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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 15, 2019 21:32:37 GMT -6
He seemed to be responding well enough to his name, but she needed to be sure that that was ALL he was responding to. He didn't need to think that just the sound of her voice was his name. "So, Zazzle..." She said casually, keeping an eye on him as he picked his way through the grass. An ear flicked in response. Perfect. Fiera continued to ramble, talking about anything and everything to came to mind- so mostly about cute clothes she had seen in shop windows, or 'rude' people she had met on the street, or research she had been doing about the labs. Every so often she'd throw Zazzle's name in, just to see if he was listening- and praising him when he responded, whether with the flick of an ear, or a sideways glance. Sometimes this would be followed up with a treat, sometimes not. She kept talking like that for ages, while Zazzle sat next to her. Like it or not, he was stuck with her, now.
Fiera: 10 (Level up!)
Zazzle: Lv. 2.0/Lo 2.0
Name: 5
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 16, 2019 9:01:50 GMT -6
Fiera had been talking Zazzle's ear off for the better part of an hour. You'd almost think she didn't know he couldn't understand her. After a certain point he started gently headbutting her again, as if requesting more snacks as payment for listening to her rambling. She tolerated it for a few seconds, but when it became clear he wasn't going to relent, she tried to push him off. The minute she let go of him however, he'd start right back up, leaning back and forth on his legs to bop her in the leg. "Hey, no-" she started. Then, she had a thought. Ah, right. He didn't know what that meant. She supposed that settled what to train him next. Zazzle was, above all things a stubborn little beastie, and teaching him to stand down would be a difficult, if necessary concept. She decided to first start with the headbutting. That was getting annoying.
Fiera: 1
Zazzle: Lv. 2.1/Lo 2.1
No: 1
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 16, 2019 10:43:24 GMT -6
"No." She said firmly, holding onto the front of his shell, making sure he stayed in place. She slowly softened her grip, repeating "No." She let go, and he stayed there for just a second, after which Fiera cooed "Good boy, Zazzle!" and gave him a bit of bamboo. It was a little pause, yes, but hopefully enough to start to give him an idea of what he was meant to be doing. Or, more accurately, not doing. The bigger test however, was getting him to hold off on something he really wanted to do. Headbutting her was a hobby, yes, but bamboo was his life. She held up another stalk, and then set it on the ground. Even though he wasn't entirely finished with his last stalk, Zazzle's ears perked up. A single leg reached out to drag the stalk closer. "No!" Fiera chided, covering the stalk with a hand.
Fiera: 2
Zazzle: Lv. 2.2/Lo 2.2
No: 2
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 16, 2019 11:19:31 GMT -6
A moment later, she raised her hand again carefully. "Zazzle, n-" She started, but the inkrum dashed in and snatched the bamboo stalk. "NO! ZAZZLE!" Fiera screeched, trying to grab it back, but Zazzle scuttled backwards, hiding the stalk in his shell. Moments later, loud crunching noises were heard from inside. Fiera groaned. Yeah, she knew it wasn't going to be that easy, but it was still frustrating. Fiera rubbed her temples. "Ok Zazzle, let's try this aga-" He was headbutting her. Again. Wonderful. She turned to the inkrum and said, a lot louder than she needed to, "Zazzle, NO!" The inkrum skittered backwards. Fiera was as stunned as he was for a second, but quickly scrambled for a treat. "Good boy, Zazzle!" She followed up. She mulled over what just happened. Zazzle didn't respond to firmness like her other pets, but he did respond to volume. Was she just not taking the right tone of voice for him to know to stop?
Fiera: 3
Zazzle: Lv. 2.3/Lo 2.3
No: 3
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 16, 2019 12:07:48 GMT -6
It felt a little mean, but if it worked to get the idea across, she could always tone it down later. As Zazzle finished crunching down the last of that treat, she got ready to try again. She held up a piece of bamboo, making sure Zazzle saw it. He perked up visibly, but didn't make a move until she slowly, carefully, set it down. Zazzle immediately rushed forward to claim his prize. Halfway there, Fiera said "No." Moments before he shoved it into his mouth, Fiera shouted. "NO!" Zazzle cringed, backing away. Well, at least it worked. "Good boy, Zazzle." She said, sliding it toward him. "You can have it now!" Zazzle looked at the stalk, then FIera, then back to the stalk. And shoved it in his mouth faster than Fiera could blink. She smiled. At least he was starting to understand. Fiera would take any progress, as slow as it was.
