Right, updated the dramatis personae with the new info you have on Melati and other trainers + what you know of their teams (which considering they're all very much in the public eye happens to be almost every main mon of theirs). Also added all their entrance themes for competitive matches, because it seemed like a silly thing to do and I wanted to relax.
I have to say @ReverendSwing all the work you've done on the themes and mechanics of this quest are incredibly impressive to me. All the trainer profiles you've shown off this chapter were really interesting and you've clearly put a lot of work into them.
Thank you ! To be quite honest, this is all cheating a bit because I first had the idea for this particular take on the pokemon world in... 2015/16 I think ? Either way a while back, and while the story I wanted to tell within that world went through quite a few iterations before I dropped it and decided to bring it back for a quest, all the years of on-and-off prep work I did for it were there already. It's why I have so much of the materials for worldbuilding already prepped.
Fun fact: the original story plot for this take on the pokemon world had a younger Simon Beauchat as the protagonist, in an alternate universe where the temper issues you didn't get to see by choosing another mentor led him to quit Training for a while and focus on his academic career. After a mid-life crisis because he's utterly miserable and facing the looming prospect of unemployment post-PhD, he decides to give a final try to the whole training thing, a last hurrah of sorts where he fixes himself a goal : earn all 8 Johto badges and qualify the Silver Conference within the space of a year, proving he and his team of misfit Normal-types really have what it takes.
He was going to team up with a fresh film school graduate who quits his unsatisfying TV job to help bankroll the whole thing, on the condition that he gets to film it all and make a documentary about it, a closer-to-reality more down-to-Earth take on the heavily sanitised and tired pokemon journey biopic genre. They were going to have this sort of buddy-cop movie dynamic to them, and the story would have focused much more on what a Trainer's day-to-day life is like, and on all the preparation that goes into each Gym Battle, since they bring their A-team all the time - on top of them getting over their respective hangups. I never managed to find the right tone I wanted for it though, so I reworked the idea several times until eventually I gave up on it.
I'm not too fond of the first option. Version A reinforces an aspect Joan is rather frustrated with, so I don't see him choosing to seek it out in his pokemon purposefully (I mean, we did just go through a chapter where he was hoping to one day get a manlier physique) and version B is living vicariously through his pokemon in a way that strikes me as potentially problematic.
I'm responding to this because it was the last one with this, but just thought I'd mention - y'all picked the Soft Boi archetype, and so I just thought I'd point out that no matter how much Joan wishes otherwise you're never going to get a traditionally manly physique. At this point, he's 21 and has been physically fit and active for most of his life, yet never lost that softness - it's a lost cause.
Also since I have this comment quoted, I'll point out that a fair amount of Trainers (as demonstrated by Melati herself in the first place) absolutely live vicariously through their pokemon. Plenty of Themes are about reaching for something you couldn't on your own - whether that's healthy or not is down to how you approach and handle that.
[X] It feels like a natural consequence. - Nobody seems to question the trainer's bond when it affects the pokemon, so it only seems fair that it takes effect the other way around as well. If a trainer doesn't want to be more like their pokemon, they probably shouldn't have added them to their team in the first place.
[X][Stick in the Centre] Your legs are killing you, you have some reading with you and if nothing else you didn't miss the hopeful look that Joy sent you when she heard you had no plans — you might as well stick around and save her from her boredom. You don't think there's such a thing as a Joy that's a bad conversationalist, and if there's one thing that will never not be useful as a Trainer it's fostering good relations with the nurses — it's well-known that their gossip network might be one of the better ones in the world.
[X][All About that Life] In some way, you've already reached your goal — to be a Trainer. Not that you lack ambition ; rather, you didn't care about recognition or accolades, so long as you can carry on working to become the best you could be whilst living the Trainer life.
[X][Explorer] Who cares about the things you could be doing in the known parts of the world, when there's so much to discover still ? Sure, satellite imagery has ruined some of the magic, but there's still plenty of areas that haven't been actually explored even if the world now knows what they look like.
[X] It feels like a natural consequence. - Nobody seems to question the trainer's bond when it affects the pokemon, so it only seems fair that it takes effect the other way around as well. If a trainer doesn't want to be more like their pokemon, they probably shouldn't have added them to their team in the first place.
[X][Go to the Shrine] Accompany Melati to the Silver Feather Shrine, you didn't get that degree because you were incurious when it comes to myths and legends ! That said, you know for a fact the shrine has been abandoned by its patron deity, and it's hardly reputed for having riches beyond imagination or even anything particularly interesting aside from its titular feather.
[X][Explorer] Who cares about the things you could be doing in the known parts of the world, when there's so much to discover still ? Sure, satellite imagery has ruined some of the magic, but there's still plenty of areas that haven't been actually explored even if the world now knows what they look like.
[X] It feels like a natural consequence. - Nobody seems to question the trainer's bond when it affects the pokemon, so it only seems fair that it takes effect the other way around as well. If a trainer doesn't want to be more like their pokemon, they probably shouldn't have added them to their team in the first place.
[X][Go to the Shrine] Accompany Melati to the Silver Feather Shrine, you didn't get that degree because you were incurious when it comes to myths and legends ! That said, you know for a fact the shrine has been abandoned by its patron deity, and it's hardly reputed for having riches beyond imagination or even anything particularly interesting aside from its titular feather.
[X][All About that Life] In some way, you've already reached your goal — to be a Trainer. Not that you lack ambition ; rather, you didn't care about recognition or accolades, so long as you can carry on working to become the best you could be whilst living the Trainer life.
[X][Explorer] Who cares about the things you could be doing in the known parts of the world, when there's so much to discover still ? Sure, satellite imagery has ruined some of the magic, but there's still plenty of areas that haven't been actually explored even if the world now knows what they look like.
[X][Stick in the Centre] Your legs are killing you, you have some reading with you and if nothing else you didn't miss the hopeful look that Joy sent you when she heard you had no plans — you might as well stick around and save her from her boredom. You don't think there's such a thing as a Joy that's a bad conversationalist, and if there's one thing that will never not be useful as a Trainer it's fostering good relations with the nurses — it's well-known that their gossip network might be one of the better ones in the world.
[X] It feels like a natural consequence. - Nobody seems to question the trainer's bond when it affects the pokemon, so it only seems fair that it takes effect the other way around as well. If a trainer doesn't want to be more like their pokemon, they probably shouldn't have added them to their team in the first place.
[X][Explorer] Who cares about the things you could be doing in the known parts of the world, when there's so much to discover still ? Sure, satellite imagery has ruined some of the magic, but there's still plenty of areas that haven't been actually explored even if the world now knows what they look like.
[x][Write-in] Relieved. Now knowing more about the differences regarding an academy pokemon and a Trainer's pokemon along with a Named pokemon, you can't help but feel assured in the knowledge that you won't be left behind the more your team develops. You can GROW with them as well. Become closer and share in their strengths as well. You can't help but wonder why this knowledge isn't more widely known.
[X][Stick in the Centre] Your legs are killing you, you have some reading with you and if nothing else you didn't miss the hopeful look that Joy sent you when she heard you had no plans — you might as well stick around and save her from her boredom. You don't think there's such a thing as a Joy that's a bad conversationalist, and if there's one thing that will never not be useful as a Trainer it's fostering good relations with the nurses — it's well-known that their gossip network might be one of the better ones in the world.
I think the best way to standardize votes in future is probably to make them shorter - stick with a word or phrase as the vote name, have explanations on a separate paragraph. And/or figure out how some quests make vote options (including up-to-date write-ins) appear in the comment options alongside 'new tally'. But take this with a grain of salt as I am pretty new to SV.
Anyway, here's my ideas of where Joan could go theme-wise, crammed into one post because I just got here:
It's now clear that theme is based on aspirations, common goals you have with your pokemon. Reminds me of the palisman adoption scene from The Owl House - unless you know what you want and have a clear sincerity and drive to get it, no wild palisman pokemon will accept you as a worthy partner.
The vote for how Joan felt about Casseopeia came up with "Aspiration", which to paraphrase meant "You want to be like a Named Wild Pokemon: powerful, influential, and respected." Second place (with like half as many votes) was "Frisson", basically "Totally cool and unexpected; can't wait to find out what we'll discover next!"
