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Post by Goliathus on Aug 31, 2016 11:57:43 GMT
11:00AM, Day 1, January 1090
After one crazy (or not, depending what each student does) New Year prom party last night, the graduation ceremony is finally here, the event every student has strived for over the past three years, and more for those who have been detained, but the most important thing is to make it and all of the "to-be" graduates do. It is fascinating to see the gigantic Terrakion hall so clean after what Greg can recall as a very messy party, even topping some of the parties he has been in his past life, and those were nasty. Even more fascinating that the cleaning tasks are done by the student committee and volunteers, considering that some of the students had trouble getting out of bed for the ceremony at 8AM. The graduation ceremony itself is pretty simple and formulaic. If anyone has seen a movie with a graduation scene, one will know all about it. Pokemon schools have no dress code though, so people who are looking forward to be academic dresses will not get their wishes done.
After a speech from the headmaster that goes longer than it needs be - some students believe the headmaster has a huge case of hangover as he is known to be a drinker - that bored everyone in the seat aside from the enthusiasts, the students are queue up in a line to go up the stage one by one to receive their "trainer package": trainer ID, Pokedex and starter's Pokeball. As this graduation is usually done on Monday, including this year's, and students are from all over the regions, not many families attend the ceremony. For the few who do, mostly the locals, it is extra special for the graduates themselves.
It takes three hours for the ceremony to be done, a normal occurrence for Terrakion which had a lot of students and prefers not rushing things. A small-scale tea party follows right after the ceremony in Room 110. With a quick glance, one can see that all the foods are re-heated leftovers(that, of course, won't work as Leftovers in game) from the party last night. The food are all very traditional Varius cuisine and the Assedo local will tell you that it reminds them of their grandparents' dishes. Once upon a time, Terrakion did go all out on the foods but eventually concluded that to be a waste of effort because the students really did not care about the food and most of the foods eventually became treats to civil service workers. The polices and firefighters especially loved the food.
Taking a quick look around, one can see that some of the students had already left. Some of them have their own family celebration plan and the others simply cannot wait one second longer to start their journey. Majority of students do stay to hang around with their fellow alumni and to meet their Pokemon in a happy atmosphere, aside from one of your fellow alumni who is crying, but that is to be expected from Julia, who can cry over literally anything. A few Pokemon who do not know about this is surrounding Julia at the moment, trying to comfort her to no avail. Soon enough the room is filled with Pokemon of all size and type, sound of chatter fill the room as if Greg is in the middle of a buzzing market.
As for Greg, the world is his Cloyster, he is free to do whatever he wants, whether it be looking for traveling companion, searching for more Pokemon in the wild, going to another city or town by train, walk the Earth, hang around in the city, look for money-earning opportunity and any other options on the near-infinite list of things-to-do.
Despite his years of roaming the region as the Road Hogs, Greg can't seem to recall much about the surrounding area of the Assedo City. Perhaps he is just having a bad case of hangover(if he drinks in the party) or perhaps the eastern part of the region is not Road Hogs' territory. One thing he does know is that he can definitely find more information about the nearby towns or cities by visiting the train station. Or he can always head straight into the direction he likes, not knowing is part of the fun, as some will say.
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Post by DarnellJermaine on Aug 31, 2016 21:02:25 GMT
Last night hadn't been quite as crazy as Greg had imagined in the weeks leading up to graduation. Oh- it was fun alright, but on the inside Greg had spent a majority of the time thinking about how his time here was finally over; how 3 years had gone so fast. It also helped that most of the students didn't bother him too much at the party; by now his class was used to him and weren't so afraid usually, but he still was pretty unapproachable in a lot of people's eyes.
He gave a hefty sigh as he noticed Julia bawling her eyes out, and he actually though about going over and talking to her for a bit, but he knew her little fit would pass and he'd only get himself roped into a bunch of melodrama he didn't much care for.
He gently took out the pokeball from his kit, staring at it in his hand for a while. "So this is it, huh? After 3 years, finally: my own pokemon" He almost didn't open the ball at all- in such disbelief that a small part of him feared it might turn out to be empty and he'd wake up from this dream he'd been living for the last 3 years and be back out on the streets, getting ready for another day of cruelty and crime. "Here goes nuthin'" He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he pressed the button on the pokeball to release the Ledyba.
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Post by Goliathus on Sept 2, 2016 7:18:05 GMT
It was likely a wise choice to ignore Julia, as she could be crying out of joy and not sadness, and no one should ask someone to not cry out of joy. Greg did not know for sure but either way he knew enough to not linger around places he shouldn't be. Tons of years in the street would taught anyone that but it sure did not teach Greg the social skill to compensate for his intimidating figure, as proven by his lack of popularity in the college for three years. Even more so when he was one of the "outsiders" -- out of the age range and out of the social loop.
Ignoring everything around him, all the loud noises, Pokemon running around like the children they were and aroma of the foods, the big man attempted to release Ledyba, hoping the next second would not be the end of a heartbreaking dream. It did not, as a familar red beam brought out the Ledyba, who hovered in the air trying to get a hang on the current situation.