Fiera: 4
Zazzle: Lv. 2.4/Lo 2.4
No: 4
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 16, 2019 12:54:12 GMT -6
Zazzle seemed to understand Fiera not wanting him to do something- but she didn't want to have to shout at him every single time. She set down one more stalk of bamboo, and hoped for the best. As if on cue, Zazzle scuttled toward it, ruffling his wings with delight. "No." She said, pointing at the bamboo. He slowed, and looked at her...before crawling toward it again, more slowly. "No." She repeated- firmly, but not loud. He stopped, shuffling his legs together, but didn't move again. Fiera sighed with relief. Finally. "Good boy, Zazzle." She said, and he zipped toward it, encouraged by her tone. Fiera relaxed. He finally seemed to get it. Or at least, she thought so, until he started headbutting her leg again after finishing his snack. "Ughh, cut it out." She groaned, but it hardly discouraged him. "Zazzle, no." She repeated. He paused... and scuttled back into his carrier, dissuaded. Fiera leaned back again. Finally, some peace and quiet.
Fiera: 5
Zazzle: Lv. 3.0/Lo 3.0
No: 5
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 17, 2019 17:10:44 GMT -6
The morning was calm and lazy. Unlike the last few days, it wasn't quite as hot out. Clouds lazily trundled their way across the sun, making a patchwork pattern on the grass below. Fiera was nestled under a tree, watching Zazzle mill around through the grass. Every couple minutes or so, he'd stop and dig at something, or flick over a rock, or stick his face in a bundle of grass. Regular animal stuff. Slowly but surely however, he started wandering further and further away. At first Fiera wasn't all that concerned, but soon his distance made her nervous. "Hey, Zazzle." His ears flicked up. "Get back here." His ears went back down. That was right, he didn't know how to do that. Or he was just being stubborn again. Regarldess, this meant it was back to work for Fiera and her training ventures. Time to teach this Inkrum "Come".
Fiera: 6
Zazzle: Lv. 3.1/Lo 3.1
Come: 1
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 17, 2019 19:55:18 GMT -6
"Zazzle!" She said, trying to get his attention. No response. "Zazzle!" She tried again, calling a little louder. Zazzle flicked just one ear up. Little jerk was ignoring her. "I've got some bamboo for you!" She said. She gave one quiet, breathy laugh as he turned around for that. Zazzle knew three words, apparently: his name, no, and bamboo. She held it up. "Come!" She said. And he... turned back around. "Aw, what?" She said. "You love this stuff!" Fiera finally stood up- only to realize that Zazzle had decided to eat some grass instead. "No, don't do that!" She cried. "Get off, you always throw that stuff up afterward!" Instead of Zazzle coming to Fiera as desired, she sprinted over to keep Zazzle from reloading a veritable vomit shotgun, shrieking "NO!" at the top of her lungs. Eventually, with much writhing of legs and flapping of wings, she was able to drag him off.
Fiera: 7
Zazzle: Lv. 3.2/Lo 3.2
Come: 2
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 17, 2019 22:45:59 GMT -6
With some effort and struggle, Fiera was able to bring Zazzle near the tree she was sitting under before. Thankfully, it was surrounded by dirt and mulch, not grass. With any luck, Zazzle wouldn't be able to get distracted from his lesson. She set him down and he almost immediately pulled into his shell. "Yeah well, if you didn't eat grass, I wouldn't have to pick you up. Ya lil' jerk." She chided. She moved a few feet away and sat at the base of the tree. "I'll give you some bamboo for your trouble though!" She said slyly, taking out the stalk again. Zazzle's ears came out of his shell again- just the ears. "That's it! Come here, Zazzle!" She cooed, waving the bamboo tantalizingly. Slowly but surely Zazzle's legs extended, and he crawled slowly toward Fiera, as if embarrassed of himself submitting to the call of treats. "That's it! Come!"
Fiera: 8
Zazzle: Lv. 3.3/Lo 3.3
Come: 3
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 18, 2019 8:45:49 GMT -6
Zazzle creeped over to the bamboo and finally took it, ashamed of submitting to its sweet call. "Good boy Zazzle!" She praised. He ate it quietly, ears back and tight against his shell. As he did, Fiera backed away again, toward the other side of the tree, but not hiding behind it. She called out sweetly. "Zazzle, come!" His ears flicked up and he looked up again, finishing off the last of the bamboo Fiera gave him. He got his legs back out but didn't move, as if unsure. She was so close! Maybe one more go round with a stalk of bamboo. She slipped another one out of her back pocket. "Come!" She repeated. Convinced, Zazzle crawled over, clawing at her pant legs to try and climb up. She happily dropped it for him, and he was on it immediately. "Good boy, Zazzle! You're getting it!" She said, grinning.
