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Post by DataNinja on Jan 12, 2024 0:48:28 GMT
"I never really thought of us making a place before, only belonging to the human world. But, it just sort of... came to me. That there's enough of us that we probably can have something that's for us, if we choose. Something that understands us." He continues to think. "Especially since... well, even without Magma doing things, it's quite possible that there will be more like us. Patience turned into a human on her own, and who knows if there will be more like her."
"I could see, too, maybe having a place where Trainers could let their Pokémon roam free outside while they have their tea. For if some of us prefer the company of Pokémon, or just want to try and overcome an aversion to specific types, or something. Because... not everyone is going to be like me, after all, who wants to belong to the human world." He smiles. "The more I think about this, the more I like this as an idea. It might be worth talking to Whitney and Jasmine about this when things have settled down a bit more. Whitney seems to sort of be responsible for all of the people like us, and Jasmine is, well... practical. She'd probably have an idea of if it's possible, and how we could make it." He realizes all of a sudden that he's gotten increasingly excited and loud as he speaks. "Ah, but... that's not the problem we're trying to fix right now. So, probably shouldn't get too excited about it yet."
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Post by Robot on Jan 14, 2024 10:18:31 GMT
"Dreams give us a reason to push on in the hardest of times. Passions to continue to find your feet when the weight of everything becomes too much." One of Em's hands lightly cupped her middle, and she leaned in to kiss Thel on the cheek. "Be excited, be happy... I love seeing it in you. Temper it with responsibility and worldliness, because you know what needs to be done and look after it with your full effort."
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Post by DataNinja on Jan 14, 2024 17:06:04 GMT
"Very true. We just can't lose sight of what we have to do now. Which is," he laughs, "checking in on one grumpy old man and one intimidating dragon lady. Are we sure she's not a Pokémon, too?"
The future plans do help him look forwards to something, though, which helps drive some of his anxieties away as they continue to walk towards their first destination.
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Post by Robot on Jan 16, 2024 23:07:09 GMT
"Some people are just really intense, but in the end, Clair is just Clair. I don't really think she's a dragon, just has a personality that they associate well with." Em smiled at the memory and settled against him as they continued through the crisp, pleasant day. "Training with her was a real experience, facing down things several times her size with a steely look and a rigid posture and she just exudes this confidence and power... I think she's amazing." His fiancee blushed as she added the afterthought.
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Post by DataNinja on Jan 17, 2024 0:53:02 GMT
"Well, you definitely seem to have learned a lot from her. So," Thel teases, "guess you'll need to agree you're amazing, too." He saw it in action, too, against the beast under the mountain. Standing up to it, not even flinching, and managing to take it down. She really is the dragon in their family. But he's happy to support her.
...it still doesn't make him any less intimidated by Clair, though. But, they'll get to that soon enough.
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Post by Robot on Jan 18, 2024 0:43:38 GMT
Em talks with Thel at length as the duo travel to Mahogany Town, detailing the rigorous training under Clair both in methods of battle and life, giving him some insights into how she's become so mentally resilient. The Lake of Rage lays to the north, this town coming off as all too familiar, being the place where your story begin so long ago. Em takes a somber moment of silence on arrival, looking around with a sense of sobriety.
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Post by DataNinja on Jan 18, 2024 0:49:33 GMT
"...we've come so far," Thel says quietly, squeezing Em's hand, "but it really hasn't been that long, has it? Only a few months. To a human, that's nothing. But... to us, it's been everything." He finds tears briefly welling in his eyes, emotionally overwhelmed, before he clamps down on it. Mostly. He's not going to fall apart here. Later, probably. But not now. He can do this.
With a deep exhale, he clings a little tighter to Em's hand, before nodding. "Okay... let's go find Clair," he says, before adding, in a teasing tone, "Don't be surprised if I have to hide behind you, though."
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Post by Robot on Jan 18, 2024 2:29:42 GMT
"Clair isn't until Blackthorn silly, we'll be meeting with Pryce here. He's Johto's Ice Type Leader, and probably set up here on account of the caves that run between here and Clair's city that are at such high elevation the insides are frozen. We'll want to see about some warmer clothes." She did still pull her fiancee in close, resting her forehead against his in solidarity. "They asked us to take a journey to learn about ourselves... I'd say we did that really well, all things considered."