With the keen observation of a superhero, or so he thought to himself, the Ledyba declared that there was no immediate danger around the area. So, why was he send out? And who's this big guy that reminded him of Abomination? Oh right, his new commander and wow, he has not seen a human that big in the ranch. With utmost curiosity the Bug Pokemon circled around Greg, checking the man's out on every angle from the sky, before lowering himself in front of the towering man and gave the man a salute in perfect form.
The report was not joking about the Ledyba's big hands, that's for sure, as Greg could barely see the Ledyba's face from his angle with the hand in his way. He could barely see a gap between them when they were lined up in a row.
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Post by DarnellJermaine on Sept 2, 2016 10:50:11 GMT
Greg slowly opens his eyes as he hears the familiar sound of the beam he knows all too well from his time here at Terrakion. There it was- his own Pokemon. It's fists seemed just as big as the file said, maybe even larger? His mouth formed into a wide open smile- pure joy on his face. Was this what it felt like to be near a Pokemon: his Pokemon?
He waited for it to circle around him, following it with his eyes, before it set down in front of him with a salute. He stood there for a moment or two, unsure what to do- before remembering some of the stuff he'd been learning all those years in Pokemon Handling class. He carefully and slowly reached out his arm towards the Ledyba, making sure it was in view the whole time so it would know he meant it no harm, and turned his palm facing upward so the Ledyba could land on it or shake it or do as it saw fit.
"Hey there" Greg said, a small friendly chuckle attached onto the end of his greeting, "Looks like me and you are together now bud, pleasure to meet ya. Name's Greg" as for Ledyba, he already had a name in mind, "And I think I'll call you... Spunk. Fits, don'tcha think?"
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Post by Goliathus on Sept 4, 2016 5:50:29 GMT
The Ledyba was unsure what you meant with the hand gesture and resorted to an vertical fist bump as it flew up and hit your palm with his fist. Not at full force, of course, but Greg could definitely feel the power of his Pokemon. He kept hovering above as you introduced yourself to him, nodding affirmatively as you gave him your name. His excitement came when you gave him his name, Spunk, and finally he has his own name just like all the superheroes, instead of being addressed as Ledyba all the time. He figured he did not need an alter ego name because he looked the same all the time and he's not human, so ha! He shall be Captain Spunk! His wings flapped at a very high speed when he was having his own superhero day dream, which Greg could easily recognize as a sign of the Pokemon being happy and excited from his Pokemon Handling class.
"Wow, Greg, you have got a cool one. Look at those hands." You were not the only one to know about Spunk's gigantic fists now as the local crazy scientist came to your view, checking the Ledyba out very closely. Aaron Hearson, nicknamed "Mr. Cobalion" by his(and yours) fellow classmates, was the scientist of the class. Many joked about him being a Cobalion spy because of his crazy obsession with science and anything Pokemon; many also suggested him to be a Terrakion spy in Cobalion because he/d fit right in. Joking aside, Aaron was a well-liked man, unlike his stereotypical Coblion counterpart, and was actually one of the few students to actively approach Greg. The boy just had curiosity over anything and Greg was the one of the "mysterious students".
"Imagine the punching power of these things." Aaron tried to touch the Ledyba's gigantic fist but the superhero retreated back to Greg's shoulder, landed on all six legs and looking back at the weird fan of him curiously. As Captain Spunk, he preferred to keep some distance away from the civilians, to keep some mystery between him and them. Aaron, in the mean time, was pulling his hair in sheer excitement. Hair pulling was the boy's tick when he discovered something and he had actually pulled some hairs of him out in the past. Some classmates were worried about his hair loss issue but unlike Greg, he has many years ahead of him before that would become a problem. "Hey Greg, can I measure your Ledbya's fist?" The young boy asked, hands already searching his bag for what you assumed would be measurement tools.
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Post by DarnellJermaine on Sept 4, 2016 8:49:52 GMT
Greg was fascinated by the little bugger (pun intended), and could already tell they'd get along swimmingly. Spunk seemed fit and ready for action, almost like some kinda super hero out of a kids movie, and it brought back a little nostlagia for him- from a time before things went to shit. He was getting ready to get to know his new bud a little more when Aaron came up and started talking to him.
Oh Aaron. This guy was a total geek to be honest, and someone Greg could've never imagined bothering with even just a few years ago, but now that things are different (and considering he's one of the only people that talks to him) Greg had sort of come to regard him as the closest thing he had to a friend outside his professors and a few people in town, like the local barkeep.
"Hey bud" Greg said, always quick to make aware how much younger Aaron was than him and the respect he should show because of it. "You're damn right- those things could punch through damn steel" Greg let out a gruff chuckle at that, a bit of an exaggeration, but to be honest those fists did seem to pack quite a punch, as he could tell from that little fist bump a second ago.
Greg's face actually visibly lit up a bit when Spunk decided to take roost on his shoulder, and he turned his head to look at him, completely ignoring Aaron's existence for a moment, until he spoke up once more. "Huh- what? Measure? I don't know man, I just got my bud here- and I think he'd rather get out and about" although Greg partially did believe that, he also didn't want to get entrapped in science-y bullshit and wanted to get a move on already. To be honest, outside the town, he didn't really know much of where anything was- that's what happens when you pick a point on the map you've never lived in and spend 3 years cooped inside a school. Thankfully, as mentioned earlier, he /did/ know about the local bar, and he was hoping to grab a celebratory drink and perhaps ask the barkeep or other patrons where he should take his first step. It might be cool to have Spunk meet some people too.
