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Post by carnackiArdent on Jun 24, 2018 5:57:00 GMT
Clay and Fan put up a good fight, but eventually Clay gives Fan a signal and she flops down, 'defeated'. "Nooo, there's too many of them!" Clay topples back, his dramatic gesture slightly ruined by his giggling as he allows himself to be overrun. As much fun as playing with the Totodiles is, he does have something important to do, and it would be better to get started before it's too late in the day. Hopefully they'll be content with their 'victory' and not demand extra playtime, since he doesn't want to end by making them cry.
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May 31, 2023 21:25:23 GMT
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Post by Raven on Jun 24, 2018 6:00:40 GMT
Kalani assists in calming the ravenous horde. They've had playtime, so now it's nap time. Luckily, having played a bunch outside before spotting Clay, it isn't difficult.
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jun 24, 2018 6:10:06 GMT
Clay lets out a long breath as the Totodiles are shuffled off to naptime. "Wow, how do you keep up with the little guys? I could barely keep count of them." He's actually still not sure how many Totodiles there are in that swarm.
He runs a hand through his hair with a sigh. "I think I needed that, though. Life's been pretty stressful lately. Romantic drama - not with me," he adds hastily. "Rei and Tiki and Holly were having a thing. I'll... probably end up venting about it later."
He shakes his head. "Anyway, I gotta go meet up with them and take care of something important. It's... got to do with the mess we're in, but with any luck it should make things less dangerous." If Xerneas has the potential to bring Sano and Divini back, and if he's right about it protecting Laurel, maybe it can be talked into extending its protection to Cerulean...
But that can wait until they find the darn thing. He gives Kalani a hug and goes up on tiptoe to give her a peck on the cheek. "I'll be back later, okay?" He has no idea how long this is going to take, but he doesn't want to worry her.
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Post by Raven on Jun 24, 2018 6:15:26 GMT
Kalani's smile vanishes when Clay brings up the 'events'. Nobody would like talking about such things, but occasionally it has to be brought up. "O-oh. Just be careful, Clay! If something happened to you... I.. I don't know what I'd do. So you better come back, you got me?!"
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jun 24, 2018 6:21:27 GMT
He gives her a cocky grin that might be a little more confident than he really feels. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. It's the bad guys who need to worry."
He gives her one last squeeze before letting go and beckoning to Fan. "If I don't come back, then you can call Clay of the Blazing Tree Troop a liar." Besides, if he doesn't come back they have much bigger problems than him disappointing his girlfriend, since everything they've heard sounds an awful lot like they're running out of substitute chosen ones. "I'll see you soon, Kalani. I promise."
And now it's time to go hunt up his friends so they can get started on finding this tree.
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Post by Raven on Jul 13, 2018 6:25:39 GMT
The Fighties' stopover in Cerulean lasts only a couple of hours, long enough for any stragglers to catch up and have a bit of rest before they press onward to Mt. Moon.
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jul 16, 2018 5:56:41 GMT
Luckily, they wait just long enough for the healers in town to be done patching up Fan and Sandy. They could probably still use a rest, though - but he knows Fan would want to be there if he gets a chance to go see the troop, so Sandy and Red Child can wait at Kalani's and Fan will come along with him to Mt. Moon.
As they set off, Clay works his way up to the front. "So Instructor, are we planning on going up the mountain or into the caves?"
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Post by Raven on Jul 16, 2018 5:57:59 GMT
"Probably up on the mountains, as I wouldn't want to have to deal with swarms of Zubat and Golbat inside the caves after dark." He responds.
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jul 16, 2018 6:09:49 GMT
Clay winces. "Yeah, no kidding. The elders used to tell us about the bats." Zubat could be surprisingly difficult to deal with for the troop - they weren't particularly resistant to Fire-type moves, but Fighting moves did just about nothing to them.
Up on the slopes... well, that's familiar territory, at least. Even on the east side, which he hasn't explored much, he at least knows vaguely what sort of Pokémon to expect... even aside from the Mankey.
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Post by Raven on Jul 19, 2018 20:05:31 GMT
The conversation petering out, Instructor Mason gathers everyone up and begins the march towards the mountain.
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jul 20, 2018 18:01:57 GMT
Once they reach the mountain, Clay speaks up again. "Y'know, it's around the other side of the mountain, but my troop's territory is around here. I kinda wanna go see them again sometime while we're up here. Anybody else want to go meet 'em? Or should we stick to this side?"
