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Post by Raven on Jun 17, 2019 2:03:16 GMT
Dreeeeeam. Dream, dream, drea-m, dreeeeeeam. All you have to do is dream.
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Post by Raven on Jun 26, 2019 9:13:40 GMT
Stephanie finds only a blank wall where the 'prospective members' entrance to Psychic Branch is meant to be. Clearly finding your way in must be the 'entrance exam'. So, what do?
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Nov 23, 2023 19:11:09 GMT
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Post by lichlord on Jun 27, 2019 0:47:03 GMT
Stephanie 'hmms' thoughtfully. Well, it's the psychic branch, so it stands to reason that there's some sort of mind-reading 'test' here to gain entry. Obviously. Stephanie has to suppress her thoughts at this point in case any prying minds are listening, because she's doubtful anyone in there wants to hear how their barrier to entry seems stuck up and elitist and that they really need more sweetness in their diet. Also y'know, there's supposedly a library in there, how is anyone supposed to get in?
It's just silly.
Regardless, Steph buries that like a white-haired woman buries trauma and looks to Destiny.
"Well well Destiny, we have a 'puzzle' to solve. There's scores of your fellow psychic types beyond these walls, and not a one we can speak to because neither of us are telepathic. You can read 'dreams' but none of them would be asleep-"
She stops.
"Or maybe they could be? Meditation is a step above sleep. Maybe we could reach some of them? I mean people 'say' that their mind is blank while meditating but realistically everyone's mind wanders... None of them just will admit it and save face."
Destiny float-nods and stares intently at a nearby wall, trying to sense dreams on the other side!
Destiny Focus!
iXLKGbjA3d6+33d6+3
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Post by Raven on Jun 27, 2019 3:38:26 GMT
Destiny can sense no dreams, but her attempt seems to have triggered something. One second the pair are outside, the next, Stephanie is on the floor, dizzy. A lavender-haired woman is waiting nearby, looking at Stephanie.
"Hello!" She chirps....except that Stephanie cannot 'hear' anything, it's like the voice is echoing in her...oh. Telepathy. "Congrats on getting through your 'entrance exam', and welcome to the Psychic Branch! Sorry about the disorientation, that tends to happen when one teleports what they cannot see. I also want to preempt your question concerning communication. I'm afraid that my physical voice is practically non-existent due to some unfortunate circumstances when I was a child. I can only communicate properly through telepathy."
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Post by lichlord on Jun 29, 2019 17:44:39 GMT
With that business done, Stephanie makes her way to the Ghost branch to check that out.
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Post by Raven on Jun 29, 2019 20:13:46 GMT
The Ghost Branch, like the former Dark/Steel branches, is off in its own little area of the Guild. It is in the formerly unused South Wing. Entering the hall leading to said Branch, Stephanie gets a sense of ominous foreboding. It's not quite 'frightening', more like a sense of extreme unease. This feeling grows stronger the closer one draws to the end of the hall, where the actual entrance is. Steeling her resolve, Stephanie steps through the door only for the pressure to suddenly become alleviated. It hasn't gone away entirely, but it's much less intense than it was right outside. Guess that must be the 'entrance exam'. A test of willpower. For reference, Normal Branch is in the center, along with the Archives and the Mess Hall; Flying Branch is on the upper level, just above Normal; Dark/Steel were in the West Wing; Ground/Rock/Fighting are in the East, but down one level; Fire and Water are at ground level in the East Wing; Grass/Poison/Bug are in the North Wing |
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Post by lichlord on Jun 29, 2019 21:38:03 GMT
What’s with the weirdo tests in these? Surely they can’t all be this pretentious. Stephanie continues on.
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Post by Raven on Jun 29, 2019 21:59:55 GMT
As Stephanie heads further into the Ghost Branch, she comes across what must be the 'main hall' or 'common room'. In it is a small group of would-be Branch Members huddled together in fear as a trio of Ghost Pokemon fly around them, cackling. The ghosts aren't actually doing anything. They're just flying in a circle around the poor saps. A dark-haired woman stands nearby, a frown on her face as she watches the people practically piss themselves in fear.