"Thanks for the offer, but I'll catch up with you later maybe, yeah? You've got my number, after all" Greg nodded as he gave a quick goodbye and began heading towards the bar. "As for you Spunk-" he began, taking the pokeball out and showing it to him, "Ball or not? I don't mind either way to be honest, so your choice bud"
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Post by Goliathus on Sept 6, 2016 19:49:33 GMT
Aaron was pulling his hairs with even greater strength when Greg boasted about Spunk's steel-crushing fists. Spunk too, was proud of that mention despite he has not shown anything in battle to his new trainer just yet, flexing his topmost arms before shadow boxing at the air to Aaron's excitement. "Oh my goodness, I really need to get my hand on some st --" Sadly for Aaron, his request was promptly rejected by Greg. "O- Okay, I- I understand." Aaron was never intrusive, even if it made him sad. Looking at Spunk would yield Greg nothing on whether the Bug Pokemon prefers to stay in or go out. Spunk was just casually looking around at the moment though Greg could see him paying more attention to the dining table and the Pokemon around it.
"See you around then." Disappointment written all over his face as he waved Greg good bye, who left the big room by himself, Spunk attached on his shoulder like a pirate's Chatot. When asked about the Pokeball, the Ledyba merely shook his head, preferring to stay on the outside. He was happy that Greg did not mind so, as being inside the ball was very boring.
The big man made his way out of the school, the spring sun showered over him in warmth and comfort outside the school gate. Appreciate or not, it was time for the big man to go out to the world, once again, but this time as a Pokemon trainer. While Greg was not a stranger to traveling, staying in the same city for three straight years made him rusty, and he wasn't as sure of the outside as he was before.
The city though, he knew it like the back of his hand. As the former capital of Varius, Assedo was huge and it sure took time to go from one place to another. Many elders - Assedo has a lot of them - has bicycle nowadays, a good way to exercise and enable them to move around in the city faster. The city used to be very structural as a capital in the 900s and early 1000s, but now that it was not, the government did not care much about the city and just let the city took care of itself. "Antique" and "vintage" are the perfect words describe the city that emits such a classical atmosphere. Many periodical dramas were filmed in Assedo and Dinsifora for this reason. Even just walking in the street brought Greg peace and serenity, even made him forget about all the gritty stuffs he experienced in such place years ago. The street could be boring though for those who wanted a bit of colors, as they were largely grey and brownish in colors, a perfect match with their antique identity, and stone was the most common material. All the roads were stone-paved and almost all the building were too.
11:30AM, Day 1, January 1090
As a city that has lost its structure, shops and residences were everywhere. Aside from the dedicated residence zone on the west side, any place could be on anywhere. That has changed recently, as the town's east side has been renovated into a "modern zone" with new buildings and such. That did not matter though as Greg already has his destination set -- Tales and Spirits, a classical themed bar. Opening the wooden front door, Greg saw a place as familiar as the school ground to him. The decor was authentic medieval, inspired by the inn design in various fantasy movies. Looking around Greg saw only two patrons enjoying their lunch on a side table and Norma, the barmaid, wiping the bar counter. "Hey Greg, you are early today, not drunk enough last night?" Norma greeted with a smile as soon as she saw the long-time regular.
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Post by DarnellJermaine on Sept 6, 2016 21:13:48 GMT
Greg was happy to let Spunk do his thing and chill on his shoulder, made things simpler for him, and in a way it kinda let him show off a bit. It was in an upbeat mood he wandered into Tales and Spirits this fine January Evening- ah, now this was a place he felt a little more at home. Being a regular, not only did the staff recognize him- but despite his rugged appearance, people were much more open here since the general audience was a bit closer to his age than his classmates were back at Terrakion.
"Norma! You workin' today too?" he asked, his voice and demeanor jovial the minute he stepped inside. It wasn't too crowded right now, but that was probably for the better with his new bud out and about. "Actually just thought I'd drop by to ask some questions- but if you don't mind, I'll take the usual as well" the usual being whatever the manliest, most alcoholic beverage they had in stock at the moment was. "Just one though- I'm not planning to get drunk off my ass tonight, just one for the road really. While you're at it- the big boss here right now, or just you?" he asked- Big Boss being his nickname for the manager at the bar that he'd gotten to know fairly well since he came here. Whoever was available, he was planning to ask if they knew the first place he should stop by to get started in the Pokemon battling scene around here, as well as when the next tournament is coming up. Of course, Greg has quite a bit left to do before worrying about tournaments, but if the next one isn't too close by, he just might be planning to give it a shot. He'll have to catch some new Pokemon and train up first and- well, he can worry about that later.
He moves his eyes up to the companion Ledyba on his shoulder and lets out a small smile before adding on at the end, "Oh and uh, you got anythin' for 'Mons? My little bud here deserves a treat too- his name's Spunk, by the way".
