constructed from paper. Perhaps recycled paper at that. In spite of that, perhaps I ought to consider purchasing a few containers of the actual stuff - even if no one seems to favor that particular variety. Above all else, I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone in that regard."

As he proceeded to take the first sip of what would more than likely split-second instances of bitter disdain (emphasis on bitter), he took note of the feline approaching the fox. Ahri, as she would normally do upon encountering someone or something new, took a moment to observe the stranger by sniffing it. Deciding to welcome the new pokemon acquaintance after sensing no ill intent from the odd-colored cat, the Ninetales pawed at it in a 'pleased to meet you' sort of manner.

Levi would humbly accept the woman's praise. "Thank you. She's really been more of a travel buddy than anything, but she certainly can hold her own in a battle." he justified as he began stroking the nine-tailed fox behind her ears. Boy, she loved it whenever he did that. Acknowledging the compliment, each of Ahri's tails wagged happily in unison. "Your Delcatty is quite beautiful as well."

Brows propped at the woman's mentioning of performances. He could have sworn he had heard that before...oh right! A coordination program has just recently been implemented into the academy's curriculum. After watching students take off with condiments alongside her, Levi turned his attention back to her as Ahri went to get herself acquainted with the Delcatty. "So, uh, performances...you say? I take it that coordinating pokemon is your thing?" he asked before sipping that disheartening excuse for tea again.

{ ^u^ }
Celeste Bonnaire

[Celeste Bonnaire]

Although Celeste had barely spoken a few words to him, she already felt a sense of camaraderie with the man. Taking a sip of her own drink, she barely forced back a brow-furrowing, nose-crinkling grimace; it truly was as disgusting as she had predicted. Bonding over mutual disgust for bagged tea, Celeste thought to herself in amusement as she did her best to ignore the foul aftertaste lingering in her mouth. How unique. But, as she listened to him speak, she realized, with a jolt, that neither of them had introduced themselves yet.

"Thank you," she said as Elaine purred agreeably and stood just a little taller. The Delcatty had always loved being the center of attention. "And, yes, coordination is my chosen profession. I used to perform competitively back in Hoenn, but I've since stepped down. Now, I'm here as the Academy's first coordination teacher." Holding out her free hand, she smiled. "Celeste Bonnaire. Nice to meet you. If you don't mind me asking, what is your job here at the Academy? You don't seem like the performing type, no offense, so I assume your speciality is something related to battling?"

As Celeste spoke, Elaine had begun meowing playfully at Ahri. Elaine was always excited and loved to mess around, so long as there wasn't an enticing beam of sunlight to bask in, and she wanted the other Pokémon to join in on the fun. 

---

+1 to Swablu hatch count

[Levi McLaren]

For the love of Arceus, the distasteful feeling of this tea going down his throat was horrifying. Who would have thought that Levi would at least a semi-logical discussion about tea, let alone with a stranger. Of all the things, right? If it was any consolation, at least this would kill some bit of time until someone would eventually approach the Lava Dorm requesting a battle with the warden. In all honesty, he had grown quite bored from not having received many challenges from oncoming students as of late. He could only hope that there would be a new challenger awaiting in due time. For now, he'll spend his free time...socializing...

Something he didn't quite do often nowadays.

So coordinating was her thing after all. Good to know. But when she mentioned having performed in Hoenn, his brows perked up; his interest had been piqued. "Hoenn, huh? I'm actually a native of Hoenn myself. Lavaridge to be exact." he noted. How about that? Levi took her hand, a faint smirk present on his lightly tanned features. "Levi McLaren, it's a pleasure." She asked what his job was at the academy. Sometimes, it felt more like a chore, but alas this was the path he had chosen for himself. And so he'd stick with it. Not the performing type, huh?

"Oh? But I do perform...on the battlefield. You see, I am one of the Wardens in the Lava Dorm. My job basically entails supervising the students residing there. I also play the role of a gym leader there. In other words, yes, you could say that battling is my expertise."

Ahri's interest in the feline had piqued as well, her tails swaying with glee.

