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Post by DataNinja on Jun 25, 2023 20:18:52 GMT
"If you ever want to get in contact with me to ask questions about what I've experienced out in the human world," Thel says to Shiv, "you can just ask Whitney. I'm sure she'd be willing to help with that." He doesn't add anything to her or Patience's comments. It would just feel trite.
The silence hangs for a few awkward moments, before Thel asks, "...have you eaten lunch or anything today, Whitney? I know that's something I learned during the storms, that it's easy to get caught up in things during an emergency that you neglect taking care of yourself. If you're okay with taking a break, we can get food - or I can make you something - and I can catch you up on, well, everything that's happened." He sighs. "Since I imagine they've been keeping you out of the loop as much as they can again."
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Post by Robot on Jul 8, 2023 0:44:17 GMT
Shiv holds a knife skyward with the other held with the flat against her chest. A strange form of salute, or perhaps a goodbye. She disappears up the street, with the odd townie making a startled noise or giving her a wide berth.
Patience's attention followed her as she went, her mouth pulled into a small, thin line. Em pulled her sister-in-law close and rested her chin atop the blonde's head. There was an unspoken comfort in the silence between them, those blue eyes sliding closed as she let herself lean in against the teal haired girl.
"I could eat, but it's my treat, I insist. There are a few places that escaped the event without too much damage. My favorite spot is a shop in the underground that does steamed buns. We do have a lot we need to catch up on."
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Post by DataNinja on Jul 8, 2023 0:50:22 GMT
"...you've been doing so much for the whole town," Thel points out. "So, please, let someone do something for you for a change. Okay?" He doesn't push too much more if she insists on being stubborn, though.
He let's Em and Patience have their moment, before indicating to Whitney that she could lead on to their destination.
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Post by Robot on Jul 8, 2023 1:52:37 GMT
"If you want to buy me lunch instead then, I don't mind... but sure." Whitney acquiesces, keeping her brisk sporty pace as they headed for the shops and eateries that had been safely bunkered under the city during the attack. With she and Thel walking in the front, Em and Patience kept to themselves, speaking in low tones. "...Do you want to start, or should I? It feels like it's been years even if it was only a couple weeks." She managed to laugh tiredly as she put in her order at the counter.
Thel might've thought steamed buns were an odd concept when Whitney had named them, but it was more like a dumpling. Hot cooked, soft dough wrapped around meats, cheeses, or vegetables. The gym leader orders two, and settles in on one of the benches nearby to wait.
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Post by DataNinja on Jul 8, 2023 2:48:00 GMT
Smelling the food, Thel realizes that he's starving. Yes, this was a good call. Making sure to get enough for Em and Patience, he waits for the food and brings everyone's order to the benches.
"I... don't know where to begin," he says, laughing. "But, I'll try, so you can concentrate on eating. I did want to start out by thanking you, though. School was fun, and I learned a lot, so... I really do appreciate that. Wanted to get that out of the way, especially since I feel a little guilty that I'm not there right now to finish off the year. But... everything else is a bit more important."
"...so, I guess the place to start would be when things started going weird. One of my classmates had a Salazzle, who I made the mistake of letting on that I could hear her. So... she wanted to take me as hers. I'd like to think that we've seen the last of her, but... not before she burned down my room. But something about all of that caused Patience to turn from a Joltik to a human. And I got some dual memories of her, at least when reviewing them in my dreams? None of us really know what happened there, but she's my sister now, so all's good with the world."
"Anyways, it turns out that the classmates that were showing me around the school, well, knew what I was, and were actually from another reality? One where a man named Lysandre killed almost all of the world, except those he felt matched his standards. So... they were trying to get me to do that this time. So, yeah, all these Magma and Aqua and whatnot people? A guy named Giovanni brought them all from other realities for some reason. From Ultra Space, I think? Since he's refusing to send them back, they're trying to make their home here. At least, according to Lysandre. Who it seems is very happy not killing the world, as long as he gets to go back to his paradise. Otherwise he's going to find me again in about twenty years and try and get me once again to kill everyone not like me. Which, uh, I'd rather not have happen, if I can help it. Oh, yeah, he also said to beware of a dangerous person name Ghestis. Other gym leaders seemed to recognize the name - you weren't at that meeting, so I figured I should mention it."
"Anyways, I think all those creatures that have been causing a lot of trouble around here are probably related. When we went to get the horrible machines in Patience removed over in Alola, I learned... a fair bit about them from there. Lusamine recognized them as Ultra Beasts, who came from other worlds themselves. Apparently there are special balls that Aether made to capture them. I don't know if she got in contact with any of you over that. She said she might. ...but, then again, she did seem to be holding a lot of Nihilego. And those did a lot of poisoning my mind. It was not fun. If anyone starts obsessing over jellyfish creatures, that's a bad sign. Even if you don't see them around. Since, uh, they got to me in my dreams. Cresselia said that they basically exist in every layer of reality at once?" He realizes abruptly maybe he shouldn't have mentioned his patron, so he tries to just move past it.
