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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on Dec 18, 2018 21:58:38 GMT
Ecruteak was a sleepy, old fashioned town with its traditional architecture. The Bell Tower and the Brass Tower loomed as fingers reaching for the sky even as dusk retreated from the sky, and the first wisps of fog began to curl along the ground. As with the town they had left behind, immediately visible was a Pokemon Center, should they hunger or thirst. Many buildings here possessed signs out front, signifying their historical importance. In addition to all the residences, three buildings aside from the Pokemon Center remained lit at this hour. One, Omega would immediately identify as the gym. Being the largest structure in Ecruteak aside from the towers, and carrying the same Pokeball symbol as the Center, it stood out to him in particular. Of the other two, one was labelled 'Bell Tower Gate Access' and the other 'Ecruteak Dance Theatre'.
There are few humans in the streets, the last stragglers disappearing into homes as the party enters town. Kursz seems unsettled by the encroaching darkness, heading for the Pokemon Center immediately, with Em in tow barraging him with questions about his feelings. Omega, Muku, and Thel are left to their own devices in this strange new place.
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Post by Breakthelevee on Dec 19, 2018 5:55:17 GMT
Omega stared at the 'gym'. He was weak still, he couldn't even manage to capture the rock snake. But there. There was the Alpha of this place. This massive giant place.
"The Alpha is in that building. And the lights are still on. We should see the Alpha and inform them we are in their town before we go to the red topped building again." He would see what made a human Alpha strong. He would learn from them, and then he would crush them. Eventually. In the mean time he would ask for shelter and food. They did have good food and warm dens....
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Post by DataNinja on Dec 19, 2018 6:57:23 GMT
The town is strange. Large. There are buildings that seem to tower almost as high as mountains. The structures, they are all more impressive than the ones seen before. There is writing all around them, but he pays no heed to it. Salandit don't write, so... it's not really something that even occurs to him to even try.
Even not considering writing, though, knowledge is power. And so Omega does have a good suggestion. "Yes... probably a good idea to learn what we can. To see what he has to say. This world, it is still so strange, so any advice would be much welcomed. I still... do not really know what to do."
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Sept 2, 2024 12:17:28 GMT
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Post by birdy51 on Dec 20, 2018 23:09:42 GMT
"Muku will go with you both. But Muku might not want to talk much." Says the self-named bird plainly, shivering in the enroaching dark. This didn't strike her as a good idea, visiting such a powerful human at such a late hour. Tradition dictated that one might avoid the powerful, lest they catch you and eat you. It also stated that flying by night was also bad, since something powerful things might catch you and eat you. But humans didn't seem to work that way, so maybe that was just a bird thing. It was probably just a bird thing.
Right?
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Aug 26, 2024 10:50:49 GMT
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Post by Robot on Dec 22, 2018 23:41:44 GMT
Within the main lobby of the gym, a greeter stood between a pair of Pokemon statues, each on the roundish side with sharp, frightening eyes and a fiendish looking smile. The creature had long pointed 'ears', and a row of spikes down its back to a short tail. The room itself was lined in a very dark wood paneling that seemed to soak up some of the lighting and cast the room in a somber, ominous air. The inner doors were traditional paper and wood as one might find in the rest of the historic town, obscuring view of the beyond. Along the slats where paper set, were charms written on paper and braided, strange writing in red ink carefully adorning each piece.
An older human, well into his sunset years, he offered the group a sly smile. "Greetings, champs in the making. If you're here to challenge Morty's gym, I'll need to see your trainer cards first." He watched them, quietly expecting.
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Post by DataNinja on Dec 23, 2018 0:58:41 GMT
The building... doesn't feel very welcoming to Thel. There are monsters guarding the door, that he wasn't able to tell immediately were fake. Or maybe they're just very good at not moving or breathing, waiting to tear into him the moment he drops his guard. It makes him very tense, especially with the fact that it seemed dark... perfect for things hiding.
"Oh, uh," Thel says, not taking his eyes off the statues for longer than he has to, "we're not here for a challenge. We just want to talk to this, uh, Morty."
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Post by Breakthelevee on Dec 23, 2018 20:53:08 GMT
"We don't have a 'trainer card' yet. Take us to the strongest person here. The one known as Joy in the other town told us he could help us get to the one known as professor." Omega says curtly.
After a moment he spoke again "And what is a champ and why are we making it?" He sounded genuinely confused
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Post by birdy51 on Dec 24, 2018 12:37:18 GMT
"You are also very old." Muku adds. "Has anyone ever told you that you're old?"
Looking past, she could see the interior of this 'gym' in all of it's dark and terrible glory. This was not a place to be at any point. This was a bad place, bad! Too many scary rock creatures and weird dark, cave like interiors. Muku didn't like caves. No! Not at all! She clings closer to Thel and Omega, rubbing up against both of them instinctually. Bad place. Bad place!
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Aug 26, 2024 10:50:49 GMT
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Post by Robot on Dec 25, 2018 11:41:11 GMT
"Not unheard of." The elder nods politely, chuckling at Omega's follow-up question. "The Champion is the strongest trainer in all of Johto, above the gym leaders like Morty, are the Elite Four, and above them the Champion. Most young trainers aspire to reach that pinnacle."
There is a long, blank stare for Muku, right through her and off into the distance. He pushes a button behind the statue. The hanging seals are drawn away on a string and pulley system, and the doors slide open revealing clear elevated walkways over a dimly lit space. At the far end of all of these a young man sits cross-legged amidst candles.