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Post by Goliathus on Sept 10, 2016 15:00:02 GMT
"Yeah, apparently you can't take a break on New Year when you are working on your brother's shop." Norma looked a little sad as she replied Greg, lowering her head and focusing solely on cleaning the table, but knowing her enough Greg could see she was just teasing like she usually do. "Nah, I am just kidding. New Year is always a good day for business. We have got tons of customers every year today." Norma raised her head once again, seeing the irony of her comment as the shop was near empty. "I mean...later. The usual coming right up, and it's New Year so, drink's on the house." Norma did not even look as she took a small cup and a very heavy gin off the shelve. Even though it was "very heavy gin", it was not a very challenging drink. Due to the high average age of Assedo, Big Boss decided to not feature very heavy drink in the bar out of consideration of the patrons' health. "Yeah, Big Boss is in the kitchen, I can call him." She continued as she poured the gin and pushed the cup to Greg's side of the counter.
"That won't be necessary." Greg saw the familiar man behind Norma a few seconds ago but not Norma herself. Too focused on her task, Norma was shocked at the sudden grabbing on her shoulder, almost pouring the gin all over the table from her reflex jerk. Thankfully, she was expert enough of a barmaid to keep the bottle's opening upward. "Hey, don't suddenly touch me from behind." Norma said, elbowing her thin-figured brother on the gut. Big Boss, albeit the "Big" in his nickname, was a thin man. Some said he got the name because the patrons were so drunk that they mistaken him for a big guy and started to call him Big Boss and it eventually became a meme among customers. Another saying was that the two previous owners of this shop lot were called Big Boss too, and they were truly "big", and out of tradition they decided to keep calling Morton Big Boss.
Taking the little poke from his sister with ease, Morton went across the counter and gave Greg a welcoming hug. Upon Morton closing in, the Ledyba detached himself from Greg's shoulder, staying relatively close to his owner but not too close. Before that, Spunk stuck himself to Greg's shoulder the whole time, quietly observing Norma, Big Boss, and the two patrons chatting and laughing on the corner, making sure that nothing bad would happen. He has seen enough movies to know that a bar tends to be dangerous sometime and it was his duty as Captain Spunk to keep everything under control. "Happy New Year, buddy, what brings you here so early today? Oh right, you graduated, right? Hey congratulations, I am happy for you, man." The man released the hug. "We don't usually serve Pokemon here but I can try, not much to do in the kitchen anyway. What does it usually eat?"
"Hello Spunk, nice to meet you." Norma said, extending her hand out like Greg at the school just now to the heavy puncher, who replied with the same fist bump, only this time to a girl who was not expecting it. "Owh, you don't have to hit me so hard." As a fan of the superheroes genre, Spunk should know to treat ladies and children kindly but perhaps he did not have the intelligence to differentiate a human's gender? The Bug Pokemon merely looked back at Norma with a rather blank look, not sure on how to respond.
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Post by DarnellJermaine on Sept 11, 2016 2:46:10 GMT
Greg nodded to her and grasped the gin, necking it down rather quickly before slamming it down on the counter. "Just what I needed, thanks Norma" he smiled back at her and noticed Big Boss comin' up for the hug, which Greg happily returned, doing his best not to squish his friend too much. "Hey, good to see ya, and happy New Year!" he shouted in response.
After they released the hug, he nodded to Morton, "What it eats?" Greg thought for a moment, remembering the file and some of his lessons in Pokemon Anatomy, a class he wasn't nearly as good at as Pokemon Handling. Thankfully, from common sense and a good recollection on bug type dietary habits, he was able to remember what Ledybas ate. "I think my little buddy here eats plants, if I remember right. Got some leftover salad or something?" Greg shrugged; that was his best guess as to what the little critter would eat.
He laughs a bit at the fist bump, "Oi, be gentle there bud, you can't hurt friends, alright?" he says half teasingly as he looks back over to Morton. "So, down to business, if you don't mind. As you know, I've finally graduated. My dream hasn't changed since I first got to this town and clued you in; I'm aimin' for champion" he states in a much more serious tone, though his mood is still generally cheery. "I was wonderin' if you knew where I could get my start, y'know, any battling rings you know of, some good spots to catch a few 'mons, or if there's an upcoming tournament any time soon nearby; the essential stuff. As much as I've gotten to know the campus area and surrounding town, I have no damn clue where I'm goin' outside of here, so I need a little direction if you don't mind, maybe a map. I can pay you if you want, and of course you still got my number if ya need me to do ya any favors. I just need to get a start here is all, and I figured there's nobody better to ask first then my good friend" he reveals a genuine friendly smile. "So whaddya say: can ya help me out here?"
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Post by Goliathus on Sept 12, 2016 22:25:09 GMT
"Come on man, you can't have your bud be eating leftover on New Year. I will see if I can find a vegan dish that suits it, something that gives it a lot of energy since you are going out of town. I will be right back and we can talk. Hey sis, maybe you have some information you can share with Greg?" Morton looked more interested in making dishes and left than answering your question right away.