Before that, the vote about Bugsy's training methods came up "Wariness" with "Revulsion" a pretty close second. So the thread overwhelmingly valued a positive Trainer-Mon bond, although most people thought that it was the method that was the issue, not necessarily the grind/push for efficiency itself.
Combining the vote winners with the Soft Boi aesthetic and Joan's dislike of not being taken seriously, we get something like
"You want to work together with Pokemon who are true team members and friends, not just subordinates, to become so powerful that people know at a glance that you are someone to respect."
But that's pretty generic Protagonist Trainer/The Very Best, so I like the idea of mixing in some of the other established details and second-place votes to make something with a little more pizzaz. Mythology degree + Frisson + Explorer (not voted for yet but obviously I'm gunning for it) could modify the above statement of intent to something more like
"Excited that Pokemon social dynamics are much more complex than you've been taught, you want to learn everything there is to know about them. You aspire to travel the world with Pokemon who have similar drive and passion, forming a team of loremaster ambassadors who will become renowned among humans and Pokemon alike. With worldwide social connections, you'll be the one everyone calls to solve the really interesting problems."
I imagine this could translate to a team of socially-themed Pokemon with traits for ambition or enthusiam, or energetic-themed Pokemon with traits for socialization and synergy. Herd Pokemon, Pokemon from species known to be friendly to humans, Pokemon from species known to be friendly to other Pokemon, Migratory Pokemon could all fit the goal/theme. Can build off "Pillar of the Community" theme previously suggested by Psuedo Nym:
[snip]
...Family Mon, you know Mom-Friends, Papas, Good Eggs, the kind of Pokemon people dismiss because every civilian family has at least one acting as a HouseMon, this is what I propose our theme be. Now I know what your thinking, what's already been written about Joan clearly shows he hates HouseMon and can barely work with domestically bred Pokemon, as rebuttal I point to the fact he could tell that his families Houndoom had a spark of Wildness a few generations back and his general unease about Bugsy's Trainer-first methodology to propose that Joan doesn't hate Housemon he hates the wasted potential of a Pokemon that can only follow orders rather than help lead their allies to greater heights.
[snip]
As an added bonus this is one of the few proposed themes that is weighted towards some pokemon while still being able to have individual Pokemon fall into our theme, for example Nido"Queen don't need no man" and her progeny fall into our theme by nature of not being that far removed from what a Wild Nido usually is while "Steelix Mom whose got it going on" is unusually Mom-like for her line and probably has a few kids who have inherited that constructive rather than destructive instinct, meanwhile the "Rage Dragon" is even more opposed to this proposed aesthetic than the average Gyrados and should be avoided if possible. Though for those that still want to thumb their noses at the Dragon Clan we can always pick up a Dreepy once we've established ourselves, they're like Kangaskan but they don't need a Mega Stone to weaponize their Child Care.
Which leads to my next point, we're still developing a training style and we know that it will take a while to perfect so I propose a rather unique methodology based on the fact that we know Pokemon don't think like humans and if we follow my first proposal we'd be working with Pokemon for whom Child Rearing is highly important so why not use an Inhuman perspective by training our Pokemon so they can help train each other as a sort of "we all lift together" approach (I hear you like training Pokemon so I trained your Mon to train your Mon so they can train your Mon while your training mon)
Also, while a lot of people have proposed themes that I find intriguing their is a distinct lack of epithets being proposed, my contribution for my own proposal would be "Pillar of the Community" Joan.
Any pokemon that can naturally be found in large groups in the wild whether they be herds, packs, flocks, or swarms, though with the added caveat that the "tribe" can't be too insular think Butterfree not Beedrill and a "tribal" Dragon like Jangmo'o would be stretching our theme near to the breaking point do to their sheer competitiveness even if the whole Dragon thing didn't risk pissing off the Clan unnecessarily. It is also important to note that not all FamilyMon are always found in human families, this theme would also include Kangaskan and even Passimion if you wanted something exotic, but CommunityMon doesn't have the same ring to it.
I wouldn't characterize Mimikyu as a pokemon that prefers solitude so much as one that seeks out communities to bond with rather than having a native one, our team could also have the occasional misunderstood Seeker(rather than Loner) like Absol or aforesaid Mimikyu, or a freindship evolution like Crobat or even a sufficiently friendly Hisuan Zoroark that isn't necessarily thought of as traditionally family like. though to be honest I'm not sure if I'm stretching the theme too far, or if a certain amount of elasticity is expected of a good theme, any comments on that ReverendSwing
I will also note that – although it's a little short-term in regards to goals now that we know what Themes are supposed to be – I kind of love the "Forbidden Hug" theme.
That kind of brings me back to needing something to tie the team together beyond just them being fluffy. The water repellent fur somewhat lends itself to tying in with mareep's rubbery skin for something along the lines of "good at countering its own element" but even then something with Water Absorb/Storm Drain would be vastly superior, just as a Lightning Rod pokemon would beat out an ampharos's rubbery skin.
Thinking about it myself for a bit, the best way I can think of to tie-in a fluffy theme with an actual training regiment would be going with contact related qualities. So, mareep using the electricity stored in its wool to trigger the static ability, something Marigold would be great at between Battery and Charge and seemed like she might enjoy when the wingul crashed into her. Likewise we get beware and wooloo using their fluffiness to reduce the damage of contact moves and the likes of wigglytuff gets their cute charm ability from having fur so soft that their opponents just lose themselves in wanting to pet them.
There's some wiggle room like "does ponyta's fire mane qualify as fluff" or "Is a jellicent's seafoam mustache thingy actually fluffy," but in general I think it manages to do a pretty good job of combining the asthetic theme of being fluffy with a practical aplication we can train our pokemons for. Moving the focus to on contact effects also means that Marigold will still perfectly fit into the theme during the awkward ampharos teenage phase where she sheds most of her fur, but hasn't achived mega evolution yet to regrow it.
They think we're weak because we look cute and soft? Then so be it!
Cuddling itself shall be our weapon!
Maybe. Possibly. I'm not entirely sold on a singular theme yet.
[X] It feels like a natural consequence. - Nobody seems to question the trainer's bond when it affects the pokemon, so it only seems fair that it takes effect the other way around as well. If a trainer doesn't want to be more like their pokemon, they probably shouldn't have added them to their team in the first place.
[X][Stick in the Centre] Your legs are killing you, you have some reading with you and if nothing else you didn't miss the hopeful look that Joy sent you when she heard you had no plans — you might as well stick around and save her from her boredom. You don't think there's such a thing as a Joy that's a bad conversationalist, and if there's one thing that will never not be useful as a Trainer it's fostering good relations with the nurses — it's well-known that their gossip network might be one of the better ones in the world.
[X][Trainer to the Stars] Your personal fascination has always lied more in all the myriad ways you can train up a pokemon, rather than what you'd actually do once it gets there. You'd love nothing more than to be one of those Trainers who gets hired for interesting training jobs by the rich and famous, and see the pokemon you raised flourish all over the place.
Also since I have this comment quoted, I'll point out that a fair amount of Trainers (as demonstrated by Melati herself in the first place) absolutely live vicariously through their pokemon. Plenty of Themes are about reaching for something you couldn't on your own - whether that's healthy or not is down to how you approach and handle that.
I'd agree there. There's a reason I said the pitch was doing it in a way I find problematic and that mostly boils down to playing into Joan's complex about having/wanting to grow out of being a soft boi and become more manly. Tying it to the natural process of evolution is a lot better than a more general toughening them up, but either way I don't really want to risk passing on his issues to his pokemon. (Well that and for as much as I think going all in with cute doesn't make sense with his character as written, at least not until he gets some character development that shifts him to being more comfortable with his own softness, I still like him being a soft boi. That's to say I don't exactly want to reinforce his current mentality within himself either.)
I will also note that – although it's a little short-term in regards to goals now that we know what Themes are supposed to be – I kind of love the "Forbidden Hug" theme.