Fiera: 9
Zazzle: Lv. 3.4/Lo 3.4
Come: 4
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 18, 2019 10:03:41 GMT -6
He finally seemed to be getting it! She backed away one last time (hopefully) while Zazzle was distracted. With any luck, he'd know to come at the sound of the word now, and wouldn't need to be lured with bamboo. That was how Fiera usually trained it- hopefully Zazzle wasn't so stubborn that she'd have to change her technique. By now, she was on the opposite side of the tree from where she started, looking at Zazzle intently. "Zazzle!" She said, getting his attention. "Come!" Zazzle paused for a minute, chewing thoughtfully... and then began to crawl over to Fiera calmly. "Yes!" She cried, crouching down to meet him. "Good boy, Zazzle! You did it!" She gave comforting scritches behind his ears, overjoyed that he actually listened to her. And then he threw up the grass from earlier onto her shoe. She cringed. Well, there were upsides and downsides to everything.
Fiera: 10 (Level up!)
Zazzle: Lv. 4.0/Lo 4.0
Come: 5
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 18, 2019 10:28:58 GMT -6
After Fiera cleaned up the mess Zazzle made from eating too much grass, they relaxed together under a tree, enjoying the pleasant weather. It was interesting, Fiera thought. Like this, one might never know that Zazzle was an uncompromising, stubborn little jerk who liked to headbutt her and throw up on her shoes. Fascinating, really. Still, she had adopted him, so he was her stubborn little jerk, and like hell was she letting him go uneducated. She got out her training list for the day once more, and ran her finger down it. Only two tricks left to go, so far! She decided to tackle the last 'easy' one- stay. It wasn't her top priority as Zazzle was neither a fast nor a strong creature, but it was certainly worth knowing. The biggest challenge of it, of course, was getting Zazzle to move enough that she could order him to hold still again.
Fiera: 1
Zazzle: Lv. 4.1/Lo 4.1
Stay: 1
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 18, 2019 15:37:22 GMT -6
She went through her bag, looking for potential motivators. Toys? She hadn't found any that Zazzle was interested in yet. He wasn't exactly the "fetch" type. Physical affection and praise were out too- he only begrudgingly accepted them, under his own terms. They couldn't really be used for motivation. The only thing that really got him to do anything was food. She opened a zipping plastic bag she brought with her, stuffed with carefully trimmed bamboo. Well, at least she brought plenty. She'd certainly need it. She took one out, supposing it was about time to get started. "Zazzle!" She called. "Zazzle!" Still no response. She walked over to him, tapping on his shell with one manicured finger. "Hello, anyone home?" She joked to herself. Zazzle finally turned around- and immediately spotted the bamboo, waving his legs in the air to grab it. Even with his efforts however, Fiera kept it just out of range.
Fiera: 2
Zazzle: Lv. 4.2/Lo 4.2
Stay: 2
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 18, 2019 15:51:26 GMT -6
"Zazzle!" She said trying to get his attention. He disregarded her, still trying to climb up her pant leg. She huffed quietly. "Zazzle, no." She chided, gently nudging him off with a foot. Scolded, he huffed and got off. She pointed at the bamboo and then at him. "Zazzle, stay." She emphasized, before backing away. "Stay...stay..." That worked for about five feet, until Zazzle scuttled forward again, renewing his efforts to get at the bamboo, flapping his wings uselessly. She sighed. At least he didn't know how to fly yet- she'd never be able to play keep away like this otherwise. "Zazzle, NO." She reiterated. Frustrated, Zazzle pulled back into his shell. Fiera sighed again, a bit louder. Ok then. Maybe she could use this? She backed away again, repeating "stay" to get it in his head. When she got about ten feet away, she praised him. "Good boy Zazzle, you did it! You stayed!"
Fiera: 3
Zazzle: Lv. 4.3/Lo 4.3
Stay: 3
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Post by Fiera Ferella on Jul 18, 2019 16:11:10 GMT -6
His ears slowly came back out from his shell. Why was she praising him? He brought his legs back out too, when the bamboo stalk landed right in front of his face. Had he done something right? He slowly brought the bamboo stalk to his face, and then went to town on it. Fiera smiled. Hopefully that got the idea across- it was staying STILL that she was looking for. He watched her warily as she approached, but accepted her scritching his ears with minimal fussing. He did like the affection, he just didn't want to admit it. Fiera held up another stick of bamboo the minute he was done, and he eyed it warily. "Ready, Zazzle?" She said. "Stay." Then, she began backing away slowly, watching the inkrum the whole time. "Stay... staaaay." Zazzle couldn't take it anymore, watching his food getting further away- he took a step. "NO!" She scolded. "Stay!"
Fiera: 4
Zazzle: Lv. 4.4/Lo 4.4
Stay: 4
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