Spunk mistook the meaning of "friend" and actually thought the girl was supposed to be his comrade in the upcoming adventure. He apologized quickly with a Ledyba cry that no one could understand and gave the girl a textbook salute after landing on the table. Norma chuckled at the little creature, "Do you get Spunk from a soldier?" She was about to talk again after your answer, but a group of customer just came in. "Sorry Greg but you will have to excuse me." Norma said as she left the counter with menus in her hand, leaving you alone by the counter with Spunk and a refilled cup of gin.
A few minutes later, Morton returned. "Got your Pokemon a fine treat, but it will need a few minutes to cook. Let's see, for a start I know you should stay away from battle rings. Those are illegal stuffs, people buying Pokemon through illegal channel and get them to fight for their life. I mean, you are a trainer so you can probably win over everyone there but get caught once and you are screwed. You might as well stick with whatever your trainers are doing on the TV, with broadcast and stuff." Greg knew official PBCA tournaments were usually hosted by the end of each month. "I mean, I can still give you something about the underground fighting if you want. As for good spots to catch Pokemon, well, can't help you there. Not really a camper myself and the wild is too dangerous for non-trainer anyway, normal people just stick with the road. But, I can help you with direction. Going south of here if you want to get closer to the wild. There will be a lot of distance, cities and towns, to cover before you get into the thick forest and tribal area. I usually just go there by train for business, they have good wild meat over there at a very cheap price. I heard you can go to the desert by going south and then west but I have never been there before. Bunch of nomads around the desert is all I know. Going all the way west and you will reach the capital but you will have go through a lot of places to get there. I have only been there by train but I know there are mountains between here and the capital. The first town to the west is Watering. I only remember the name but I have heard it's the gathering place for adventurers before they head into the desert and savanna. I don't recall much of the north aside from it being a tourist zone when you eventually reach the north part of the region. And I'd better go back to the kitchen, the orders are pilling up. And no need to pay me, man, you probably need the money for your trip." Morton said as Norma came back with a few notes of orders from the new customers. The bar was more alive now that it was lunch time.
"So, do you get anything of help from my brother?" Norma asked, now back behind the counter. "I have heard from some customers a few days ago that they are planning to catch some of the hamster Mon come spring time and it has something to do with breeding season, though I don't understand all of that." A bell rung behind the kitchen. "Excuse me again." Norma went into the kitchen and came back with few plates of food. She put a plate of food down by Spunk. "Here you go Spunk, it's Berry Burger, enjoy." And she went away again. Instead of bread, a berry was cut in half and used as hamburger bun, juicy and fresh. Inside the bun were plenty common vegetables one could find in a burger. Spunk did not ask another word and went straight into eating.
[The Berry Burger would count as Baby Food for Spunk.]
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Post by DarnellJermaine on Sept 13, 2016 0:03:01 GMT
Greg gave a curt nod to Morton as he headed back to prepare a dish. He then turned his attention back on Norma and laughed, "Nah, pretty sure he came from a ranch and watched too much TV or somethin. He's quite the little rascal from what I've seen, but I gotta say he really reminds me of me when I was little" Greg smiles and starts to speak more before Norma's whisked away by other customers, leaving him to gulp down the newly refilled cup of gin.
Once Morton returns, he listens intently to his information and advice. "Shit, you've got a point with the rings, I definitely don't want to get Spunk involved in anything like that, I'm just not sure where else to find any battles to be honest. I guess I'll have to keep an eye out while I'm travelin'" he reaffirms. "South, huh? I can handle that, maybe I'll get Spunk a chance to do some real fightin' and see what we can find" Greg patiently listens to the rest of Morton's descriptions on where things are, taking the initiative to jot down the info on his smart phone. He lets out a big grin when Morton's finished and says he doesn't owe him anything, "Thanks for everything man, I mean it. Tell you what; when I make it big in the league, I'll damn well make sure to sponsor your fine establishment here, it's the least I can do after all these years"
"Yeah, everything I needed and more. Thanks you two, really I mean it. I better get going though, but don't be a stranger; I'll make sure to call you guys when I can" he gave a friendly wave goodbye as Norma went back off into the kitchen.
Greg was content to watch his new little Ledyba go to town on the food, waiting until he finished up. "Looks like you really enjoyed that, bud. I'll make sure to text Big Boss or Norma later for the recipe" after the Ledyba finished eating, he got up from his seat and patted his right shoulder, "Alright Spunk, hop right on up. It's time we get goin' already" he states. Once Spunk is with him in one manner or another, Greg heads off South until he reaches the woods or any areas of interest, keeping an eye out for any Pokemon or rookie trainers he'd recognize from school as he goes.