I admit, part of that pitch was played up for comedic effect, but there's still something decent at its core. Mostly the fact that fighting with hugs ultimately is pretty similar to wrestling, so it lets Joan build on his positive experience with the nido jocks, while still staying close to his soft boi roots. Although it's somewhat arguable if it's more in character to start out with that thought in mind, or if it'd be more natural for him to start out aiming for a more manly wrestling style theme and then embrace the cuddle monsters (that's actually a pretty good tagline) as he grows more comfortable with himself.
That aside, I can see the social angle for a theme working, but I think I'll hold off until after the trainer goal vote is over to say what exact spin I'd prefer to go with it.
[X][Explorer] Who cares about the things you could be doing in the known parts of the world, when there's so much to discover still ? Sure, satellite imagery has ruined some of the magic, but there's still plenty of areas that haven't been actually explored even if the world now knows what they look like.
[X] It feels like a natural consequence. - Nobody seems to question the trainer's bond when it affects the pokemon, so it only seems fair that it takes effect the other way around as well. If a trainer doesn't want to be more like their pokemon, they probably shouldn't have added them to their team in the first place.
[X][Go to the Shrine] Accompany Melati to the Silver Feather Shrine, you didn't get that degree because you were incurious when it comes to myths and legends ! That said, you know for a fact the shrine has been abandoned by its patron deity, and it's hardly reputed for having riches beyond imagination or even anything particularly interesting aside from its titular feather
Explorer seems like the most interesting option to me. I also like the theme concept presented by @RiparianCryptid that hooks into it, as it's more unique than the Cute to Tough idea. It also presents a possibile opportunity to catch some of the strange Ruin related Pokémon I like such as Claydol or Sigilygh.
I've also got something I've been meaning to ask since I originally happened across this quest a couple of weeks ago. (I waited to ask since there were a decent amount of similar questions being asked at the time.) How difficult would it be for Joan to obtain a Porygon? My guess would be that it'd mainly just be quite expensive if you just wanted a Porygon. But finding one of a similar caliber to a good wild born natural pokemon would be pretty difficult, probably needing to source one from someone like a Professor or Bill. The whole background of Porygon in general in this world seems like it'd be pretty interesting, considering how different they are from most pokemon.
Well that and for as much as I think going all in with cute doesn't make sense with his character as written, at least not until he gets some character development that shifts him to being more comfortable with his own softness, I still like him being a soft boi. That's to say I don't exactly want to reinforce his current mentality within himself either.)
I mean, that IS what I'm aiming for when talking about Fluffiness being his theme. As our lord and savior ReverendSwing said, we are a SoftBoi, and that isn't going to change. The sooner we accept that, the better. Ideally, we'd find a Named Pokemon that's the epitome of cuteness and see that it is possible to be cute AND respected, but there's also lots of other ways we could end up with the fluffiness theme, and the character growth I'm going for.
We could capture Pokémon without a theme in mind (In Character), and whoops! All fluffy. Which would leas us to accept that our Pokémon themselves, and the bonds we made along the way, are more important than however people perceive us.
We could have people approaching us more than more intimidating Trainers like Marnie, enjoy helping them, and end up accepting that us not being intimidating isn't a personal failing, and that it's even somewhat beneficial, because we genuinely enjoy being nice to people, and all the adventures than come with it.
We could even remember our dream, witch wasn't related to the respect we got from others, or how intimidating we are, and realize having self-respect and the respect of out friends is more important than what others think.
Like, we could also just lean into being a Soft Boi, and using that to our advantage in bonding with people and Pokémon! And that's me just brainstorming!
I just want Joan to accept himself as he is, and be happy with himself.
[X][Explorer] Who cares about the things you could be doing in the known parts of the world, when there's so much to discover still ? Sure, satellite imagery has ruined some of the magic, but there's still plenty of areas that haven't been actually explored even if the world now knows what they look like.
[X][Stick in the Centre] Your legs are killing you, you have some reading with you and if nothing else you didn't miss the hopeful look that Joy sent you when she heard you had no plans — you might as well stick around and save her from her boredom. You don't think there's such a thing as a Joy that's a bad conversationalist, and if there's one thing that will never not be useful as a Trainer it's fostering good relations with the nurses — it's well-known that their gossip network might be one of the better ones in the world.
[X] It feels like a natural consequence. - Nobody seems to question the trainer's bond when it affects the pokemon, so it only seems fair that it takes effect the other way around as well. If a trainer doesn't want to be more like their pokemon, they probably shouldn't have added them to their team in the first place.
[X][Explorer] Who cares about the things you could be doing in the known parts of the world, when there's so much to discover still ? Sure, satellite imagery has ruined some of the magic, but there's still plenty of areas that haven't been actually explored even if the world now knows what they look like.
[X] It feels like a natural consequence. - Nobody seems to question the trainer's bond when it affects the pokemon, so it only seems fair that it takes effect the other way around as well. If a trainer doesn't want to be more like their pokemon, they probably shouldn't have added them to their team in the first place.
[X][Go to the Shrine] Accompany Melati to the Silver Feather Shrine, you didn't get that degree because you were incurious when it comes to myths and legends ! That said, you know for a fact the shrine has been abandoned by its patron deity, and it's hardly reputed for having riches beyond imagination or even anything particularly interesting aside from its titular feather.
[X][Explorer] Who cares about the things you could be doing in the known parts of the world, when there's so much to discover still ? Sure, satellite imagery has ruined some of the magic, but there's still plenty of areas that haven't been actually explored even if the world now knows what they look like.
[X] It feels like a natural consequence. - Nobody seems to question the trainer's bond when it affects the pokemon, so it only seems fair that it takes effect the other way around as well. If a trainer doesn't want to be more like their pokemon, they probably shouldn't have added them to their team in the first place.
[X][Go to the Shrine] Accompany Melati to the Silver Feather Shrine, you didn't get that degree because you were incurious when it comes to myths and legends ! That said, you know for a fact the shrine has been abandoned by its patron deity, and it's hardly reputed for having riches beyond imagination or even anything particularly interesting aside from its titular feather.
Right, it looks like that's all she wrote for this particular vote, so I'll give it this final bump and notice. I'll be closing the vote in twelve hours' time, at 11am BST. Might not actually be there at that exact moment to close it, but any vote after that won't count.
Adhoc vote count started by Tobtorp on May 21, 2022 at 5:44 PM, finished with 76 posts and 37 votes.
[X] It feels like a natural consequence. - Nobody seems to question the trainer's bond when it affects the pokemon, so it only seems fair that it takes effect the other way around as well. If a trainer doesn't want to be more like their pokemon, they probably shouldn't have added them to their team in the first place.
[X][Explorer] Who cares about the things you could be doing in the known parts of the world, when there's so much to discover still ? Sure, satellite imagery has ruined some of the magic, but there's still plenty of areas that haven't been actually explored even if the world now knows what they look like.
[X][Stick in the Centre] Your legs are killing you, you have some reading with you and if nothing else you didn't miss the hopeful look that Joy sent you when she heard you had no plans — you might as well stick around and save her from her boredom. You don't think there's such a thing as a Joy that's a bad conversationalist, and if there's one thing that will never not be useful as a Trainer it's fostering good relations with the nurses — it's well-known that their gossip network might be one of the better ones in the world.
[X][Go to the Shrine] Accompany Melati to the Silver Feather Shrine, you didn't get that degree because you were incurious when it comes to myths and legends ! That said, you know for a fact the shrine has been abandoned by its patron deity, and it's hardly reputed for having riches beyond imagination or even anything particularly interesting aside from its titular feather.
[X][All About that Life] In some way, you've already reached your goal — to be a Trainer. Not that you lack ambition ; rather, you didn't care about recognition or accolades, so long as you can carry on working to become the best you could be whilst living the Trainer life.
[X] A little weird but also cool - knowing that Melati's inhuman snakeness is actually a bit inhuman is somewhat wierd... but also the idea of you and your pokemon bonding so much you become like each other is proof of how close you are.
[x][Write-in] Relieved. Now knowing more about the differences regarding an academy pokemon and a Trainer's pokemon along with a Named pokemon, you can't help but feel assured in the knowledge that you won't be left behind the more your team develops. You can GROW with them as well. Become closer and share in their strengths as well. You can't help but wonder why this knowledge isn't more widely known.
