shady business [C]

Today had been quite uneventful and Xavier let a loud yawn escape him as he walked through the streets of Jubilife. He had just filled himself with enough food to feed a family of five and he was still hungry, rubbing at his stomach as it continued to growl. He just could never seem to eat enough, but he was nearly broke and would just have to ignore the annoying hunger rumbling within him. He promised himself once he got his pay he'd treat himself to an even bigger meal, and that thought alone put a smile on his face.

Xavier really wasn't paying attention to where he was going, but as soon he passed an alleyway and the scent of weed reached his nose he paused in his steps. He hated the smell scrunching up his nose and nearly growling with disgust. He took a few steps backwards, dark eyes squinting into the dim alleyway to see who was creating the smell. It didn't take him long to spot a guy not too far into the narrow passage, a blunt hanging from his lips and smoke billowing up into the sky. He seemed busy looking at his phone, so Xavier took the opportunity to approach him without him noticing.

"I hope that's medical marijuana," he says loudly, crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes. He glances around before returning his judgemental gaze onto the smoking stranger. He tries to inhale very little, not particularly wanting to get high himself, not while he was on the job. "What business do you have here?" The Ranger asks calmly, keeping his guard up just in case this encounter turned dangerous.

Xavier hadn't noticed the Snubbull when he had first approached, so he took a few steps back, his fingers grazing over one of the pokeballs on his waist just in case. The pink pokemon didn't seem like it was going to attack, well not yet, so Xavier lowered his hand but stayed on guard. He wasn't expecting the guy to be so rude and just raised a dark eyebrow at him. "It is my business when you're polluting the air with that toxic shit," he growls, eyes lighting with annoyance. So this wasn't going to be just a simple encounter, but he enjoyed the challenge.

"Okay so you live here, but I find you in some shady alleyway and I only have to assume you're probably up to no good," he tilts his head and scrunches his nose. "I think the 'kittens' can wait, I'll need to see your license and can you tell your guard dog to back off before I have to make it." His hand returns to his belt and he just stares at the guy with steady and serious eyes. He wouldn't let his attitude get to him, he had honestly dealt with worse, this was nothing.

Xavier's eyes widen with disbelief at this guy's reaction. He didn't know what he had been expecting but it definitely wasn't this. The ranger furrows his brows, a scowl on his face. "Dude chill, who said I was going to kick it? What kind of monster would do that?" He huffs, crossing his arms and glaring, his usually cool temper threatening to break the surface. "I would never, I'm sworn to protect don't you know? But I also have to protect myself, and even a young pokemon can do damage." He shakes his head with a sigh. "Most I would do is defend myself with one of my pokemon, I would never harm one unless it was completely necessary."

He pinches the bridge of his nose to keep his voice steady and professional. "I do need your license either way, it's my job to check these things and if you continue to resist it only makes things harder."

This guy. This fucking guy. His sarcasm made Xavier want to literally growl with frustration. He had half the mind to just forget it all and walk away so he didn't have to deal with this. But his responsibility kept his feet rooted where they were, no matter how much he wanted to get the hell out of there. This would be good training for his tolerance after all, so even he could benefit off of this guy's attitude.

"Very funny," he says dryly, eyeing the seemingly harmless pokemon and then back up to it's trainer. Even if this guy was doing nothing wrong, which he doubted, he still had to comply. And now Xavier even wished he'd put up a fight, it would be nice to focus this frustration on something, he was itching to get his muscles moving again, he could already feel his arms tensing beneath his jacket sleeves and his hands curling into fists at his sides.

"I may not be police, but I do have the right to ask for your license and see if you are even permitted to own that pokemon." He inhales deeply through his nose, and plasters a fake smile on his face, one that looks more cocky than anything. "Perhaps you are a good trainer, even if you poison the poor thing with that crap," he gestures to the blunt. "But if you keep refusing to show me your credentials I'll be forced to take you in. After all someone owning pokemon without knowledge on how to control them could be dangerous."

Dark eyebrows shot up into Xavier's hairline when the guy literally put out his blunt on his wrist. He could literally feel the sting himself and grimaced, but tried not to show the surprise on his face. Okay so part of him hadn't expected this guy to actually have a license, in fact he had been hoping he hadn't. Scowling he swipes the card from him, eyeing it closely and sighing inwardly when he was sure it was official. Okay so maybe he had made a fool of himself, but that was here nor there, unimportant, even if he was sure the guy thought he was a joke.

"Okay, Parker," he says flatly, handing it back to him with narrowed eyes. "I'm sorry for the mistake, but since you reminded me can I see that license as well?" He knows he has him here, he has to. "If its for medical purposes than I'll leave you be, but if not I can always bring you in for endangering your pokemon and the health of other pokemon." Sure Xavier was pushing this, giving every reason he could to catch this guy. Usually he would have just given up after seeing the trainer ID, but Parker was someone he wanted to punch in the face. And since he couldn't do that without getting in trouble, he'd have to do things the official way.

Parker was silent for quite a long time, just staring him up and down with a scowl on his face. He seemed to be deep in thought, and Xavier could even see the turmoil raging in his mind. Though for some reason he didn't think it was about this encounter, it seemed there was something else behind his sarcastic exterior, well not that he would ask anyway and he was sure Parker wouldn't tell.

Well shit. When Parker thrusts another card in the ranger's face, Xavier can't help but show surprise on his face this time. He hadn't expected this, he had thought he had caught him. Now he was embarrassed, he had made a fool of himself. He leans forward hoping it is somehow a fake, but even though it is worn and old he can tell it is legit. He was wrong. And now he has to admit it.

Scratching his head with a frown evident on his face he lets out a loud sigh. "Yeah we're done, I'm sorry for wasting your time." Frustration was still boiling in his gut but he tried to keep his voice even and not hostile, even if Parker was far from that.

Xavier had been just about to turn and leave, to go back home and lick his wounds. That was until Parker's breathing became labored and he looked in pain. The ranger's face changed from annoyance to genuine concern as he stepped forward. "Hey man are you okay?" All accusations and hostility were thrown out the window at this point and now he would help in a way that he wouldn't have even thought of a moment before. "Forget about all that," he says waving his hand as he steps forward, placing a hand on Parker's shoulder to support him, and surprised when the Snubbull doesn't even try to bite him.

"Maybe you should sit down," Xavier's brows are furrowed, unsure of what else he can really do. He didn't know what was wrong after all. Was he having some sort of anxiety attack? "Here drink this," he says quickly, reaching in his pack for a bottle of water and handing it over. He wouldn't enjoy it, but if he had to carry this guy off to the hospital he would. The duty to help and protect was literally sewn into his soul.