Celeste Bonnaire

[Hatch Count (Vulpix, Dratini, Houndour, Torkoal): 2 of 5]

[Celeste Bonnaire]

While Levi talked, Celeste listened in rapt attention. However, every now and then she would glance at her Delcatty, well-aware of Elaine's mischievous side. And, now that his Ninetales seemed to have reacted positively to Elaine's advances, the last thing Celeste needed was for Elaine to cause trouble, especially in the cafeteria. But, when Levi brought up Hoenn, Celeste smiled, pleasantly surprised.

"Lavaridge, huh?" She replied. "I used to reside in Lilycove, but I visited Lavaridge occasionally. The hot springs were certainly worth the journey."

While the sweltering heat left something to be desired — Lavaridge lived up to its name, after all — Celeste had no shortage of fond memories of the town. While most of them were of her traveling there alone, save for Alaire perched on her shoulder and her other Pokémon by her side, she remembered few faint moments where her father had swung her through the warm, summer air. And, her mother had led her into the hot springs with a bright, youthful grin. But, the thought of her parents was followed by a bitter aftertaste, one so strong it chased away that of the tea, and Celeste was forced to shake herself from her reverie. Pulling herself back into reality, she was quick to pick up on the topic of battling.

"Performing on the battlefield," Celeste mused with an interested glimmer in her eyes. "I never quite got the hang of that, but I don't doubt your abilities. But, if you don't mind me asking, what made you want to come work here? I mean, you're still young. Surely, traveling the world or some other equally romantic thought must have crossed your mind at some point or another." 

(Deep talks over bad tea. Worth LOL. Levi McLaren)

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+1 to Helioptile, Axew, and Swablu hatch counts

[Levi McLaren]

Lilycove City, huh? A city that was most known for its gargantuan department store, and also for its prestigious contest hall as well. So it would only make sense for this woman to take up great interest in coordination. Levi couldn't help but to imagine that particular setting; going up on a stage on and putting on a mesmerizing performance like no other in front of hundreds, no, thousands of adoring spectators? He was led to believe at that moment, that it was truly a sight to behold. Come to think of it, he never actually thought of 'performing' in that manner, probably because there was no contest hall present in his hometown. Oh well, it was never too late to consider it though.

"Ah yes, the hot springs. Oh how I do miss them. I mean sure the ones near my dorm are nice enough, but I don't think they could possibly stack up to that, er, 'homey' feeling that the springs in Lavaridge give you. And so I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed them. I'm fairly sure I would have certainly enjoyed visiting the department store in Lilycove. Sad to say I didn't get to do much in the way of traveling myself. I actually spent a lot of my time volunteering at the pokemon center back home."

Levi's eyes then shot over to his divine fox friend who seemed to be enjoying herself in her own little escapade with the Delcatty, perhaps having made a brand new friend in her own right. Ahri could definitely use more pokepals to play with every now and then. Usually with her, it was strictly business in terms of watching Levi's back and thwarting any potential threats that may be daring enough to approach him. It was nice to see her actually settle down for a change.

Brows propped up when asked what his reasoning was for coming here, or rather, for returning here that is. The question was by no means irrational. He had to think about it for a moment through another irritable taste of poorly designed tea. "To be perfectly honest, this is about as much traveling as I could have ever hoped to do. I actually attended classes here to a considerable degree. This place - especially my dorm and even the hot springs here near it - reminds me of home. This is kind of like my second home of sorts. A quaint atmosphere for the most part. As much as I would have loved being able to go out and see the world, I feel right at home here."

Let the story be told.

{bad tea bringing people together like this!? such cute! maybe he should drink it more often!? LOL}

Celeste Bonnaire

[Celeste Bonnaire]

To say that it was hard for Celeste to see Levi volunteering at a Pokémon Center would be an understatement. No matter how hard she observed him, she never felt as though he would be the nurturing type. Although, Celeste noted as she glanced at Elaine — who jokingly took a regal pose while trying to entice Levi's Ninetales to do the same — looks could be deceiving more often than not.