[X][Trainer to the Stars] Your personal fascination has always lied more in all the myriad ways you can train up a pokemon, rather than what you'd actually do once it gets there. You'd love nothing more than to be one of those Trainers who gets hired for interesting training jobs by the rich and famous, and see the pokemon you raised flourish all over the place.
[X][Intrigued but Wary] Having such a powerful bond with pokemon that they changes your own physiology is an incredible thing to consider. A bit nerve-wracking as well, but it's not the worst thing you could think of happening. But it also meant that you needed to be careful in selecting your core theme, as the psychological impact is far more unsettling to think of.
[X][Specialist] You didn't dream of becoming a Competitive Battler, because when it comes down to it, they're not what matters. They're not the ones that get remembered, by a few exceptional ones. That's the Gym Leaders, and above them the Elite Four — and they are the ones whose ranks you craved to join.
[X][Write-in] It feels fair. You are raising Marigold from the egg and you intend to be a core element in her life, if you shape her life, it's understandable she will leave a part of her in you. There is no need for powers to influence others, closeness is enough, your parents and your teachers have been a huge part of your life. If your pokemon leave their mark on you so you can live with them, then it's little different from most relationships.
[X][Write-In][The Path Less Traveled] You'd always been a little distant from your peers. You'd never clicked with the trainers who had left at the first chance, but you had always wanted to go on a journey unlike many of your associates in school. Now, after the story of that Rhydon, teaching Marigold what to do, in a manner that no other Electric type could, something just felt right about this. You are going to raise a team that defies convention, one that makes it's own unique way to the summit.
Right, sorry I wasn't around to formally close it. Looks like you'll be staying in the Centre and chatting with Nurse Joy, and that you plan on becoming an explorer later on. And that you're really not all that fussed about the trainer bond thing.
Honestly, I am glad Explorer won, cause there is simply so much neat stuff that exploration can bring us to, especially with all the Named pokemon and all the crazy new people we could meet. Although, in hindsight, maybe something focused solely around bonding with pokemon as its objective would have been awesome but idk.
Then again, I have always been a pokemon bonding nut, and I am already hooked on this story for it. Its also an amazing story as well, so thanks!
Well I lost track of this for longer than I'd care to admit. Really excited about theming though oddly fine with having missed the vote (I'm confident things will be interesting no matter how things end up and this isn't set in stone)
Now to flood the thread with evocative Theme names. The discussion has been interesting but very few people have actually named their theme in the new style (I intend to fix that)
Note: I intend to make (hopefully) evocative names for each proposal this isn't necessarily a show of support
Fluffy Theme "Awesome, cute, and fluffy!" A slight mangling of a quote from Lilo & Stitch "you're vile you're foul you're flawed" "also cute and fluffy" felt appropriate
Start Small Get Big Theme: "because it's just a pup"/"when the pup grows up" Gavrosh's famous quote from Les Mis keep vacillating between which part to use feel free to chime in
Carry a Big Stick Theme "occasionally a Zangoose" full line is "the trouble with small furry animals in a corner is, just occasionally one of them's a mongoose" used in a Discworld book to describe a cornered hippy who also happens to be a witch with repressed anger issues
Zoning Control Theme: " you're in my world now, not your world"/"I arranged the menu, the venue, the seating" vastly different sources but both should convey the message well
Partially Dragon Type Theme "where the falling Unknown meets the rising Aipom" quote from Discworld describing mankind as "where the falling angel meets the rising ape", not sure what Pokémon to use for each spot (suggestions welcome), also this theme may generalize to liminal Pokémon in general
Oddballs and Misfits Theme "if you get lost you can always be found" quote from the song Home alternate quote for this theme was "army of Thievuls and Garbodors" but I didn't want to lock us into specific mon
(My own) Family Mon Theme "the strength of the wolf is the pack" was originally going to have this be "we all lift together " but the irony of this theme with our starter was too much to pass up
Full Potential of Housemon Theme(also by me): "I answer the door I clean up the estate and I take out the trash" abridged quote of an Abridged series Hellsing Ultimate to be exact was workshopping something based on Izumi from FMA but couldn't quite get it to work help would again be appreciated
Slightly altered family Theme that incorporates mon created or highly affected by Civilization: "we live in a society" joker quote though in entirely different context
Forbidden Hugs Theme: "our good friend George" slightly altered Loony Toons quote reasoning should be obvious
Nascent Atypical Tactics Theme: "more than meets the eye" was originally going to be " you ain't never seen a Donphan fly" but on further thought that might limit us to a theme of using Pokémon that have no right to fly rather than just having Pokémon with weird tactics in general
So what does everyone think. I know I'm late to the party but hopefully I've contributed something worthwhile.
Haven't entirely worked out the specifics of what each theme means concretely and what the effects of having these various kinds of teams would have on us but those things can be worked out later and a lot of these themes seem like the kind of stuff that would make it easier to work with a variety of people and Mon rather than being arrogant or standoffish like your typical Dragon Trainer
-[X] It feels like a natural consequence. - Nobody seems to question the trainer's bond when it affects the pokemon, so it only seems fair that it takes effect the other way around as well. If a trainer doesn't want to be more like their pokemon, they probably shouldn't have added them to their team in the first place. -[X][Explorer] Who cares about the things you could be doing in the known parts of the world, when there's so much to discover still ? Sure, satellite imagery has ruined some of the magic, but there's still plenty of areas that haven't been actually explored even if the world now knows what they look like. -[X][Stick in the Centre] Your legs are killing you, you have some reading with you and if nothing else you didn't miss the hopeful look that Joy sent you when she heard you had no plans – you might as well stick around and save her from her boredom. You don't think there's such a thing as a Joy that's a bad conversationalist, and if there's one thing that will never not be useful as a Trainer it's fostering good relations with the nurses – it's well-known that their gossip network might be one of the better ones in the world.
Your inner mythology nerd debates for a moment the merits of going to check out the temple, but in the end you're forced to bow to a simple truth : you are well and truly knackered, and sitting down for the afternoon is the only choice your body will accept.
Well, perhaps that's a bit of an exaggeration — you could definitely push on a bit more, especially on a more chill walk, but you're definitely enthusiastic about the prospect of taking a small breather. Besides, Melati's understanding nod at your declaration makes it clear she's not particularly bothered, and the brief look of hope on Nurse Joy's face is as good a sign as any that at least someone approves your decision.
You quickly sort out when and where to meet back up — in case you feel like going out later, which seems unlikely but planning never hurt anyone — and Melati's off, looking a little annoyed. You guess she didn't particularly want to deal with whatever errand she needed to run.
You're wondering what it might have been as you head for the drinks vending machine, intent on something more refreshing than the glass of water you had for lunch, when a voice calls out to you as you rifle through your pockets looking for stray change.
"Don't bother, it's broken."
You turn around, and your disappointment must have been visible since the nurse smirks at you.
"Damn thing broke yesterday evening, and this Centre's too low priority for a high-speed Teleport chain. And of course since we're Saturday the replacement won't get flown in until Monday."
"… Wouldn't it be simpler to just get it fixed ?"
"Fourth time in six weeks it breaks. I've been asking to have it changed for a year now, and it's finally got through to central that at this point it was cheaper to get a new one," she explains in that achingly familiar tone of a middle manager who's just come out of a frustrating meeting with the higher ups, one you are more than familiar with from dealing with your own mother. "Now come over here."
She beckons you lazily with her hand, and you can't help but be surprised at how casual she's acting. Joys tend to be the very picture of forward-facing customer service, the kind that corporations make their employees roleplay as in training. Though then again, considering that you're still yet to see anyone enter despite having sat down for lunch here, you guess it's not like she needs to be on her best behaviour at all times.
Your impression of her more lackadaisical nature is very much confirmed when she invites you behind the counter, which you can't help but feel a weird sense of excitement about. How many people wondered what a Centre was like from this side of the desk ?
Unfortunately, the answer is, as these things tend to be, mostly disappointing. The only thing that makes this differ from any other reception counter at a clinic is the tasteful decor, and the family picture full of completely identical (to you) people.
Also the portable minibar Joy had apparently shoved a few cases to the side to tuck in there.
"Want a beer ?"
"… Should you be drinking at work ?"