"Seems like they might be able to... well sort of disguise themselves as regular Pokémon, too. I ended up going back to..." his voice catches, "what was my home. When I was a Salandit. Since the mountain was being stripped of all food by a gluttonous Lady, and everyone was starving. She even," he shudders, "ate her own kind. ...except it wasn't her own kind. She was actually being... possessed or something by this terrible devouring beast. Oh, uh, she did... recognize Em and I as smelling from home. Her home. Before she came across into this world. I... don't really know what to make of that. If it's just because of the energy that was used to transform us. Or if... they brought human bodies from another world for us? Or something else? I've tried not to think about it too hard. Or anything about that monster, really. It felt like she coated the world and everything in it in just... ichor. But her emotions were all empty, or overpowering anger. And it clung to me." ...oops, again, probably saying more than he should. But he trusts Whitney.
"...anyways, after that, and with Patience's surgery done, we decided to come back to Johto while she healed. Found Em's dad. Thought about carnivals, because of following a dream I had." His hand brushes the pendant hanging around his neck. "And that led us back here. Though, we didn't expect things to be this bad."
Thel takes a deep breath, before finally reaching for a bun. "So, uh, I think that's all the important stuff concerning world-important events that I can think of. I can fill you in on the more mundane stuff later. Like the engagement. Or that neat blob-dog. I never knew that multiple Pokémon could evolve into one before!" He starts eating, assuming she'll probably want to get her stuff out before asking questions. Which he imagines there will probably be a lot of. It's been an eventful couple months.
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Post by Robot on Jul 23, 2023 0:37:06 GMT
"Considering we've been touching on multiverse theory long before now, I've actually had some thoughts on that." Patience speaks up. "There were already multiple dimensional travelers in the area. With each vector you cross with a given point in space it causes a warping effect. Things with staggeringly against odds can become possible. This Rainbow Rocket is messing with things that are probably outside the understanding of even the girls Thel met at the school."
"So... you averted an apocalypse, discovered aliens, picked up an estranged sister, got engaged, and returned home to family... that is... a lot in such a short time." Whitney munched on her steamed bun with gusto and reclined against the wall the bench braced against. "Let's see... on our end... Team Magma had a lab under the city where they were experimenting with an Ultra Beast called Xurkitree according to the public domain records of the Ultra Incident that Alola previously. They were uh... recreating their Ultra Energy tests to try to infuse a human, to go even further beyond this 'new stage of evolution' you reached. Terra, and a few of her friends went through the lab and brought the lead researcher low, but when they dealt with him he like... I don't know. Blew a column of energy through the street level and into the sky. After it ripped a hole in the air, we had our own Ultra Event right here in Goldenrod. Maxie and anyone capable of battling stepped in... we held on. Things have been tense since."
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Post by DataNinja on Jul 23, 2023 2:38:31 GMT
"I, uh," Thel blinks at Patience. "I'll be honest and say that I only understood about half of what you said there, but I think I get the basic idea? You seem to understand it, which is good enough for me. You're the genius in the family." He grins and ruffles her hair.
"Technically I think it's more adopted a new sister, if I understand estrangement right. But... that's a pretty good summary." He laughs. "Life has... thrown a lot at us."
"It's... a big reason why I haven't gone back to the school," he admits. "Not only would it not be great for the rest of my family," between Patience recovering, and Em hating the emotions, "but I... can't justify bringing what I keep getting mixed up in on the people there. Things will keep being this hectic until Giovanni's stopped. As much as I wish I could finish up..." He shrugs. "I've been fortunate enough in my life so far. Would it really be fair of me to ask for more?"
Thel sighs once Whitney's finished explaining what's gone on here. "Yeah, they seem like the kind of people who'd mess with Ultra Beasts. Despite every sign I've seen of them pointing to them being actively dangerous for humans and Pokémon to even be around. So why wouldn't they do that?" He shakes his head. "Though, if anyone could survive one, it'd be Terra. Muku, too, probably."
"Is there anything we can do to help with that stuff? I... don't really want to have to deal with any more of them, but... well, I guess we technically have experience." A thought suddenly occurs to him. "Oh, hey, Patience... that detector thing that you made. Are you able to demonstrate how to do that so the Gym Leaders can replicate it? That seems like it'd be super handy to be able to tell if there's anything still skulking about. Like jellyfish trying to poison dreams." He shudders.