"That must have been interesting," she replied. "Working in a Pokémon Center, that is. Honestly, I could never quite wrap my head around how the machinery worked. But, it is rather different that you're not too interested in traveling. Not in a bad way, of course. It's just that every trainer or trainer-to-be in Lilycove wanted to leave the town at some point. They wanted to explore Hoenn with their Pokémon, try to catch a glimpse of the fabled Kyogre or Groudon, and then come back home with amazing tales to tell their families. I traveled around a lot too, when I was younger. Just not quite for the same reasons."

Stopping herself before she could reveal too much, Celeste berated herself internally for wandering back into murky waters. That part of her life was not one she wanted to revisit. Despite the poor taste, the lingering unbalanced flavor helped wash the lump out of her throat and clear her mind.

"You're an Academy alumni? It must be nice to work here after having graduated. You get to see the other side of the teaching process," Celeste laughed good-naturedly. "Honestly, if I had the chance, I wouldn't have minded coming here for school. That is, if I wasn't running around Hoenn searching for shiny Pokémon for contests. But, I get what you mean by the quant atmosphere. Harmonia Island seems to have the perfect blend of city and wildlife. There's just enough people to make this place feel civilized, but it's offset by the uninhabited areas, which makes the place feel rustic, peaceful even."

And, as she considered it, Celeste realized that there really was no better place to settle down. Now that she was done competing professionally, Harmonia Island provided a wonderful setting to retired to. Her Pokémon had the chance to relax, as Elaine was demonstrating at that exact moment, and she could still be engaged with her trade while retaining the perfect level of detachment from the rest of the chaotic world. Harmonia Island and the Academy were truly some form of paradise on Earth.

((omg haha! Celeste would definitely not consider the trade worthwhile. Honestly, she might start up a strike to get the Academy to invest in better tea LOL Levi McLaren))

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+1 to Helioptile, Axew, Swablu, and Houndour hatch counts

[Levi McLaren]

Normally, he would say that volunteering that Pokemon Center was kind of a drag at times. But a lot of times, he would admit that the experience wasn't half bad after all. Although...tending to injured or sickly pokemon was one thing, but having to clean the hot springs behind the facility on the other hand? Oh boy, that was quite the experience indeed.

More of then not, he would have to do it while there was nobody there, otherwise he would risk catching a...never mind! The man was just glad that the inhabitants of that small town had decided that it was a good idea to install the wall the divides the springs by gender. The memories of those experiences were still fresh in his mind even to this very day.

Before speaking up again. He shot a look over to his fox friend whom apparently was trying to mimic the kitty's actions, in which the young man found rather endearing. It was always nice to see her getting along with other pokemon. Or trying to at the very least.

"Yes, the equipment in a pokemon center is quite complex from a general standpoint. But learning to properly care for pokemon wasn't the only thing I learned from the experience. I also learned about the various types of pokemon there were, and that left me wondering just where they came from and how they interact. I guess you could say that was what got me interesting in becoming a trainer myself."

Sure, he wasn't much of a traveler himself back in those days. Does he regret his decision not to go on venturing out into the world like most other stereotypical trainers? Absolutely not. Harmonia Island was his home now. His home away from home to be precise, and he wouldn't trade that for anything in the world. He nodded behind another dissatisfying taste of the tea, confirming that he is indeed an alumnus.

The other side of the teaching process, huh? The young warden had to admit that it was something that never actually crossed his mind. What could possibly teach? Perhaps battle tactics, since battling - and winning - was what he was notorious for in his tenure as a student. Maybe he ought to consider it the future when he will eventually be deemed too old to be warden any longer.

Right now though, he'd stay focused on his gym battles, despite not having many as of late. In any case, the thought of it all had triggered a faint smirk on his features. "Yes, this island is something else alright. I do enjoy exploring it myself...I suppose to make up for not having much of an opportunity to do so back in Hoenn. I've never particular imagined myself as a teacher though. I'm sure you would have enjoyed coming to school here as well. There seems to something for everyone here."

Making up for lost ground? That was quite the intriguing notion in its own way...

{these two would probably be the only ones protesting that! xD}

Celeste Bonnaire