"Eh, if the trend for today holds up no one's turning up before the end of my shift and it's only a single beer. It takes more than that to get me tipsy, and nothing's more refreshing in this weather anyway," she waves off, unconcerned. "besides, if my cousins in Kalos get to have wine at lunch I don't see the problem with this. What's your poison ?"
For a moment, you're tempted to point out you actually didn't say you wanted one, but you are parched and honestly it feels as though you should let yourself get swept up in the moment.
You take a quick peek in the fridge and are pleasantly surprised to find your pick.
"A Goya Dry, please."
"You from Hoenn ?" she inquires curiously, and even though her tone sounds blasé you can all but hear the desperate plea to engage in small talk.
"No, but my mother lived over there for a long while, and she converted me," you half-explain, not bothering to elaborate. "Surprised you have any in an improvised stash though."
"I just raided one of the beachfront drinks stalls for some of their extra stock, the owner owed me a favour," she replies, pulling out a can of beer of her own which she jubilantly cracks open before sprawling in her chair and draining a large gulp. "Ah, that hits the spot Nothing like a beer after a day's work."
You probably shouldn't say anything, but curse your parents for raising you into a halfway responsible person.
"Isn't it barely three ?"
"I mean, my shift started at seven thirty so really if you go by nine-to-five logic the day's almost over really," she offers, smirking at you.
"… Isn't nine-to-five a Galarian standard ? Also, when does your shift actually end ?"
"Well maybe I should move to Galar then. The receptionist's taking the night shift at seven thirty, so still over four hours of being stuck here."
All that time with Melati must be a bad influence on you, because you can feel the moment where you realise what you're saying might be ill-advised, and you do nothing to stop the words pouring from your lips as you smack them in appreciation at your beverage.
"You're pretty relaxed about your job, huh ?"
Luckily for you, she just snorts in response.
"You'd be too in my place. This stretch of the country's too large not to have a Centre somewhere, especially with some of the stuff that can ambush cocky trainers in Union Cave, but in practice barely anyone comes through here. It'll be a busy afternoon if anyone comes in during the next couple of hours. Honestly at this point we're more of a trainer hostel than a Centre."
"And that needs twelve hour shifts ?"
"Well normally no," she grumbles, taking another long swing out of her beer, "but one of my sisters over in Goldenrod had an accident and they figured that since the Goldenrod Centre is so much busier, we could lend our other staffer while she recovers. So me and Anna — that's the night shift receptionist — have been doing overtime to cover for it."
"Ah. And in the meantime, you're stuck with long shifts where nothing happens."
"Exactly !" she snaps her finger suddenly, startling you a little. "I've been so bored ! The most excitement we've had all week was an idiot panicking because Cassiopeia thrashed his team after he hunted on her turf. She barely gave them a few love taps, honestly, they were fine."
You try to find a way to answer that doesn't immediately betray how unsurprised you are at the news, hiding your hesitation behind another long sip of your beverage, but Joy sees through it almost immediately, suddenly narrowing her eyes at you in full focus.
"… Got the hell out of dodge when he went traipsing around, didn't you ?"
"What— well…" you begin to sputter, but she interrupts you with a snort.
"Ah, newbies are always a pleasure. Nah, don't worry, that was probably the right call. And don't worry, you haven't got that bad a poker face, I just know little miss Scaley is acquainted with Cassiopeia, and since she left Violet a week ago she had to have made a pit stop. Combined with your lack of curiosity…"
"Is my being new at this that obvious to everyone ?" you groan, which draws a small giggle out of her.
"You mean aside from the fact you had only one pokeball for me to give a quick checkup scan ?"
… Ah, yes, that did happen. You feel your cheeks redden in embarrassment, drawing another laugh from Joy.
"That aside, I know from my sisters Meriwether didn't leave Violet with company, meaning she picked you up on the road, and I don't recognise you or your description. Considering she's not exactly known for being much for company and doesn't really hang out with non-Trainers, figures she's taken someone under her coils."
"… Shouldn't it be under her wing ?"
"I know what I said," she smirks, drawing a snort out of you. "Speaking of, look alive !"
You barely have the time to look back up from your drink to see her pointing her phone at you, and the telltale sound of a camera shutter.
"There you go," she announces brightly, ignoring you dismay. "Joan Lana, right ? I remember your trainer card."
"What was that about ?"
"Feeding the grapevine, of course. We have to keep up to date with this stuff, and that— I mean, Meriwether training up something with legs is definitely news," she explains. "There… you… go ! Don't worry, it stays with my sisters, but it really helps to keep track of this stuff for us."
"That's fine, I guess, just… Can I please get a little warning next time ?"
"Eh, don't worry kid, it'll probably be years before we'd need to update our photo and at that point you lot have usually found a way to get your faces plastered all over the place already."
"Aren't you barely older than me ?" you bite out reflexively, the familiar annoyance at being condescended to rising to the fore.
Joy just stares at you flatly.
"If this is your attempt at a pick-up line by telling me I don't look a year over twenty I'm throwing you out."
"What ? No, I'm twenty-one !"
You see realisation dawn in her eyes, followed by a small awkward silence.
"… Ah. Well, shit. My bad," she sighed. "In my defence… Yeesh, alright, sore subject, I get it. You are barely younger than me. Most people start out younger, so I just figured you were one of them."
"It's fine," you grind out between gritted teeth. Objectively, it really was a fair assumption to make, you just wish this didn't happen every time. "… Do people really try those kind of lines ?"
You're immediately answered by a massive groan as her face collapses on the counter.
"Aaallll the time," she whines, what few dregs of her professional behaviour remained all gone now. "They told us in training it was going to happen, but you just can't be ready for the amount of horny idiots out there."
"Even here ?"
"Even here, and I'm still lucky compared to most of my sisters. Since this is a pretty small place, most of the locals know better by now, so I just have to deal with travellers and tourists. My sisters in Goldenrod, Celadon or Saffron need to rent out private booths whenever they go out just to have a little peace and quiet. Most of the time they even all have the same three pickup lines."
"That's… Damn. I mean, I knew that there were a lot of, well…"
You trail off, unsure of how to best finish that sentence, but Joy does it for you with another muffled groan that bluntly addresses the issue.
"Fetishists."
"Yeah, those," you carry on a little flustered, cheeks reddening, "but I didn't think so many people would be that… open, I guess ? About it."
Her head rises from her arms at last as she just gives you a tired look.
"Yeah, you would think so, wouldn't you ?" she drones. "And that's not even going into those who think we're all interchangeable."
"… I mean surely they can't imagine that's just fine, right ?" You're almost pleading at this point. "Like… sure, most pokemon tend to look similar but just because they're the same species you wouldn't assume they're exactly the same. N-not that I'm implying you and your sisters are like pokemon !"
Your stuttering is broken up by a frank laugh that at least seems to have put her out of her temporary funk.
"Don't worry, that's usually the explanation we give to idiots too."
There's a bit of an awkward pause, as you're not quite sure how to pick up from that, but luckily you don't have to, as she suddenly rises up from her slouch, drains down the rest of her can, crushes it in one hand and launches it behind her without looking.
It draws a near perfect arc, bounces off the wall and falls straight into the small bin there.
"Right, moving on !" she declares, before pausing to take a look behind her. "Sweet, nailed it. It's always awkward having to get up and put it in properly when you miss."
You are increasingly getting the feeling this particular Joy doesn't have any setting between zero and a hundred — her mood is swinging around fast enough you're getting actual whiplash.
"What's up with you then ? Bit of a late bloomer for heading out, aren't you ?" she invites you, leaning back into her chair as you imitate her in finishing your drink.
You let time pass as you chat easily. You actually found yourself enjoying Melati's company, but there's a certain relief to having a conversation with a human being whose every word you don't have to scrutinise carefully to make sure you haven't missed a hidden cue.
You tell her a bit about you, about your repeated delays in your departure as you let ourself constantly be pressured into waiting 'just a bit longer' every time, to be sure you had something to go back to if you failed to, until you couldn't take it anymore — about blowing basically all your years' worth of savings on Marigold, which she just nods at as though it were an obvious course of action (and you're beginning to realise you've stepped into a world where it very much is), randomly accosting Melati and asking her to help you out (which definitely draws a laugh out of her) and of your frustrations with all the often incomplete or outright erroneous knowledge you got from trainer school.
