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Post by Raven on Sept 2, 2017 0:02:29 GMT
Sorra nods. Whether she realizes you're being somewhat deceptive or not, she doesn't press the issue. "Well, I'm here now if you want to ask your questions."
Holly seems to calm slightly at your touch, though she blushes when she realizes the others are nude as well. She seems to be resisting the urge to clutch her sword hilt, as it may be perceived as a threatening gesture. She glances furtively at you.
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Nov 23, 2023 19:11:09 GMT
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Post by lichlord on Sept 2, 2017 1:39:43 GMT
Rei smiles at Holly and gives her a reassuring look. She then turns to the two.
"OK then! First I did want to say I managed to get my own steel type, I wasn't sure it was required but I felt I could represent the branch better that way. But my main question is thus: What do you need of me right now? I know I'm still training, but you did tell me when I joined there would be training sessions and the like. It seems like that was dropped a bit after the first initial test with your squire there."
Rei gesture over to her.
"I'm not saying I need anything but it feels like I may have been let off easier than other Steel Branch members would have been. And I'd like to think I can do better."
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Post by Raven on Sept 2, 2017 2:06:18 GMT
"You found a Steel Type Pokemon on your own? Impressive! What did you find?" She listens as you express concern about being 'let off easy'.
"Well, considering how often you and your friends are off exploring, I figured that would be enough for you. Especially if you went into the Lavender Swamp again. If you want some more 'hands-on' training though, I can certainly arrange that. In fact, I've been meaning to have you and Maya get to know one another better by sending you on missions together. Think you can manage that? I don't have any off the top of my head, but I can certainly find a few missions for you two to go on when we're finished here."
She glances at Maya, who scoffs. "Yes, ma'am. I'll take her into the field with me if you insist."
Sorra smiles. "Excellent. Then it's settled. Whenever you have the time, Rei, come see me in my room." With this, Sorra gets up, wrapping herself in a towel and roughly dragging a second towel across her short-cropped hair, waving farewell as she exits the room.
Maya lays back with a sigh. "Ugh. Being a Squire is really obnoxious sometimes. 'Maya, do this. Maya, you're not drilling hard enough! Maya, don't rely so much on your bow!' It's like she thinks all Knights and Prospective Knights (like me) have to carry and wield only a sword and shield, wearing heavy armor. There are other types of combat, you know!" She looks at you. "You understand, right, Rei? You don't wear armor at all, let alone carry a weapon. Even if you're not a Squire like me."
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Post by lichlord on Sept 2, 2017 2:31:27 GMT
Rei beams a bit as she's complimented by Miss Shields.
"I didn't actually find it, at least not as a steel type. It was a bug at first and not even mine!"
Rei goes on to tell the mini-tale of finding Sheru and then the armor-swap incident that got her Alligapod. She then nods in agreement to the hands-on training.
"Yes, of course Miss Shields, we will meet later."
She turns to Maya as the squire complains a bit about her situation.
"Oh! Well I 'do' in fact have a weapon of my own, but I don't really ever need to use it. You are right about the armor, however. And about the rules of battle. One should find a style they are comfortable with, and stick with it. Learn everything they can about it. If your strategy is to use bows, then you should be able to continue at it. Become an expert, know how your role in battle is down to a tee. If anything, if all knights had to use swords and shields and that's it, whats stopping an enemy from using weapons and abilities that swords and shields do nothing against?"
Rei begins to walk in and puts her stuff down in a drier place of the room.
"If anything, the prospect of doing a mission with you is exciting! I'm going to look forward to it!"
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Post by Raven on Sept 2, 2017 3:49:20 GMT
Maya smiles. "I thought you'd understand. I think Lady Shields is a bit too set in her one style of combat. Granted, she has her Pokemon to back her up at range as needed, and I've yet to see her lose a direct fight, but I'm not sure she's such a great teacher sometimes; unless you happen to be looking to learn how to wield sword and shield in tandem, that is. Then again, I swear I've seen her deflect or block blows that she shouldn't have been able to react to in time. It's crazy how skilled she is."
She goes on to describe one such incident that occurred during a sparring match. She was certain that her Trapinch (the big-jaw thing you saw in your match against her) and Axew had Lady Sorra's sword and shield hands occupied while she lined up a shot to end the match. Just as she looses the arrow, Sorra's shield arm suddenly whips around to block the arrow entirely, seeming to do no damage whatsoever. While she managed to whittle the Knight down eventually by playing keep away, securing the victory, it was still a crazy block that she's sure should have ripped Sorra's arm out of its socket, or pulled a muscle or something. (She's referring to the move Protect.)
While Maya is talking, Holly has been hovering by your side the entire time, seemingly unsure what to make of your (other) new boisterous companion.
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Post by lichlord on Sept 2, 2017 4:13:16 GMT
Rei laughs.
"Trust me when I say I know that feeling. I've had many people question if I have human skin or not after taking hits I normally shouldn't have. But you'll see when we head out together later, I'm sure. I'll let you have some time to relax by yourself. By the sounds of it Miss Shields doesn't quite let you out of her sight."
Unless Maya would protest, Rei leads Holly to one of the nearby baths, and looks to her.
"Ok so I'll be in that one over there, to give you some privacy, ok? There's some soap here to lather yourself and your hair up, but just go ahead and soak yourself first, and relax."
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Post by Raven on Sept 2, 2017 4:21:01 GMT
Maya seems more than content to just soak by herself awhile. Holly, naturally, has no idea what 'soap' is, let alone what Rei expects her to do. Okay, so she understands 'soak' to mean 'sit in the water for awhile', but that's about as far as her understanding goes.