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Post by Robot on Jul 24, 2023 10:32:12 GMT
"The Level Radar? Kiiinda? It's pretty advanced stuff, a Pokemon Professor might be able to improve the design and have the resources to make them in bulk, but Professor Oak is only in Goldenrod infrequently, and Professor... Elm? Is way in the far southeast corner of Johto. Although..." Patience paused and turned her head towards the stairs leading back to street level. "If we could get the radio tower fixed, and used it to boost the return wave, we'd be able to track movements across the region in real time. Maybe start finding these things and sending them home or catching them."
Whitney scratched her nose at the idea. "One unit instead of multiple does sound a lot easier in the long run. We could broadcast the locations over the radio itself and dispatch teams to try and find these things. From the meetings, it's been very needle-in a haystack."
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Post by DataNinja on Jul 24, 2023 13:20:46 GMT
"Ah, okay, makes sense, I guess." Thel says, slowly. "I imagine Aether probably had some stuff that you might not have easy access to elsewhere... and Lusamine probably wouldn't be so inclined to provide any of that to us. At least... not after her mood shifted."
"What would we need to do to fix the tower? Because it looked like... it was sliced in half or something. Is that something we can even help with?"
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Post by Robot on Jul 24, 2023 22:30:00 GMT
"We'd need steelworkers, welders, and electricians. Jasmine has a few of each on staff but this is a big job." Whitney chewed on her lip between bites of her steamed meat bun. "Strong able bodies and Pokemon of a similar slant would be really important for getting things back into position. Cianwood's good from what I've heard, so maybe Chuck and a few of his could boat over too. Pryce has a lot of retirees settled in his little corner. There's gotta be a master tradesman or two in the bunch, but convincing him to travel this far might be a rough go." Letting the top of her head thump against the wall, Whitney let out a tired sigh.
"More than that though, people are tired. Rattled. Anything even a little unfamiliar, not even uncanny, and there's screams of Ultra-Whatsits. Asking more out of them, and setting up for another big conflict that might just continue to escalate... that's not going to restore a sense of normal that Goldenrod needs."
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Post by DataNinja on Jul 24, 2023 23:46:05 GMT
"I... don't know any of those," Thel says, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. It hasn't... exactly been the direction our travels have been in. I'd offer to see if I could head up to where Pryce is and see if we could get some help from there, but, uh... after the Gym Leader meeting Jasmine brought me to, I get the feeling that he doesn't like me very much. So I don't know if I'd be more than a hindrance with that."
He sighs. "I really wish I knew where Mable and the other girls went off to. From what I heard, they helped a bunch with figuring out how to get Olivine in shape for weathering the, uh, weather, and probably would be able to help with the Ultra Beasts, too." Granted, he doubts they'd be as welcomed by anyone else, after what they were all trying to do...
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Post by Robot on Aug 6, 2023 8:34:37 GMT
"They're nerds, right? Into tech stuff? You could always post something online and see if one of them notices." Whitney cast a side-eye at Patience without adding further comment, though there was brief eye contact between the two, as though strange cats meeting for the first time. "I need a break, we all do though... you mentioned something about a carnival? That... could work... bring people here not by asking them to come work, but by asking them to enjoy themselves... then as part of the event put out there that Goldenrod really needs help right now... though, that might give the wrong impression too."
Whitney rubbed lightly at one of her eyes after cleaning her hands off on a napkin and wiping her mouth to follow. "I don't know if I'm going to want to stick with this gym leader thing as I get older." She states candidly. "Being responsible and taking challengers is one thing... fending off aliens and trying to keep people from going crazy is something else."
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Post by DataNinja on Aug 6, 2023 19:30:25 GMT
"I have no idea how that all works," Thel says, laughing. "Patience might, but computers and everything are as alien to me as those Ultra Beasts are. More so, actually... I at least know what being a Pokémon is like."
He sighs. "I know Jasmine had that same conundrum of presentation. And I don't know how much people would enjoy themselves surrounded by all of... this." He gestures around to the buildings lacking blocks of themselves, and the shorn off tower. "Might be better to hold off until things are in at least some better shape. Not necessarily everything, but... when they can feel confident that everything will be returning to normal."
"I'd like to hope that the aliens thing is a one-time thing," he says, dryly, "but... from what Lusamine said, it probably isn't. All of these people behind it hopefully is, at least. Can't say I blame you for being done after even just one of these events, though. I know I sure want to just hide with my friends and hope it passes sometimes."
After a moment, he asks her, "What would you like to do after this all? Or... even right now, if you couldn't be Gym Leader?"
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Post by Robot on Aug 11, 2023 22:28:51 GMT
"If I wasn't a gym leader?" Whitney put a finger along the curve of her jaw near her ear and cocked her head to one side. "I'd probably become a coordinator. Catch some cuties, groom them to be stylish and beautiful... dress up more than I do. Maybe meet someone and start a family, put on weight. That whole thing." She laughed a little at her own humor, but there was a hint of underlying sadness she didn't address. "What about you, if you were still a Pokemon, having gone through what you have, and didn't have to be a human, where would you be?"