That last one gets knowing commiserations out of her, and in turn she's the one who starts spilling stories of overconfident trainers thinking they knew exactly what they were doing and getting humbled by wild pokemon, competitive trainers, random hikers and even terrain at times. You sort of thought it was just your alma mater's boasting, but apparently you were lucky in that Violet City Trainer Academy is arguably the best trainer school in the region, which says worrying things about what the others must be like.
This in turn leads the both of you to talk about the youth training scene, about the bad habits learned from using rental 'mons or pokemon you didn't train yourself and the both of you are surprised to realise you actually were known to the Joy gossip network. Well, known is a bit of a stretch, but as one of the better performers in your day on the school scene, they'd actually kept tabs on you, although they'd stopped after you left for university, assuming you'd given up on becoming a professional.
Tournaments on the school scene are exclusively done through rental teams, in order to make sure that money doesn't factor too much — there are youth tournaments where trainers can use their own teams, but those are reserved to the rich kids and to those who are about to see their dreams crash and burn for the most part — so it's not too uncommon that kids who enjoy battling give up on becoming serious trainers and/or battlers once they realise they'll have to put in actual time and effort into training.
You're also pleasantly surprised to see she has some files on some of your rivals from those days, the basic gist of which she doesn't mind sharing.
Relationship: Rival you guess ? You haven't seen him in years, but you definitely didn't get along great the last time you did.
Moniker: N/A Theme: Favours a more defensive tactical approach overall, but very much subscribed to the competitive theory of team building. Entrance theme for competitive matches: Centuries - Fall Out Boy. What a tool.
Appearance: With his stupid dyed blonde hair, you guess he'd be considered a sort of teen-movie-jock-lead attractive, or maybe in that trendy influencer kind of way. The quick mugshot you saw of him makes it clear that unlike you, he kept on growing, and he's definitely filled out more muscle since his more lanky days. But the barely contained nervous belligerence, the stubborn cast of his features, those haven't changed since your teenage years.
Unlike when you were both younger, though, he seems to carry himself with a bit more self-confidence. His boisterousness when you were kids reeked of quite a few insecurities, but the man in the picture definitely has more poise to him. It's probably just the picture though.
Bio: What's there to say ? Not like you really know his life. You must have been… twelve the first time you met ? Thereabouts, anyhow. He was a student at the Mahogany Town Trainer School, and someone you'd regularly meet on the regional school scene. He developed an at first one-sided hostile rivalry with you, as the luck of draw saw the two of you face a number of times in those early years, and actually saw you win all six of your first confrontations. Not because he lacked talent (you'll grudgingly admit he's got good battle instincts) but simply because he was too hot-headed and too rash to overcome your calmer approach.
You never thought much of him aside from being a familiar face until you both hit fifteen or thereabouts, and growing up and experience brought him a certain level-headedness that saw him actually even up your confrontations and (loathe as you are to admit it) eventually edge them out by the time you were finishing up school. Being in that weird spot where he carried a fair bit of negative baggage about you but still respected you as one of his few peers in your age category, his interactions with you started to hit that strange sour spot between hanging out with you as someone he considered to be 'in the crowd' yet permanently needling you. At least, that's what you assume happened because you don't know why he kept hanging around otherwise. You very quickly grew to dislike him in turn, and things sort of kept snowballing until suddenly school was over and you never saw each other again.
It seems that after a gap year to put together tournament-minimum team of three, he started competing in minor league tournaments, a circuit he's still in to this day, albeit as one of the higher ranks. The Joys seem to believe he'll either get drafted by an outfit or work his own way up to the major circuit some time soonish, though probably not before next year.
Relationship: Friendly sort-of-rival, though it's been years since you last saw him, and the two of you were never all that hung up about which one of you was better.
Moniker: N/A Theme: Has never been shy in saying his passion was flying pokemon, but since you never saw him fight with a non-rental theme you don't know more. Entrance theme for competitive matches: Lullaby of Birdland — Ella Fitzgerald
Appearance: You're self-aware enough to know you're jealous of him, because he's always managed to pull off that sort of softer, dreamy look that still somehow gets people to take him seriously. Mid-length light brown hair, fair features and willowy build would definitely give off a more androgynous vibe if they weren't betrayed by the sharpness of some of the lines in his face and the corded muscle you remember him having — the traditional Johtonese formal haori hakama uniform Falkner imposes to his Gym doesn't let you see whether he's kept it, but you can't imagine why not.
It's kind of funny to see him wearing that, considering he very much used to dress like he was the guitarist of every teenage indie band ever put together, complete with the numerous colourful bracelets, loose v-necks, skinny jeans and dyed strands in his hair.
The man in the picture Joy shows you looks definitely more focused and serene than the flighty and somewhat laissez-faire boy you remember, though, but that could just be Falkner putting them through customer service training.
Bio: Rocco was a bit of an exception on the youth trainer school circuit, for his more relaxed attitude than most of you, but also for his origin. Alto Mare is a Johto territory in name only, after all, being technically a protectorate, if one with virtually unlimited autonomy. The trainer school there tends to do its own thing, and from what you heard he actually had to jump through a couple of administrative hoops to compete with you all. It probably helped that he was arguably the best in Johto for your generation, anyway.
He came onto the circuit a bit later than you did — you must have just turned fourteen, thereabouts — and quickly became a mainstay. Although at first you'd have put him slightly below you and Dahlia, it quickly became clear that was due to the rental format of the whole thing. Give him a Flying-type, and he was a veritable wizard. By the time you all graduated, you'd have felt comfortable calling him the best battler your age you'd ever met.
Although you'd never have called him a close friend, he was someone you got along with and usually one of the people you'd hang out with the most on tournament trips. He was nice, witty and one of the few who didn't tease you for looking younger than everyone else, but he also, well, there's no real other way to put it than the fact he was kind of… A fuckboy ? No, that was too harsh, but definitely a very flirty and popular slick-talker who wasn't big on responsibility or self-reflection. Getting caught in all the drama around him was often exhausting and sometimes very awkward. That said, he wasn't mean-spirited or even particularly selfish, he just kept failing to realise that his stance on openness and being a free spirit wasn't shared by all the people he interacted with.
As long as you've known him, he's always been open about his dream to become a Flying-type Gym Leader, so despite not having seen him in years you're not surprised to see he took up a position under Falkner, even if you can't see him staying in one place for too long — he'd always said he'd take the years until he was good enough as an opportunity to travel. Shame you didn't keep up with him — you'd have probably tried meeting up if you knew he'd made it to Violet.
Known Pokemon: You can only find footage of him using a Masquerain and Emolga, but you know for a fact he got a Rufflet Egg as an eighteenth birthday present, and he carries a fourth pokeball in his official profile on the Gym website.
Relationship: Friendly sort-of-rival, last you saw her ? Though you guess the fact you didn't keep in touch with her after graduation makes it clear you weren't the closest of friends. You did part on slightly awkward notes.
Moniker: N/A Theme: Although you've never seen her really using anything other than rentals, her style has always consisted of being as in-your-face, pure offence as possible as a smokescreen to hide her tricks. As her CV apparently lists a stint under Roxie in Virbank City, you feel pretty safe in assuming she has some affinity for Poison-types too. Entrance theme for competitive matches: Deep Purple - House of Pain
Appearance: You don't have a clue how to describe Dahlia. At first glance, she looks kind of plain, with flat features, the kind of straight brown hair you can find on an endless amount of people and a slightly too-long mouth which gives her freckled face kind of a menacing look when she's smiling wide.
That's overlooking a few key things, though. First, the fact that this mostly applies to when she's dressing down, something you've personally only witnessed a couple of times. Most of the time, Dahlia looks expensive. Her fashion sense has always been ridiculously on point, even back when you were both twelve, and she's never been scared to spend in its name. What's more, she infuriatingly always manages to toe the line perfectly between looking stylish as fuck and looking like a tryhard, meaning you've never managed to call her out on it.