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Post by Goliathus on Sept 15, 2016 15:47:20 GMT
1:20PM, Day 1, January 1090 "Wow, he knows to watch TV? That's pretty awesome." Norma looked at Spunk admiringly before the customer dragged her away from the counter. "I wish I knew where you can find battles. From all the TV shows about Pokemon trainer, trainers challenge each other in the wild so maybe try wandering around on the road? And no worry man, can't wait to see you on TV soon and good travel, my friend." were Morton's last words before he went back into the kitchen. The Ledyba took his time with the the delicacy in front of him, which was very big for a Pokemon of his size, and Spunk sure made the Berry Burger look very delicious. It was so good that Spunk did not even give Greg any response and just kept on chomping on the burger. Satisfied with the meal, Ledyba hooped up Greg's shoulder as instructed. "That will be 100 dollars for the burger, Greg. Safe travel out there." Norma said as she took care of the plate. Greg headed straight toward the south gate after leaving the bar, the southeast side of the region is his destination. As he arrived at the south gate, he saw a lot of...nothing. The gate literally had zero traffic at this time of the day. Perhaps it was New Year and people preferred to stay at home than going on the road. He did spot a classmate of him, Lillian Phillips, waiting by the gate. No Pokemon was in sight; the starter was likely still inside its Pokeball. Going outside the gate, Greg would see a sign pointing down the paved road, "to South Assedo". As someone who has been doing a lot of road travel in the past, Greg knew that the chance of meeting any Pokemon on the road was near zero. The paved road was built to make sure human could travel between cities sound and safe, without getting attacked by wild Pokemon or lost in the forest and so on. The area surrounded the road was maintained well by the government, the grass fully trimmed, making sure no surprise from the wild would go near the road. Looking further down the endless patch of green, Greg saw no sign of forest at all but the grass afar was definitely much taller than near the road. Greg somehow recalled the forest was be way down south from Assedo, probably a few hubs later, but if he wasn't too picky on Pokemon, the grassland definitely have plenty of them. Wild ExplorationWelcome to the wild. The primary decision in the wild is between travel and exploration and it is up to the player to decide which one to prioritize. The road is perfectly safe for any traveler and one can rest and travel just by following the road. For long road travel, travelers setup camp around the road at night and continue to travel down the road the next morning. The road is also the fastest to travel. For trainers though, staying on the road yields no result if they are searching for wild Pokemon(aside from rare events), thus they have to go into the wild to find Pokemon. In the wild, trainers can decide whether to focus solely on searching for wild Pokemon(special area and so can also be discovered), search for something else(apricorn and so), search for anything, or even travel in the wild. Trainers can also do some basic area scouting to understand the biome before making his decision to dwell deeper into the wild. To summarize, Road Travel - Near zero Pokemon encounter, fastest traveling speed to next hub(South Assedo in this case) Wild Travel - Less Pokemon encounter, traveling at fair speed; player decide how deep into the wild to go before traveling toward the direction of the destination Wild Exploration - Highest encounter rate, no traveling; default is search for anything, do specific if you want to focus on something Area Scouting - Same as pg. 40, 1 hour and a Survival roll, higher DC on complicated area. If failed to beat the DC on first try, the player can spend another hour to scout against a decreased DC If you are looking for wild Pokemon, do consider travel down the road for a while(say an hour) before diving into the wild for exploration. The wild area close to big city is usually barren. You can also do wild travel right away and continue for a few hours and see what you find. You can also do area scouting(have to go a bit deeper into the wild first) first before deciding on what you want to do. Maybe you don't find anything interesting from your discovery and decided to change direction. Two things to consider: With Baby Food in play, fighting something is highly recommended. Two, if you plan on fighting, you might not want to go too far away from town because you need to get back to Pokemon Center for healing. I would also like to point out that doing wild travel with a single Pokemon can be dangerous because you might get attacked by wild Pokemon on your way back to the main road or city. However, Greg having a martial class does help in the wild. It is also perfectly viable to just travel to the next town and see what's what without going into the wild. Whatever you do, do state how much time you are investing on that action. Area Scouting is a fixed 1 hour action while others are flexible. You can also state a huge amount of time like 5 hours and I will stop the timer when something happens.
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Post by DarnellJermaine on Sept 15, 2016 20:54:31 GMT
Greg said his goodbyes and waved his friends off, putting down a $100 bill on the counter, promising to himself that he'd pay them back far more for all the years they've given him once he made it big. Stocks, advertisement, the whole nine yards. For now though, the future was within his reach, and the road beneath his feet, not too unlike his time on the streets, only this time no crime, no mal-intent; just pure ambition. Greg revealed a small grin and gave the little sucker a tiny pat on the head before heading out onto the road, eventually reaching the south gate. Once he did, he spotted his classmate- but decided that he was done seeing who and what he already knew, as rude as that may seem, and was finally going to kickstart his long journey. After casually walking a good distance away from his classmate Lillian so she wouldn't notice, he thought about the journey ahead. As badly as he wanted to dive right into the thick of things deeper down the road, he only just got his first pokemon before, and like any graduate of an esteemed trainer college should know, school mock battles with rented Pokemon are nothing like real wild encounters. So, if he was gonna give Spunk a test drive, he was gonna do it close to town and he was gonna give a little hand if necessary. Once he was out of earshot of the girl, he stepped aside and nudged Spunk a little. "Alright, time to listen and listen well my friend. We're about to dive right in to this thing, but before that; I want to make sure you're prepared. You've gotta stay sharp out there: I may look big, but that's only half the battle when it comes to real fightin', Spunk. It's all about stayin' sharp too. I lasted as long as I did in the streets and climbed my way up because I had goals and stayed focused on them. I didn't let anything distract me, and the same applies in a fight. You always gotta stay one step ahead of your opponent. Read their moves- see where they're goin' with somethin'. Find their openin' and BAM!" emphasizing that last part with a swift uppercut in the air, "That, is how you fight" After his little speech, Greg spent about an hour practicing a few moves with Spunk, making sure not to actually hurt the little guy and throw fake, soft punches, training his little buddy to remain alert and watch for openings and flaws in his technique and vice versa.Greg's going to spend about 3-4 hours exploring somewhat near the gate, going a bit far down enough that they might encounter some wild Pokemon (I'd say spend about 20-30 minutes going down the road before exploring). If nothing happens, he'll continue down the road until he's close to or at Assedo; if he does encounter something, I'll decide what he does after the battle.