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Post by DataNinja on Jan 18, 2024 2:39:04 GMT
"Oh, right. I'll be honest, I can almost never keep the names of towns straight," Thel says, laughing. "As far as I'm concerned most of the time, they're 'the place where that person lives' or 'the place with the lighthouse' or whatever."
"Oh, ugh. Cold." He makes a face. "That's almost as bad as wet. The two combined is worst of all. ...at least going clothes shopping does sound nice."
"Oh, you're right," he says, teasing. "We did learn about ourselves. Guess we can go home now. Mission accomplished. Let's go set up our tea house." Sigh. Like he'd shirk his task that badly. Time to go and see someone who seemed to hate what he is. Yay.
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Post by Robot on Jan 19, 2024 19:10:41 GMT
The duo made for the small and mostly unappointed gym in Mahogany's center and on entering discovered the usual greeter, this one an aged but snappily dressed man. It was particularly cold inside, with large swaths of the floor coated in ice and blocks positioned in such a way as to 'cushion' advancement. Slick, and particularly treacherous, all said. Thel could see Pryce on the far end of the room, up on a raised dais.
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Post by DataNinja on Jan 19, 2024 19:21:28 GMT
"...who keeps the inside of a building this cold?" Thel whispers to Em, shivering. "So, uh... how do you think we should approach this? I know Whitney said we should just be challengers, but should we try talking to him after at all? I'm not sure exactly what she was hoping for us to do. Though, he probably remembers me, so who knows how he'll be about that..."
All of a sudden he feels woefully unprepared for coming in here. They probably should have planned better beforehand, but he's been so used to Gym Leaders like Whitney and Jasmine that he didn't think about it.
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Post by Robot on Jan 28, 2024 2:58:20 GMT
"You do know him better then I do, from your meetings, but I realize that isn't saying much." Em chewed her lower lip and considered the icy room. "I know each gym leader leans into a typing and a motif, I'm not sure if that's personal choice or a league requirement. Either way it can't hurt to just ask to talk to him... though we might have to cross... -that- either way."
The attendant watches the pair with an attentive, questioning look, thumbs hooked in a dress jacket and a relaxed expression on his face.
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Post by DataNinja on Jan 28, 2024 9:32:30 GMT
"He was only on for a minute or two," Thel says, with a quiet laugh. "But... we'll see what happens, I guess."
He's fairly apprehensive as he approaches the attendant, trying to figure out what to say to them. In the end he gives a light curtsy, before asking, "Uh, hello there. We've just come from Goldenrod, and are hoping that we're able to speak with the Gym Leader about the situation there. Is there a way that we can make an appointment for that, or something?" In for a penny, in for a pound, he supposes.
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Post by Robot on Feb 6, 2024 1:09:42 GMT
"Sure I'll take a note. Pryce keeps 9-5 gym hours every day except Sundays, heads home, eats and settles for the evening. Best time to catch him in a good mood is probably the small hours of the morning, around 6 am. Doesn't like discussing non gym business during gym hours, or business during off hours.". He adjusted his glasses.
"THAT A CHALLENGER GLENN?". Comes a strong but dry and cold voice from the far end of the frigid room. "No Mister Pryce, they want to make an appointment."
"Tell them my appointments are done on the battlefield. Seasons been awful dry with everything going on!"
The attendant shrugged apologetically and smiled. "I guess he'll see you now."
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Post by DataNinja on Feb 6, 2024 1:28:06 GMT
"Wait, but..." Thel's a bit confused at what's going on. He glances at Em. "Uh... I guess we're going to battle?"
He admittedly feels rather unprepared at the thought. The last time he fought against a Trainer was... back on Olivine's beaches with Bliss, he thinks. But, maybe this will put Pryce in a good mood? He hopes, at least.
Time to put the Charm School lessons of making a good first impression to use...
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Post by Robot on Feb 19, 2024 1:19:58 GMT
Em shrugs amicably as the pair moves gingerly into the gym proper and onto the ice. The girl has the idea to have Happy carry her, his immense weight and sure footing preventing him from sliding about as the gym demands. Thel is not so fortunate as that.