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Post by Raven on Jul 20, 2018 19:10:57 GMT
Instructor Mason motions for Clay to lead the way.
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jul 22, 2018 18:05:36 GMT
"Leading the way" does still involve hiking to the other side of the mountain, so he'll set off with whoever wants to follow him. He's angling for a particular landmark - a stand of trees near a large standing rock, close to the base of the mountain on the southwest side that was right on the edge of the Blazing Tree troop's territory when he left. As they approach, Clay motions for the other humans to hang back for a moment while he and Fan advance and give an old identification call - "we're from the troop, please don't set us on fire". The importance of announcing their presence to allies was drilled into all the youngsters, especially Clay, considering that he's more flammable than most of the troop.
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Post by Raven on Jul 22, 2018 18:20:44 GMT
There seems to be some confusion among the Fighties when Clay starts making monkey noises, but the Troop definitely remembers that voice. Seems they've decided to play a prank on him, as moments after he announces himself, globs of flaming mud are hurled at him from all directions. Fan seems to have predicted this event, as she has made sure to be well out of the line of fire. After wiping the mud from his eyes, Clay sees half a dozen grinning Monferno/Infernape come out from their hiding spots.
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jul 24, 2018 17:12:41 GMT
Clay ducks most of the mud, enough that he's only muddy and a little singed rather than, you know, on fire. Hopefully the fact that he's laughing will prevent the other humans from overreacting. He holds up a hand, just to make sure. "It's okay, it's okay. This is somebody's idea of a joke."
"What a way to welcome a guy back." This is the problem with being taller than most Infernape, never mind Monferno - he's a relatively easy target. He shakes some of the mud off as he lopes forward to greet them. "How are things here?"
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Post by Raven on Jul 24, 2018 20:34:46 GMT
The 'welcome party' is glad to see him back, and indicate that things have been going pretty great. They comment on some weird 'chicken girl human' that came by a few weeks ago asking about him, and took off when they said he was in the big human area further south. They wonder if she ever found him and what she wanted. Oh, they also had a few skirmishes with the Mankey/Primeape tribe nearby recently. They think the Mankey tribe might be gearing up for a showdown (they do this every few years).
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jul 25, 2018 5:51:04 GMT
"The one with the big smashy thing? Yeah, I met her." Clay pulls a face. "She's kind of a jerk, I dunno if the chickens taught her that or if she's even worse at human-ing than me. I still owe her a rematch." Maybe he can do that while he's in the area. She said she'd be waiting at the peak... of course, that was a while ago now.
He gestures back at the Fighties behind him. "These guys are some of my human friends. They're all fighters like us; we're out here to train and they came with me when I came to see you guys. The big guy there -" He points at Instructor Mason. "He's in charge. He doesn't speak our language but he can understand a lot more than most humans. It's kind of like talking through your fighting spirit, or seeing feelings."
He sighs and rubs the back of his neck. "I also kinda want to talk to the elders so they know the humans'll be out here for a while, before we have a big deal about having all of 'em wandering into the territory or something."
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Post by Raven on Jul 25, 2018 7:14:46 GMT
Mason seems to have chosen to allow Clay time to 'announce' the Fighties, as it were, by distracting them with sparring practices and a short rest. A few of the welcome party resume their duties as sentry while the rest walk with Clay to see the elders. It hasn't been that long since Clay initially left the tribe, and Pokemon 'settlements' do not change so often as human ones might, so not much has changed. There are noticeably more young Chimchar running and climbing about the area, so it must have been mating season recently. A few of them stop to gawk at Clay, having never seen a human enter here before (except maybe the chicken girl), but most only offer him a passing glance as they continue about their play. Minutes later, Clay reaches the particular shelter-cave where the elders typically hang out.
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jul 27, 2018 4:06:18 GMT
Clay waves at the Chimchar with a bright (close-lipped, of course) smile as he passes, but when he's led to the elders' cave he lowers his head to step into their presence, showing deference. He's not exactly here to challenge one of them for their place right now, after all. He bows to them and doesn't look up until they've acknowledged his presence - even then he doesn't look any of them in particular in the eyes.
"Hello, honored elders. I'm back. There's... a lot I need to talk to you all about."
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Post by Raven on Jul 27, 2018 4:19:57 GMT
The elders acknowledge Clay's presence and motion for him to say what he needs to say.
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