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Maggie smiled and greeted the dude as he came in, trying to put his mind at ease. He seemed like a bit of an awko taco - surprisingly a lot of the people who opted to go the ranger route were. She didn’t quite know the appeal herself. She’d gone the old fashioned route several years ago when she’d picked her starter - a timid but strong Torchic whom she’d named Todd. He was still in his starting form, she hadn’t been able to cope with having him evolve and be bigger than holdable huggable chick size.

But maybe people liked the idea of the unknown, of the possibility that came with getting a ranger starter! She was sure that was the same reason so many were nervous. Maybe they thought they’d encounter something with too big of a personality to take on, or too small and end up with what they may consider a dud. Whatever their reasoning, it was a common enough thing that she was more than used to now.

”Alrighty Sam, it’s time for you to go to a biome. I won’t waste your time with an interview, after all, you’re here and it’s up to Lady Fate what you end up with when you go into the area. We’ve got the cliffs biome ready now if you’ll just follow me.” she’d of course checked in with the professor in Kalos to check his credentials before he’d arrived and found it to be suitable enough to take care of any questions they would normally have of Joe Schmoe off the street. She walked down a long hallway before stopping at an elevator. Todd came running up to stand with her as they waited for Sam to join them.

Once on the elevator they zoomed up to the biome built on an artificial mountainside with soaring cliffs jutting out overhead. The ground was hard packed and rubble littered the landscape. Any minute now his potential starter would make its appearance. And what an appearance it made…..

Out of nowhere a blurr of blue leapt from the nearest cliff, arms outspread even as it plummeted to the earth. A tiny roar of frustration was all they would hear before it cracked a rock in two with its hard head, sitting up and shaking it off. ”Oh…” Maggie breathed, eyes wide before she cleared her throat, ”Sam, this is….Bagon.” she said, picking Todd up and stepping back to give them room to chat or...whatever. Bagon turned at her voice and came charging up to the trio, head down with intent to land a blow.

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Bagon gave a pitiful wail as he missed his target completely and ran smack into another boulder mere feet away from the ranger and her torchic. Since he wasn’t falling from a great height this time it only cracked the enormous rock instead of splitting it down the middle and he reeled back from it in frustration, flailing and flapping his arms. He wheeled to look back at the man and gave a grunt of annoyance when he commented on the whole flying thing, snorting as if to say “ya think?”. It seemed he didn’t quite have the hang of speaking yet - he could understand the humans but between the constant self-inflicted head trauma and general lack of exposure he wasn’t fluent enough to communicate his thoughts and feelings back to them. Yet another source of unending frustration for him.

The unwinged dragon scraped the gravelly ground underfoot staring at his feet that were strong and carried him where he needed to go, helped him leap off of cliffs with ease as the thought that maybe this time he would fly. And then his stubby arms, useless and barely seen under his enormous noggin. He felt so awkward and clumsy and out of his element when he knew he was destined to soar. To be majestic and graceful and weightless. And he couldn’t tell them any of that. And it sucked. So he just shrugged and smacked a smaller rock with his head to emphasize the point. Yep, that’s me. Love smashin rocks.

Todd hopped down from Maggie’s lap and skipped over to stand to the side of Sam and Bagon - what they needed was a translator! That’s all! He gave a few chirps to Bagon, whose eyes’ lit up with something other than rage for the first time since they’d seen him trying to run them down, then turned to Sam, < He wants to know what you’re doing here in his territory? He says...you broke his concentration. That he saw us just as he was jumping and that’s why he didn’t fly. > Bagon frowned as the Torchic took artistic liberty with what he’d actually said - Dumb humans messed me up, why are they even here?.

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Bagon was honestly glad to see some look of understanding and patience on the man’s face. It was more than a small comfort to know he wasn’t being written off, or that his dreams and struggles weren’t being looked over and dismissed, just because he couldn’t say them in a way these people would understand. The torchic hopped back as Sam leaned in to speak to Bagon, now that he knew the other Pokemon could understand the human at least. And he gave an encouraging chirp as Sam cut right to the chase. Bagon liked that, no nonsense or pussyfooting around! He gave a small roar low in his chest.

< You’re right, I know I can do it!....Maybe I should accept this help….what’s the harm? Otherwise I’ll just keep leaping from these cliffs and failing over and over...maybe you know something I don’t. >

Maggie was looking on at the trio of boys, chin in hand as she waited to see if she would need to step in. But Todd had risen to the occasion quicker than she herself could think to ask him, and she was as proud as ever. Maybe one day Sam would have that same pride and joy for his Bagon. He was already determined to help him, which the ranger took as an excellent sign.

Todd took his time translating, before saying simply, < Yep he’ll go! >

Bagon shot the bird a withering look but he was right. He was going. He couldn’t wait until he could speak for himself, though! He looked back to Sam and simply nodded. There, that would work. Maggie stood from her rock and picked up a pokeball from the pouch of supplies she’d gathered for Sam, tossing it to him, ”Go for it, bud.”

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