Victoria - Adventure Thread (Johto)

Sleep is, of course, preceded by Whitney cuddles. A spluttering and embarrassed Aima is dragged into the cuddle pile by the pink-haired menace cutie as well. The following morning reveals that Aima managed to slip out of Whitney's vice-like "cuddles" and presumably went to quietly pray at the Celebi shrine in the other room. Whitney is only just beginning to stir when Victoria awakens.

Whitney is more than happy to give cuddles for a little longer. Hooray for an extra hour of cuddles! Alas, it is eventually time to get up. Everybody's getting ready to leave, after all. Poking around the shrine's interior reveals no trace of Aima or Morty, so presumably this means that they went to cleanse the ancient manor house in the deep forest and lay the remaining spirits there to rest. Miyako is in the kitchen making tea for herself (though there's enough water to go around for others who want some). She absentmindedly rubs her left shoulder/stump. Guess it bothers her to not have an arm there.

Miyako scoffs. "Making myself a new arm is more time-consuming that difficult. This kettle isn't even that large anyway." She finishes pouring the boiling water into her stone cup full of tea leaves. Despite the white knuckle grip on the kettle's handle, she doesn't seem to be struggling overmuch with it. She does, however, mumble something about 'early morning chill' and 'phantom limb' though.

She shrugs. "Pretty much. It'd take just as much work to try and repair it as it would to simply build a new one. Only difference is the amount of materials needed. I'll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that there's 'a lot', and folks these days are so easily riled up over the littlest things." She proceeds to go into detail about some 'kid' (who sounds like your average teenager) whom she had asked for directions to a 'market' of some kind. He spouted off all sorts of strange words at her before attempting to flirt with her. "Honestly, that kid's lucky I didn't take a chunk out of him in repayment for his rudeness. Point is: getting what I need has proven to be a trial and a half. If I could make an arm out of the colored shards I use for ammunition, I would." She finishes.

Miyako quirks an eyebrow. "You misunderstand. You are from the 'modern world' and yet I have no difficulties understanding you. The issue was this child appeared to be speaking nonsense. I won't even attempt to repeat it, but suffice to say he was not using words."

Miyako just looks confused. "'Slang'? 'Trendy words'? What is wrong with using the proper words to get your point across?" She asks incredulously. "It cannot be laziness, as it would take as much time and effort to process the meaning of these 'alternative words' (if not more) as it would to speak normally."

As her tea finishes steeping, Miyako takes a sip. "Hrmph. Waste of time and energy if you ask me. For all involved. It's one thing to be overly formal, like Aima. It's another to be completely incomprehensible to everyone but your close companions." She scoffs. "In any case, if those individuals are the minority, as they seem to be, then I shall simply have to avoid them. Aima would have more trouble than I would, I suspect. What with her overly formal, polite nature."

Miyako rolls her eyes. "Of course she is. She's practically a sheltered little girl, always staying cooped up in the safety of the shrine. Did you know that her 'duties' took place exclusively in and around the shrine? I was the one always going out to ensure none of the aggressive Pokemon got too close. Yes, it worked out better that way, but that's beside the point!" Miyako eventually trails off as she finishes her tea. She dumps the remainder of the leaves in a compost pile out behind the shrine, rinses the cup by scooping and swirling water within it, then sets it down to dry and shuts herself in her room again. Well. Guess that's the end of that conversation.

Morty and Aima return only a few minutes after Miyako has stormed off to her room. Whitney has finished a light morning workout as well as breakfast, so she returns as well. Shortly thereafter, everyone is packed and ready to go. Yes. Even Aima. She's taking her 'big sister' duties seriously, as one might expect. It's a long trip back to Goldenrod where Whitney needs to clean up and open her Gym for the day. She bids everyone farewell as they continue on to Ecruteak.

Morty is happy to 'drop off' Victoria at the Pokemon Center or wherever while he escorts the two shrine maidens to the Bell Tower. Victoria is surprised to see him speaking to one of the Kimono Girls outside her 'stage attire'. At least, it kinda looks like one of them. By itself, this wouldn't be anything to curious; Morty is probably friends with the Kimono Girls. They live in his town, after all. No, the strange part is that she is the one leading them to the Bell Tower. Maybe they serve more than one role in the city? Questions for later. The question for now is: "What next?" It appears that the Dance Hall/Theater is open for business by now, so Victoria could always try to challenge the KG like she had planned yesterday.