"Come on then, I thought you wanted to train Ghosts! You can't do that if you're terrified of them just flying around you!" The woman berates the group. "If you can't even handle this much, how do you ever expect to handle a Ghost Pokemon's more mischievous side? They won't always do what you want outside of battle, you know. Like any Pokemon, Ghosts have their own minds; their own thoughts and desires. Many are pranksters by nature, but Wild ones often fail to understand that humans are rather fragile. Especially the human psyche." With a heavy sigh, she snaps her fingers and the trio of ghosts return to her side, allowing the panicky students to collapse to the ground in exhaustion/fright.
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Post by lichlord on Jun 29, 2019 23:10:01 GMT
Yeah you three, they aren't doing anything! What, have you never had a nightmare?
She pulls out her notepad and flips through, trying to see if she's come up with any food that would help them have a bit more willpower, but from that display, it would literally need to be something mind-altering. She instead walks up to the woman in charge.
Stephanie takes her glasses off and cleans the lenses to accent her not-fearful behavior.
"Fear is a mental construct that humans have taken way too far. There's fear for your life, sure. But most have gone far beyond that. I've heard too many weird nightmares descirbed me that I wish I could forget. Although I'm happy to share, because misery loves company."
She puts her glasses back on and extends her hand for a shake.
"Stephanie Myler, psychologist chef. Nice to meet you."
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Post by Raven on Jun 30, 2019 0:34:59 GMT
"Hmph. I'm well aware of what fear is." The woman responds. "I am Svetlana Dracul, high-ranking noble and author of many papers dealing with the Ghost-Type and how they operate. I also am the Branch Leader, as you probably suspected." She does not shake Stephanie's hand, instead choosing to give her an appraising look. "You seem a cut above the rest of these folks, and you speak like an intellectual rather than a starry-eyed wannabe Adventurer and trainer." She finishes matter-of-factly.
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Post by lichlord on Jun 30, 2019 7:03:55 GMT
Oh ho ho! I didn't think the ghost branch would be headed by the woman herself! If anyone could potentially teach me dream eater, it's her and this branch.
She grins and slyly moves her extended hand up to her glasses as if that was always what was supposed to happen. It's nice to be noticed for her intellect.
"It's a good feeling when one comes here looking to expand her knowledge and the woman who literally wrote the book is the leader. And yes, I am not some wannabe adventurer. I am first and foremost, a scientist. Secondly, a Chef. A distant third, I crochet when I find I need to concentrate. And somewhere beyond that is a trainer."
She 'hmmms' thoughtfully again.
"Let me be up front then. I'm researching dreams. More accurately, I'm researching dreams and what happens when they are eaten. And how they taste. So I decided that to affect the 'food' that pokemon with dream eater will 'eat', I must be able to know how to make all kinds of real foods. And somewhere along the line I realized that using said food can change moods, as well as dreams and/or nightmares. Especially when I started to experiment with very odd ingredients. Although my 'testees' didn't like that, they had some real messed up dreams."
She shakes her head.
"Don't they realize science requires sacrifice? Some people."
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Post by Raven on Jun 30, 2019 9:23:09 GMT
"Hmpf. You do realize, of course, that the continuous eating of dreams can have a negative effect on people, yes? I haven't any research that specifies such, but it makes sense if you think about it." Svetlana comments as much as questions. "Dreams are how humans (and possibly Pokemon) deal with the events of the day. They often don't make sense, but most psychologists I've spoken to agree on the matter. Dreams are important. If you have a Pokemon eat your (or others') dreams every night, then it could very well have unforeseen consequences in the long term."
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Post by lichlord on Jun 30, 2019 22:18:21 GMT
Melissa scoffs.
"Well not repeatedly every night. Of course. That'd be absurd."
That's right Steph, just agree with her. It's ok, everyone, including intellectuals like her, can make mistakes. Your own dreams were eaten every night for a while and CLEARLY you're fine! But we shouldn't bring that up especially when we are trying to get in her good graces!
"However-"
Stephanie looks over to the three being tortured trained on ghost types.
"While it is true that dreams and nightmares are how we deal with the day, dreams can reinforce bad behavior, while nightmares can escalate already existing fears and worries. Take your trainees over there. Are any of them going to have sweet dreams tonight? No. They'll probably have nightmares that'll make them even WORSE tomorrow. But... what if that nightmare just went 'poof!'"
She turns back to Lady Dracul.