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Post by birdy51 on Dec 25, 2018 13:30:29 GMT
Ah no, now the old person is staring. Muku shrinks behind her comrades in arms, wishing more to be gone from this weird place, then wishing that they all had wings and not arms. Then they would understand that being inside dark spaces is bad. But at least Morty was there. There, waiting for them. Like a tiger. Or an owl.
"Let's talk to him fast. This place isn't for Muku." She whispers softly.
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Post by DataNinja on Dec 25, 2018 18:20:42 GMT
"Ah, I see," Thel says. "Well, don't worry, I do not seek to issue a challenge there..." He wrenches his gaze away from the statues to see... oh dear. Narrow heights are less good to him now than when he had four legs, and was low to the ground. He still sometimes almost feels like he's going to fall over, so... he just needs to make sure he doesn't fall off.
Taking a deep breath, he heads for the walkways.
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Post by Breakthelevee on Dec 25, 2018 20:06:13 GMT
"Then yes. I am a 'champ in the making'. Keen eye gray one" Omega says as he walks forward towards the one surrounded by flame.
A few steps onto the nothingness he calls out "Are you the one known as Morty. The Alpha of this city?"
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on Dec 26, 2018 1:51:37 GMT
The doors slide closed behind the trio, and the lights dim significantly. Any opaqueness the walkway might have possessed before vanished beneath their feet. Only the dimly lit candles on the far pedestal truly have off any light now. The rest of the gym appeared a dark, bottomless pit.
Morty's eyes opened, possessing a certain piercing clarity to them, even at such a distance. "You are the ones that Joy sent from the east. Tell me, have you Pokemon with you? I might be able to hasten your journey, as I am privileged to grant licensing as a gym leader if the situation merits it. Welcome to Ecruteak City, and to my gym, the place where past and present coexist."
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Post by birdy51 on Dec 26, 2018 3:00:13 GMT
"Muku has... Two Pokémon. But she doesn't know if she's ready to be a trainer..." She says softly, poking her out behind from her companions. She would, perhaps, say more, but her eyes are fixed on the dark, dark abyss that hung below them. It was dizzying, and a sense of vertigo that Muku has never known before sweeps over her form. She bends down low, and pats her hands upon the opaque ground beneath her feet. "A-are all gyms this weird? Muku would prefer being on ground that isn't this close to the abyss..."
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Post by Breakthelevee on Dec 26, 2018 3:09:41 GMT
"I also have two. Give me his license so that I can become an Alpha as well" Omega said with a grunt. He didn't know what Morty meant by past and present coexisting. There was a before and there was a now but they were not the same. Once you made it out of the before that was it, no going back.
"How much more do you know about us. If you know where we came from"
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Post by DataNinja on Dec 26, 2018 3:17:20 GMT
"You, uh, you seem to have misunderstood..." Thel stammers. This is strange, and weird. Even more so than what has already been experienced. At least so far he had some frame of reference. "We're not here to challenge you. I... assume that's why you've made it so that we can't get to you. That seems like a smart thing to do if someone were to issue a challenge, I assume."
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on Dec 26, 2018 4:40:24 GMT
"I know what you are. Like Ho-Oh, and Lugia, the great legendary Pokemon of this region, your stories too will be told here someday. I know you are not licensed trainers, that I can give you my blessing without testing you. That is not my way." His voice carried across the void, clarion against the darkness. "The lab you seek is along the route south, then east, still further south and east. If direction was all you required of me, you have them."
He rose to his feet, shoulders square, eyes fixated past them, feet shoulder width apart. To Omega, who was more keen on body language, this was a clear challenge. There was a palpable tension, a spiritual pressure on the air. "Humans, who's lives revolve around Pokemon. They challenge the league, and they claim they understand their Pokemon's deepest desires. You who have lived that life, I wish to see how deep that bond can become. Humor my challenge, and I will induct you into the league properly. It does not have to be tonight, but tomorrow and Thursday are personal days for me, and the gym is closed."
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Post by Breakthelevee on Dec 27, 2018 2:51:20 GMT
Omega's hair nearly bristled in anticipation and he took a few steps forward, his back straight and shoulders back "I will take this challenge on. I ask that you give me time to go to the red roofed building and heal my Fang and my Blade. Then I will fight you with every ounce of my strength."
To Omega his pack was his strength, and he believed in them enough that even this strange man did not frighten him
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Post by birdy51 on Dec 27, 2018 14:28:04 GMT
Omega wasn't scared, but Muku was. Nothing about this terrifying situation was any comfort to her. The floor, the walls, the Gym Leader. It was all bad. And yet, in every way possible, Omega was saying yes to danger in every way she couldn't.
Yes to being a trainer. Yes to aspiring to being the best trainer in the land. Yes to... Everything. Omega was so much stronger than she could hope to be. She gathered up her courage.
"Muku will join in the battle too." She says, eying Thel now with wishing eyes as she stood back up. "Y-you'll help too, right Thel?"
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Post by DataNinja on Dec 27, 2018 16:59:43 GMT
Thel inwardly groans, and sighs, and... he doesn't really want to do this. But, despite what he'd said to Em, he can't really not help Muku, even if challenging people is something he'd rather avoid doing. Ugh, either way he's challenging someone. This new person, or Muku. Uuuuuuuugghhhh…
After a little bit of awkward squirming, mostly internal, he sighs and says, "yes, of... of course I will." Ugh, he doesn't even really know how this works, he's going to go off and let Muku down, and embarrass himself in front of her, and it's all going to go terribly...
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