"Uhm.. what do you mean? I've never done this before..." she whispers to you, embarrassed.
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Post by lichlord on Sept 2, 2017 4:53:16 GMT
Rei turns back around, and thinks for a moment.
This is hard.
Rei grabs the soap, dips in the water, and shows her how to lather up soap. Both in her hands and up against her body. She leans in for a whisper of her own.
"It's for cleaning. It'll get all that dirt off of your skin and out of your hair. Trust me, you'll like it. You do what I showed you on your body, and then you do like I showed you in the hands, and rub the bubbles into your hair like this."
Rei faux lathers her hair to show Holly.
"Don't worry if it feels weird or if you think you arent doing it right, honestly if you at least rinse yourself in the water it'll help."
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Post by Raven on Sept 2, 2017 5:10:25 GMT
"Oh, okay." She removes her borrowed clothes and carefully dips a foot into the water. She eeps when she realizes how warm it is, then settles down into it. You half expect the water to turn brown and muddy the moment she settles in, but it actually takes her working at it with the soap to achieve this effect. Naturally her Honedge is leaning against the nearby wall, watching everything unblinkingly. If you weren't used to it by now, it might be a tad unnerving. As you climb into a nearby bath to take care of yourself, you watch with mild interest as Holly's goes from clear, to murky, to almost completely filled with mud and dirt. Even Maya has taken notice, based on her shocked expression. Holly seems fixated on cleaning just now and doesn't notice. By the time she's finished, she looks almost entirely different.
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Post by lichlord on Sept 2, 2017 5:41:22 GMT
Oh my. Well... maybe D'mara won't be able to recognize her this way!
Rei just soaks and relaxes a while as Holly cleans up, hoping Maya doesn't ask odd questions. She seems unnaturally tired, having just started the day. Trying to take care of someone who doesn't know how to be a person is hard work.
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Post by Raven on Sept 2, 2017 5:55:40 GMT
As Holly finishes and gets up, her foot slips on the slick stone tiles, causing her to go tumbling into Rei's pool and lands squarely in her lap, as if by magic. She turns bright red as she looks up at you. Maya merely snickers, clearly enjoying this scenario that is so awkward for you and Holly.
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Post by lichlord on Sept 2, 2017 6:05:55 GMT
"Eeep!"
As Rei processes what just happened, she looks away from the vulnerable Holly while throwing a hand over herself, now that the water-level dropped 'as if by magic'. She blushes brightly, but manages to scramble and get a towel and holds it to Holly.
"It's ok Holly, it's fine. Here."
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Post by Raven on Sept 2, 2017 6:13:59 GMT
Maya still has a grin plastered on her face even as she casually looks away for modesty's sake. Holly quickly takes the towel and hugs it to her chest, obviously not understanding you're supposed to wrap it around yourself to dry off.
"S-sorry.. I slipped..."
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Post by lichlord on Sept 2, 2017 6:16:16 GMT
"It's ok. Now use that towel I gave you and wrap it around yourself and dry off and we'll go back, ok?"
Rei shoots Maya an 'Are you serious?' look, before kind of regretting getting excited over working with her.
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Post by Raven on Sept 2, 2017 6:21:06 GMT
Maya just shrugs, suggesting that she doesn't understand why you're upset. Clearly your friend is fine, and you can't deny the comedic effect of how she landed perfectly in your lap. Hell, maybe Maya thinks this was all done on purpose. It's way too perfect to be coincidental, right?
Holly manages to wrap the towel around herself, hair still dripping all over the place (not that it makes much impact compared to that splash a moment ago). With the wet towel wrapped around her body, you can see even more clearly how skinny and underfed she looks, among other things.
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Post by lichlord on Sept 2, 2017 6:28:52 GMT
Rei grabs another towel and wraps it around herself and stands, noting the almost wispy frame of Holly, and mentally makes a note that she'll have to make sure Holly keeps getting fed, but not to go overboard, too much too quick might wreck her body's systems. She steps out, and in a very un-Rei like move, she sticks her tongue out at Maya and makes a face before laughing the whole thing off and saying she'll see her later. She goes over to Holly.
"You alright? Lets dry up and head back, ok?"
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Post by Raven on Sept 2, 2017 6:32:37 GMT
"O-okay.." She follows after you, Honedge temporarily reattaching to her wrist for ease of transport. Maya just waves goodbye as she, too, begins to pull herself out of the water.
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Post by lichlord on Sept 2, 2017 6:40:38 GMT
They both quickly dry off, dress (I hope), and head back to Rei's room. Rei sits on the bed, and looks at the now-clean Holly. It's like a totally different person.
"So, how do you feel? After the bath I mean. Not the slipping. With how clean you look I'd assume it's pretty good!"
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Post by Raven on Sept 2, 2017 6:45:30 GMT
Holly is currently examining herself, almost like she had forgotten what she looked like not caked in dirt/mud.
"I feel.. lighter?" She runs her hands along her blue hair, blushing a little. "I forgot my hair was blue, actually. It's looked brown for so long. Do you...like it?"
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Post by lichlord on Sept 2, 2017 6:54:31 GMT
Rei giggles at the first comment.
"I bet without half the swamp on you, you would! I'm glad I could help there."
When Holly asks if she likes it, Rei blinks a few times.
"Oh umm, yeah! I think it's a really pretty shade of blue."
She looks to the Honedge and back, and notices how the 'hybrid' similarities are taking shape now that they are actually 'visible'.
"If you like to have your hair the old way, well then that's an excuse to keep up cleaning, isn't it!"
Rei smiles big, with the smallest bit of 'gotcha' smugness.
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