"They won't be shivering in their boots next time ghosts just 'fly around them'."
She pauses.
"Ok they'll still be, but maybe not as much."
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Post by Raven on Jun 30, 2019 22:27:53 GMT
"On the other hand, if you remove the dream/nightmare that causes a 'less than desirable behavior', what have you really accomplished? The underlying cause is still there, and there's nothing to stop it from reoccurring. All you'd be doing is wasting your time." Svetlana counters.
"With regard to your specific example: how will they ever overcome their fear if they don't deal with it? You can remove the nightmares, but that could do just as much harm as good. Short term: yes, it may possibly make them more level-headed in the morning, but long term, it may only cause them to become more frightened as they don't get the right amount of 'exposure' to properly begin the coping process. You can't just wave your hands and say 'all fixed' when you have a Pokemon eat someone's dreams." She continues.
"Not to mention, if my assumption is correct, and you are looking into how the taste of foods affect one's dreams, would not a nightmare taste terrible? How would your Pokemon feel about that?"
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Post by lichlord on Jun 30, 2019 23:00:17 GMT
Stephanie tilts her head.
"Would it taste bad? Maybe to a psychic type, but a ghost type will literally cause them and delight in it. I mean have you 'asked' them? Lots of humans like heat levels of spice, and it literally is harming your taste buds to experience it. People and pokemon eat weird things."
She straightens back up.
"And of course it's not 'all fixed'. It's a tool in the toolbox of psychology."
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Post by Raven on Jun 30, 2019 23:34:29 GMT
Svetlana shrugs. "True enough. Every Pokemon is likely to have a different palate. Even for dreams." She nods as Stephanie doesn't proclaim her solution to be the 'end all, be all' like some scholars she has met. "As long as it's only a tool in the box, and not the only tool. Even if a preferred one."
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Post by lichlord on Jul 1, 2019 2:33:57 GMT
“Well yes of course! I’ve become trained in psychology to help understand people. Awake and asleep. My dream research is just my door into that. After all, with what we know of the heroes and their prophetic nightmares...”
She adjusts her outfit.
”Anyway. I’ve come here to look into joining this branch. Outside of surviving very mild terror, what entails joining up? And what’s expected of me here?”
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Post by Raven on Jul 1, 2019 2:43:01 GMT
"The primary purpose of this Branch is to allow the Ghost-Type more public exposure. Outside of the rumors of the 'red swordswoman' that was among the Heroes of Celadon, barely anybody besides myself actually uses them publicly. Even then, the rumors are just that: rumors. While the person herself may be real, and her 'red blade' is probably just a different colored Honedge, that's really all we know about her. Thus, I founded the Ghost Branch within this Adventurer's Guild. Many more people dwell here alongside of Pokemon, so even if they do not join this group in particular, they are bound to have more knowledge simply by proximity. So, put more succinctly, I am here to facilitate the transfer of knowledge of Ghost-Type Pokemon to the general public. Or at least to those within the 'Adventurer's Guild'." Svetlana rambles a bit, just like any passionate scholar would when discussing their favorite subject, but her point is made nonetheless.
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Post by lichlord on Jul 1, 2019 3:06:41 GMT
”Admirable! I like it. But outside of just using ghost types in public, what’s expected of a member?”
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Post by Raven on Jul 1, 2019 3:21:53 GMT
"Naturally, one must be willing to showcase both strength and intelligence. This is a given for any trainer of Pokemon who wishes to amount to something. For this Branch in particular, you are expected to go above and beyond this. How you do so is left primarily up to you as an individual, but I would like weekly reports with a summary of what you have experienced in the given week. They are generally expected on Fridays, but as long as I get them within 48 hours of the deadline (presuming you are in a state fit to write such a report), I'm not picky. What I'm getting at is that if you want to represent this Branch, to represent me by extension, then you had damn well better put your all into it. If you can do that, I shall be contented." Svetlana explains.
"As with all Branches, there is a mission board where any specific tasks will be posted for all to see. You may choose not to do them and it will not negatively affect your membership in the Branch, but if I make a given task mandatory for any reason, and you do not do it because you 'didn't know', then that's on you. Not that I expect such from you, a fellow scholar. If anything, I hold you to an even higher standard than your peers. Best live up to it."
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