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Post by Goliathus on Sept 18, 2016 17:20:27 GMT
4:50PM, Day 1, January 1090
Despite his best interest in avoiding his classmate, the girl did see him - it was super hard to miss a big man like him and the Ledyba on his shoulder was something that would make any trainer look - but she merely gave the big man a friendly wave as the man went through the gate. The road ahead was as empty as the gate as Greg only saw two backpackers while going down the paved road, none of them paid him any mind. After he was sure he was far enough down the road, he headed into the wild, the wide grassland on the side. Despite his effort in the past three years, survival classes have always been Greg's weakest and even until today his fundemental remained questionable at best.
Knowing his limitation in survival knowledge, Greg did not waste any time to understand the biome and instead headed right into it. The first hour was boring at best, lots of tracking on an endless patch of lime-green grasses with nothing interesting in sight. Wild Pokemon was not as easy to find, especially in an area where they have clear and far sight over the perimeter. Spunk was paying attention as per usual but found nothing of worth either. Even investigating the ground yielded no result, either the footprints were too little for Greg to know anything or he found nothing. The only Pokemon in his sight was some Bird Pokemon flying high up in the blue sky above him.
It was by the end of the second hour that Greg finally found something -- a big patch of burned grass. Upon investigating, Greg was quite certain that it was the doing of a Fire Pokemon, or a Fire attack of some kind instead of a wildfire. Multiple footprints were found on in the surrounding area. Those were the firmest footprint Greg had found so far, as if the Pokemon weren't trying to avoid any predator. At the same time, Spunk was poking Greg and pointing him toward a direction. On the far side, Greg could see movement of various black dots. Too far for him to see what was that or those things but those were definitely signs of lifeform, hopefully wild Pokemon.
What would Greg do?
[To investigate the footprint and attempt to identify its species, roll Pokemon Education. To follow the footprints, roll Survival. To follow the movement on the far end, roll Athletic if you want to run or roll Stealth and Survival if you prefer to be stealthy in your approach. Or you can be creative and roll something that fits your own idea. And both decisions lead you to different direction so you cannot go for both, not at the same time at least.]
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Post by DarnellJermaine on Sept 18, 2016 17:45:44 GMT
Greg somewhat defeatedly waved back to the girl in a fast manner before moving out quickly, feeling bad he got caught trying to avoid her. Nevertheless, the options he was presented after a while gave him pause to think for a moment.
On one hand, he had spent the last two and a half hours searching for a Pokemon and finally had a hot lead, but on the other hand since he was on the road earlier those backpackers had caught his attention: they might be his chance for a first battle. Still, he wasn't sure if Spunk was ready for an organized battle where he couldn't help his little buddy out.
Greg was at least thankful that he had the foresight to give Spunk a quick class in Ass Whoopin' 101 back at the gate before heading out, so he wasn't going in totally oblivious to battle. Of course, Greg would still be there to back him up and lay down the law if needed.
After thinking about it for a minute or two, Greg came to the decision to chase down those dots in the distance, trusting his little bud's instincts and bolted off with celerity in pursuit. "Alright bud, let's go find out what the hell that is" he huffed as they ran.
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Post by Goliathus on Sept 20, 2016 14:27:34 GMT
4:55PM, Day 1, January 1090
Greg chose to go fast, dashing toward the destination with full speed, preferring speed over stealth. Spunk flew besides Greg with his two big hands extending fully toward the front, the standard stance for a superhero like him, keeping himself up with the big yet athletic trainer of him. The grasses were long around this part and Greg, despite the height, felt himself slowing down by all the constant friction on his lower body.
After covering a fair amount of distance, Greg could finally see the targets, a lot of quadruped Pokemon, but you also found what looked like the aftermath of a battle before you reach them. A rainbow array of berries spread all around the floor, possibly more hidden inside the tall grass. Several Pokemon, who Greg soon identified as Patrat, laid dead on the ground but he was positive they were alive, just fainted. Following the trail Greg would soon find the culprit -- a band of Poochyena on hot pursuit over the remaining Patrat. The Patrat were still holding a bunch of berries in their hands but they were slowly slipping out from their hands as the pursuit continued. Some of them were thrown when the predator came too close. Despite the number advantage, the Patrat did not fight back, or maybe they did and failed like the few fainted before you, and tried their best to outrun something equally fast to no end. Wait enough and you would also see the Patrat trying to recollect the berries on the ground. Maybe the foods were too important to the Patrat? From your classes, you knew Patrat is a species that will run away from predator than doing anything to risk their life.