The other thing that's impossible to miss — especially for you, considering she's been lording it over you ever since you hit fourteen — is that she's tall. Like, really really tall. She had a whole twenty-five centimetres on you the last time you met, and you haven't exactly grown much since. The fact that she's been on the more willowy side ever since you've known her somehow contributes to making it look like she's permanently towering above you, too — although the woman in the picture has at least filled out a bit in the past few years in the muscle and the body department both, even if she's still very much all length.
Bio: Dahlia Eaglesfield has the kind of background you'd expect the mean girl in a high school drama to have, and the complete opposite personality. Her father comes from a line of shipping magnates — more specifically, the first member of Johto's early 19th century Unova diaspora to realise that there was no established shipping route from Castelia to Johto — and his family has had more money than they know what to do with for generations. With her being a third child, with the much older two having already shown an interest in taking over the family trade, she was free to put her considerable resources towards whatever she wanted.
In her case, becoming a competitive battler. Dahlia was arguably the biggest competitive battling nerd you'd ever met, the kind who rushed to finish her homework as a kid so she could catch old Conference reruns on those pay-per-view battle channels, and by the time you met her she'd long decided that with the power of money she'd hack it there herself. Not that you resent her for it — if you'd had those kind of funds at your disposal, you would have absolutely used them too.
Besides, it's not like she didn't have the talent or the work ethic — your very first meeting was in the semi-final of both of you's very first inter-school tournament, in the U13 bracket. She'd taken your victory quite personally, and regular meetings after that which could always go one way or the other soon turned her into your OG rival, especially since you were both pretty much the top dogs in your age group. Rocco's arrival broke up that dynamic a bit, and with less on the line between the two of you, that rivalry morphed into a sort of banter-heavy friendship, especially once Duncan also rose to you guys' level.
It turned out that despite her driven personality and rich background, Dahlia was surprisingly chill to hang out with, and happy to share in her passion. There were plenty of things you didn't see eye-to-eye on, and you don't think you've ever gotten along with a single one of her other friends, but eventually she alongside Rocco became one of the people you hung out with the most when you were fifteen/sixteen. A couple of arguments handled with all the grace of teenagers soured things a bit between you, and though you'd mostly patched things up by the time graduation rolled around, some of the lingering awkwardness was definitely part of why you didn't really keep up afterwards.
Apparently, she went off the grid for a bit after graduation — which knowing her means she probably hired a Trainer for private tutoring for a year or something — and popped back on the map as a junior Gym trainer in Virbank under Roxie. Surprisingly early, but with no need to earn money and enough budget to buy the Eggs she'd want (and perhaps even actual Trainer-raised 'mons, she did always prefer the battling to the training) you suppose she had the talent to hack it once she got the tools. A few months ago, she left Virbank to return to Johto, where she was drafted into her hometown's actual major league battler team, although as an understudy. So far, she's not had the opportunity to show her mettle.
Known Pokemon: Her profile on the BC Olivine website shows the Meditite she's had since childhood is now a Medicham, but you don't know what's inside any of her other four pokeballs — though you can safely assume there are at least two Poison-types in there.
It's a little odd thinking about these three again. You're pretty sure part of the reason you didn't try harder to stay in touch with them is because deep down you were ashamed of caving in to your parents' request to get a degree rather than follow your dreams, especially after all three of them went for broke.
Well, alright, you didn't keep in touch with Duncan because you couldn't stand him, but you mean it as far as the other two are concerned !
Anyhow, you don't really have the time to indulge in proper brooding before Joy takes the reins of the conversation again and the subject drifts to other matters. After another complaint about how nothing happens in Silverwing, you manage to extract a confession from Joy that for all her grumbling she actually enjoys her posting, even if she'd like a little more action and a little more funding. The seaside's some of the nicest in Johto, the people are pretty relaxed, the fetishists usually prefer going to the big Centres in the cities and while the slow pace of things gets boring, it does give her space to kick back, relax and not put on the customer service face some of her sisters seem to be permanently stuck with after too long in a busy posting.
She actually confesses that she ended up here because she was the least good in her age group at keeping the famed Joy customer service face up, something which utterly fails to surprise you, much to her annoyance.
Then a solid fifteen minutes is wasted after you try to call her by name (as in, that intonation you heard Melati use when addressing her) and apparently mangle it enough you sound like you have an Alolan accent. You eventually manage to get the intonation right, but it still feels a little off — Joy just tells you not to worry about it, as it'll come with practice. The dismissal very much has a practiced air to it, which makes you suspicious that there's something else going on (you've heard that particular tone enough from your mentor to recognise it on the spot), but you don't get the opportunity to call her out on it as an actual client chooses that moment to enter the Centre.
Thankfully you'd long finished your beers and moved on to ice tea, otherwise even Joy's remarkably impressive immediate transition into receptionist mode would have been for nothing. You get a bit of a weird look from the trainer, a local who went out in the wilds for the day to do a little weekend training and are surprised to feel… Jealousy coming off of him ? Huh, she wasn't kidding about people's attitude around her. You are literally just sitting on the other side of the counter.
The man dropping off his Aipom for a quick checkup does give you the opportunity to meet Arabella, the local Blissey, who exits the backroom to pick up the ball, exuding the exact kind of exasperated matronly vibes you'd have expected from a Blissey. Proof that sometimes, what you see is what you get, you suppose.
Speaking of, your developing senses for pokemon are telling you that this is one old Blissey, and… maybe strong isn't the right word, but she broadcasts a feeling of resilience and experience that makes it clear she's not exactly regular either.
After a quick scan shows nothing amiss, the three of you very soon find yourselves alone again, though this time Arabella sticks around, making it clear that since she's here already you might as well let Marigold out so she can give her a quick once over, after you told her she's recently hatched.
Whilst your Mareep is excitedly introducing herself to the older pokemon, you realise you have a question.
"Say, Joy," you ask, trying not to wince when her smirk betrays you've managed to mangle her name again. "I realise I've never actually known, but how do the Centre Blissey work ? I mean, is Arabella yours, or the Clan's ?"
"Well, you asked, that's one step better than most people — they just assume one or the other. It's actually neither. They're the Clan's on a technicality, but really they're all free pokemon."
"Wait, really ? How does that work ?"
"There's a herd of Chansey close to our holdings we've been on friendly terms with since forever, and the basic pact between us is that we give them protection, access to human stuff, recommend trainers for those that are into that and sometimes introduce them to other colonies if they want to mix up the gene pool a bit, and in exchange they supply us with a set number of their ranks to help us keep the Centres running. We technically catch them for their working period, just to make sure no one else can, but the balls are kept on the clan ground and basically never taken out until their service is over and it's time to release them. Arabella here's actually on the last of her fifteen years, though knowing her I reckon she'll probably sign back up after a break."
"Huh, I never thought about deals like that," you admit. Most history books tend to act as though these types of symbiotic deals died off with the industrial revolution and the advent of training. "It's nice that you can all live in harmony like that. Is it fine to tell me this stuff, though ?"
"Eh, it's not like we hide the info. I mean, we don't advertise it either, but if a trainer ask we don't mind sharing. The Blissey matriarchs and the adults in the clan often traded nanny duty for us and the Happiny, so it's not like most of us who grew up in the Kanto compound can talk about our childhoods without mentioning it at some point. I can actually remember Arabella watching over my sisters and I when I was four," she admits, throwing a fond look at the nurse pokemon, who has now moved on to examining Marigold's hooves.
"That's… Actually, that sounds fascinating and absolutely amazing," you admit, "but I meant more about telling people where they can find a gathering of Chansey-line pokemon, what with how rare they are."
"I'd like to see hunters try something," she snorts. "They're under our protection. Most people know better than to mess with that, and on top of that we have the old Jenny compound as neighbours, and the pack of Arcanine they have their own deal with live in the neighbouring grounds to the Chansey and are very defensive of them. And even if someone tried and succeeded in pulling something, it's not like it's our single point of failure. The other regions have their own deals, either with local Chansey when possible or with local pokemon who can do the job, like Audino in Unova or Comfey in Alola. The Centres would hold up long enough for us to… remedy the situation."
Well that sounded worryingly ominous, but you know better than to ask questions.
"Are their grounds completely private, or can Trainers just drop by to visit ?"