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Post by DataNinja on Aug 12, 2023 0:24:15 GMT
"You still have plenty of time to do that," Thel says, reassuringly. "And it sounds like a really good goal. If you don't mind me asking, why did you become a Gym Leader in the first place?"
He frowns at Whitney's question, and ponders. "I... well, assuming it wasn't me being stuck back home, because that story has only one ending... I'd want to stick with Em, wherever she went. Be with my family. That's... it's honestly the only truly important thing in my life. If I could have that, I could do anything." He remembers one of the possible futures. "Though... I think it would be nice, if that's where I went, to find a Trainer to accompany. Who'd appreciate companions. I... don't know if I could go back to struggling to survive in the wilderness anymore." He flushes, laughing at himself. "I've grown soft."
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Post by Robot on Aug 27, 2023 18:57:46 GMT
"Being a child prodigy is hard, you're good at something, well beyond your years. Still too young to really know what to make of yourself but the world is so impressed with your talents that they just want you to do what you're good at. There was a lot of pressure from all sides. The gym community, Mom, Professor Elm." Whitney shook her head. "So I went with what everyone was telling me to do instead of taking the time to explore life for myself and decide based on my feelings. I'm still young, and still have the opportunity to make changes, but this is where I am at this moment."
"There's nothing wrong with enjoying a civilized life Thel. Nobody should have to rough it that doesn't want to."
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Post by DataNinja on Aug 27, 2023 19:12:45 GMT
"I... think I see?" Thel says, tilting his head. "It's not the same, but we all - the, uh... what was it, AE Pokémon? - in that first group? We were sort of told, just... be trainers. And... it did work out for us, at least, but... there wasn't really a whole lot of choice there. At least, it didn't seem like there was, at the time. Knowing what I do now, I don't think I'd have chosen a different path, because it let me grow in the right way, but..." He shrugs. "I suppose I was so used to not really having a choice."
"I hope you're able to find something that you're happy with. You have a lot of passion for things, so I'm sure you'll do great at whatever you choose."
He hesitates. "I... guess that's true enough. It just feels sometimes like it's a weakness to have fallen into reliance on 'civilization.' It's something that's definitely looked down upon by a lot of wild Pokémon. Looking down on those who have chosen to become 'pets.' So... sometimes it almost feels like a betrayal. Both of my own heritage, and also those who I've taken into my family."
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Post by Robot on Aug 31, 2023 7:45:22 GMT
"Be trainers is the rite of passage that explains the world to most of us, brings us friends and lifelong partners. Till we're old enough, we are very sheltered, protected by our parents and have some contact with Pokemon. Dangers happen. Sometimes the best thing for it is just jumping into the unfamiliar and seeing what happens." Whitney stood smoothly and tossed her wrappers into the receptacle nearby. "Life is change, wanted and unwanted, but all things grow. They move. Things aren't always cute or sweet smelling." Whitney planted a hand on her hip and shifted her weight to the opposite leg, eyes suddenly brighter then they had been since their discussion had began.
"That you have the things that you love so dearly is because of change. The rolling cow gathers no moss, so don't give those thoughts any grasp or the naysayers any thought."
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Post by DataNinja on Aug 31, 2023 13:40:30 GMT
"That's... similar to what Xerneas said," Thel says, after some pondering. "But not quite the same. It was saying - I don't know if 'it' is the right word here, but... it just felt more like the embodiment of a force of nature, rather than something ephemeral like you or me - it said that life was fighting, but, really, that's all just a kind of change. Or, rather, is brought on by change, I guess. Is it possible to have change without fighting, in some way or another? Because I don't think I'd like to stop changing, but I would like to stop fighting if I could."
"But I can see how being pushed into that unfamiliar would be good for a person. Being exposed to new people. Finding new friends." He gives a nod, before saying, in a small voice, "I just... I wish I felt like I had a choice going in. That's all. Even though that's not the kind of person I was."
He's thrown by her last statement, though. Even if maybe not for the reasons she might expect. "...would your Milmil gather moss if she didn't roll? Does that mean she'd become a Grass type? I don't... really know how evolution or anything like that works, if I'm being honest. Partially on account of having never evolved. ...well, I mean, I guess I technically have?"
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Post by Robot on Oct 4, 2023 14:46:27 GMT
Whitney laughed, warm, energetic and good natured. "It's just an expression, usually attributed to rock types but I put my own spin on it. It means that as long as you keep moving nothing will hide what makes you, you. It's basically about like, the cost of idleness. A pretty old fashioned thing, but it holds water." Giving a languid stretch, she scratched lightly behind an ear. "You had an idea for something to bring Goldenrod up to a brighter bloom right? Let's do that. It could use some refreshing, and getting people out of this period of mourning seems like just the way to do it."
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