Spunk was rearing to go, his wings buzzing with excitement as he saw the Pokemon-in-distress, but he would not do anything with your command. The obedience training from the ranch stopped him from acting on his own. So, he merely look at Greg, waiting for an official dispatch order from the headquarter. Based on a quick count, Greg would round up 4 Poochyena and 7 Patrat, and he has the chance to cut into the middle of the chase if he were to act quickly as the Pokemon were moving in a round and not a straight line.
[Battle will commence if you are close enough(10m) to the Poochyena. They see you so no surprise round]
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Post by DarnellJermaine on Sept 20, 2016 23:37:50 GMT
After racing to chase down those shadows in the distance, Greg finally saw what was going on and examined the scene around him. From the Poochyena chasing the Watchog, to the berries littering the floor with Watchog trying to quickly take them back up; he took in all the sights. Greg would liken the current situation to being like a battle between rival gangs if the Watchog weren't so scared and actually fought back. After all, they did have the strength and numbers, but he supposed that was their nature. Still, now was his chance to impress Spunk and give his little superhero Ledyba a chance to finally get some action.
"OVER HERE" Greg shouted in a booming voice, something that would no doubt cause heads to turn in his direction, whether out of fear or out of accepting his challenge. "Alright Spunk, I can tell you wanna help these guys, and I'm gonna lend you a hand. Let's take these villains out" Greg spoke, with just the slightest bit of a grin on his face. After all, it has been a while since he's really had a good fight.
Cracking his knuckles, Greg slowly began inching towards the Poochyena, waiting until he was within range before unleashing a surprise on them that they'd never see coming. Now Greg was in his element: here, he felt alive. There was something different from being back on the streets though. This wasn't just a fight for power or to prove a point: he was actually helping someone- err, well Pokemon anyways. He was fighting for a good reason; and that made the incoming beating all the more satisfying.
As he inched forward, he tried to provoke the offending Poochyena to catch their attention and give the Watchog a chance to escape. He moved his hand in the 'come on' motion, "You lookin' for a real fight? Get your asses over here!"
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Post by Goliathus on Oct 4, 2016 17:39:20 GMT
The gang of Poochyena ignored Greg and his shouting at first, focusing on their chase of the prey but as Greg and his little Bug with gigantic fist came close enough, the Poochyena turned and barked at the intruders, their faces looking as angry as they...normally did. Meh, the faces of Poochyena were always angry and this few were no different. Among the four Poochyena, only three turned to face Greg, leaving the lone one in the far front in its chase of the Patrats. Upon seeing the help, or at least an intervention, the few Patrats quickly communicated with their own and charged right back at the single Poochyena, taking the chance to take it out with sheer number. BATTLE COMMENCE Turn 1 Starting Distance Three Poochyena on 11, 12 and 1 o'clock, 10 meters gap between Greg and Spunk and the three Poochyena.
Initiative Spunk 11 Poochyena A ? Poochyena B ? Greg 7 Poochyena C ? With a fair amount of distance between each combatants, the battle started with the simple maneuver of charging toward each others. The gang of Poochyena might not be the smartest foes out there but they knew to work in a team, quickly positioning themselves with a meter of distance from each other into a simple yet effective formation to take on whoever dare to charge into them head on, before moving forward toward their new human foe...and the little Bug with big hands. Spunk obviously showed no fear of the situation at all, continue to push forward like a hero would, both hands still extending in front of him as he charged full speed ahead into the wolf pack. His wings vibrated through the air, sending waves of high-pitch sound toward the three villains in front of him. Greg tried his best to move in the tall grass and was able to keep up the pace with Spunk for now. [All three Poochyena moved for a maximum 5 meters after using Howl to boost their ATK Stage by 1. Spunk moved and used Supersonic, so pick a Poochyena and roll the dices. Due to slow terrain, Greg has to use sprint action to move 4 meters and be in-range of a Mach Punch(or any attack) next turn. There is only a 1 meter to 2 meters gap between everyone so everyone will be in contact next turn.] Turn 2 [Your move and since you hit a 5-hit Comet Punch, feel free to control the Poochyena and describe how Spunk land the big hits]
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Post by DarnellJermaine on Oct 4, 2016 21:40:26 GMT
As they closed in, Greg gave his bud the signal; plugging up his ears so Spunk could blast out a Supersonic at Poochyena C. After that, Greg quickly took out his fingers and balled his hands up into fists. All of a sudden, he moved incredibly fast- almost like how an alligator lays around and moves slowly all day until prey comes near, entering into a blur of speed for a brief moment to trap and devour it's meal, Greg's attack was similar, shoving his fist straight into Poochyena A.
Shortly after, Spunk followed up with a barrage of punches on Poochyena B, striking at its face the first time and pummeling its side until it fell over. The heroic Ledyba was looking to end the fight and help his trainer, not cause any permanent damage; lucky for the Poochyena.
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