(An acrobatics and a perception please.)
When they are at last before Pryce, the old man takes in the pair with his usual stoic demeanor. He addressed Em first. "Going to make an honest man out of him are you?"
Thel's fiancee blinked confusedly. "Thel has always been honest."
Pryce grunted in response. "Congratulations to the both of you then. Both for finding each other, navigating this gym and the uncertainty of life." He moves to a console. "How many badges do each of you have?"
"I have three.". Em declares proudly. "Though Morty took me a few tries."
Pryce considered the Hariyama warily. "The others being Whitney, and Jasmine I take it?"
"Yes sir."
Pryce murmured to himself thoughtfully and began selecting team members.
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Post by DataNinja on Feb 19, 2024 5:34:38 GMT
Having grown up on a sweltering volcano, Thel has never actually seen ice before (other than in drinks), let alone tried walking on it. So it takes him a moment to work out exactly how he's supposed to move on it without falling. He's not sure if he's the most graceful at handling the ice, but by the end he admits that it could actually perhaps be fun. ...if he wasn't stressed out at being tested in the Gym, at least. Acrobatics: 17 Perception: 15 He feels like Pryce's congratulations are a bit... premature when it comes to navigating the uncertainty of life. Things feel like they've gotten less and less certain over time. But, he recognizes that's probably not what he should say. Instead, he simply acknowledges his Gym badges. "Two for myself, from Morty and Whitney." He reflects, not for the first time, that perhaps he maybe should have accepted Jasmine's badge when she offered. But, no sense dwelling on the roads not travelled. It's not like it would have indicated his strength in battling anyways. For his own Pokémon, he selects Harmony. He hopes this should provide some type advantage, plus they should work well with another melee fighter. Not to mention, they like to fight, and he hasn't been able to give them a proper workout yet. Falinks has Teamwork (giving allies +2 to hit with melee attacks against enemies adjacent to Falinks) and Pack Hunt (Triggering against adjacent foes damaged by an ally's melee attack).
Speed: 23
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Post by Robot on Mar 2, 2024 13:05:31 GMT
The fight is truly no contest, Pryce seems a little flabbergasted by the end of it and puts his team away with a sense of impatience. With a grunt, he gives Thel and Em their first badge earned together. Fixing the young man with a gauging stare, he took in Thel's face, his eyes, and the cut of his stance for a period of time that is uncomfortable. Em squeezes her Fiancee's fingers reassuringly and remains silent.
"You don't shy away from trouble, but it always finds you. You've been through a lot more then most your age have any right or responsibility to." The elder's tone was cool, but respectful. "Happens often enough in this world, those that make it through are often champion material. Alright, I'll hear you out. What's on your mind, Thel."
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Post by DataNinja on Mar 2, 2024 17:48:01 GMT
Thel still doesn't really like battling. And this one really doesn't seem fair. Nobody would expect people with as few badges as they to have faced so much of... all of this, after all. But... it's their system, so he has to live with it.
"We're here on behalf of Whitney," Thel explains to the Gym Leader. He figures he might as well just get to the heart of it. "Goldenrod was attacked by those... Pokémon from another world, and they need help with the reconstruction efforts. It's bad. She was hoping that we might be able to convince some of the craftsmen up here to come down and help - especially with rebuilding the Radio Tower, so they might be able to track the creatures." Also she was worried about if he and Claire were okay, but he's not sure if that's the best thing to say.
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Post by Robot on Mar 13, 2024 8:50:50 GMT
"It's a big ask, but Whitney has been shouldering a lot for a girl her age. Not old enough to drink, but old enough to be saddled with the well-being of a city." The old man scoffs a little at the very idea. "Ice is a funny thing, frail but powerful. Glaciers move slowly but reshape the world. Let me treat you to a meal here in town, tell me a bit about yourselves, and I'll see what I can pitch. Every man goes on their own merit here, don't have the funds to pay them for a job like that, so it's volunteering.". Pryce explained.
"This is a small town, with small town values like family. If you're the one who's asking, then it needs to come from someone they can identify with."
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