"Thinking of nabbing one for yourself ?" she teases you, the smirk removing any heat from her words.
"I was just thinking if I ever want to work on healing moves, it sounds like it would be an amazing place to train," you admit, which draws a laugh out of her.
"Trainers. You all share the sale one-track mind, I swear. Sure, so long as you don't earn the kind of black mark that'd make us mistrust you — and just so we're clear, we'll know if you do — the place is open, even if not many take advantage of it. Nothing to fight, for the most part. While you don't have to, if you ever do feel like going do drop by the clan compound to give advance warning, though ? It's polite, and that way you can make sure no one'll mistake you for a poacher."
"Sure, that sounds fine," you smile, and you think she looks pleased at your immediate acceptance.
Suddenly, her face lights up in realisation.
"Oh, speaking of healer pokemon, since you've shown me your little cutie, I should probably introduce you to my own," she says, reaching for… where did those pokeball come from ? You're sure you didn't see any at her waist before.
Ignorant or uncaring of your confusion, she opens the both of them to reveal a Comfey and a Cutiefly, who both trill happily at being let out. The Comfey immediately wrapped itself around Joy's neck like the flower garland it mimicked, head resting on her shoulder so it could affectionately nuzzle into her neck, while the Cutiefly buzzes around you curiously.
"These are Kama," she nodded at the Comfey, "and Nyssa. In case you couldn't tell, I did my internship in Alola."
"I'd have guessed that I think," you laugh, feeling yourself melting in front of the curious Bug-type. "Kama is your own ?"
"Yep. One of the local Comfey wanted to have an actual trainer, but liked life in the Centres well enough, so they asked me if I wanted to take him along after we hit it off and I agreed. Nyssa was just too cute."
You nod. It was as valid a reason as any. The little bee was quite adorable.
Nyssa apparently decides she has you figured out, and gives you a little nuzzle which melts your heart before investigating the other newcomer, Marigold. Your sheep has finally been freed from the clutches of the overly fretful Blissey, and is delighted to discover a new playmate who is as curious about her as she is about them.
You don't really get a chance to observe them play, because a huffing Arabella stomps in your direction, shoves a booklet in your hands, narrows her eyes at you in a clear 'you better read this, young man, or else' message and then just leaves, returning to her backroom.
The pamphlet's title reads Proper Wool Grooming and You.
Joy laughs first at your obvious confusion, and then doubles down at your indignation. You were plenty careful with the brush !
"Best read it," she advises, "she gets cranky otherwise, and while her bedside manners could use some work she's been taking care of kids since before you were born."
You do so with considerable reluctance, but are quickly forced to admit that there's actually very useful info in there. Melati already covered most of it, but considering she specialises in scaled 'mons it's not surprising she missed some details, especially when it comes to areas where one must be more delicate with their brushwork.
With the afternoon coming to an end, clients also begin streaming in, and Joy is kept busy as you make sure to memorise the booklet's content and take notes. Looking up a part dedicated to Mareep-line handling, you also make a purchase you probably should have thought of before — a pair of Black Glasses, weird sunglasses whose fabrication method involves infusing the glass with Dark-type energy somehow. Whilst Marigold is still young, once she's grown a bit more these will be the only things strong enough to avoid being blinded for days at a time if her tail happens to flash whilst you're taking care of her. You set the delivery coordinates to your Gear and leave the tracker on, receiving confirmation that you can expect a Pelipper in two days so long as you stay in the open.
It's a little bit more expensive, but you currently don't have an address and also you kinda wanted to test how well the tracker works in the wilderness. You've never tried it before.
Your reading is only interrupted by the occasional need to rein in your sheep and her brand new rider, Nyssa the Cutiefly having elected that the tuft of wool between Marigold's conical ears was to be her new throne as she leads her noble steed to glory in a glorious crusade involving triumphs over such enemies as That One Chair, The Magazine Stand and The Broken Vending Machine (Joy cheered them on at that one). You're kind of surprised the small Fairy is managing to sit there without getting herself electrocuted, until you remember that like quite a few other winged Bug-types, the dust covering her wings she can coat herself with provides some measure of defence against weaker status effects.
Eventually, the doors open to let in not another new face but your mentor, looking a little disgruntled before raising a quizzical eyebrow when she sees you still sitting behind the counter.
"Afternoon," Melati greets you. "I see you've made yourself at home ?"
"It's as good a spot as any," you try and shrug off nonchalantly, feeling inexplicably defensive.
"That it is," she opines. "Still, not even a few hours out of my sight and already sneaking off behind the nurse's counter. It seems I've picked up a deviant."
You know she's messing with you, but somehow despite that knowledge the droll monotone she delivers her proclamation in manages to fluster you anyway.
"What ? No, that's not— I…" you flail vocally, until a full-throated laugh from Joy and your mentor's tiniest smirk just convince you to shut up and spare yourself the pain of further embarrassment.
"Aww, and he'd been doing so well this far," the nurse giggles. "Well, let's not pick on him any further. Knowing you, you'll be wanting dinner soon ? Nighttime should be in slightly less than an hour, thereabouts."
"If that's not a problem."
"It's what we're here for. You too, Joan ?"
"Ah— yes, please," you say, before turning to mentor. "I mean, assuming we're up at dawn again tomorrow ?"
"Correct."
"Ergh. I don't even have to be here until seven thirty tomorrow and I still feel like's it's at least an hour too early, I don't know how you do it. By the way, Meriwether, your package arrived earlier. Kama, dear, do you mind fetching it for me ? It's the one with the black tape on top of the pile."
"Oh ? Perfect."
"… Wait, were you adamant on getting here today because you were expecting a delivery ?"
Melati looks supremely unbothered at your realisation.
"Well, yes. Living a roaming life does mean you tend to schedule your pitstops around things like these."
"… I don't know what I expected," you admit. "I guess I thought there was a plan or something."
"Not every decision has to be the fruit of a deep and complex reason. Sometimes you just do things because they're convenient."
On that nugget of… wisdom ? Yeah, you'll go with that. On these words, anyway, she reaches out for a well-padded package with 'FRAGILE' emblazoned on it in big red letters, and what you recognise as a Hoenn duty stamp.
"What's in this, anyway ? Plenty of people put us down as a delivery point, but it's rare someone orders directly from another Centre ?" Joy asks, peering curiously at it.
Melati removes the layers of cardboard and bubble wrap with a frustrated 'tch', the tip of her tongue quickly darting out from between taut lips the way it tends to when she's annoyed, until finally the whole thing gives way and the contents are revealed.
Somehow, you aren't sure what exactly you were expecting, but the two bottles of obviously hard liquor don't surprise you in the slightest.
(Also, a small pack of Lava cookies wrapped in an adorable red ribbon held together by a tiny Torkoal charm)
"… Do you just carry alcohol everywhere ?"
"Yes," she bluntly replies, knocking you off your stride as you'd expected something more playful than blunt agreement.
"And why is that ?"
"Best and arguably most universal diplomatic tool. It's a social lubricant, it warms you up during evenings in the wild, so long as you keep the mood good it encourages merrymaking in reasonable consumption, and it works for fellow trainers and pokemon both. Hard liquor is necessary because in case you're dealing with something like a Named, anything softer usually isn't strong enough for their constitutions. You saw Cassiopeia with the rum."
Right, she drank at least half that bottle on her own and looked completely fine.
"Verdanturf rice whisky ? Damn, this is the good stuff," Joy whistles in the meantime upon examining one of the bottles closely. "Joy and Joy sent a care package home with some once and me, Joy, Joy and Joy actually snuck it out of compound to try it out. My first proper killer hangover."
That sentence was unnecessarily confusing. Is it so much to ask that the Clan use different names ? Like Georgia ? Joelle ? Jocasta ? Josephine ? Anything ?
You quickly moved on, as that way lied madness.
"… And it has to be the good stuff because more discerning people or pokemon won't appreciate cheap swill that's only good to get tipsy ?" you guess.
"Exactly," she nods.
You're about to file it away as another unexpectedly insightful nugget of information when she opens her mouth again.
"Also I like it," she adds almost proudly, and… Yeah, no, that's on brand.
You throw her an exasperated look, which only grows moreso when you catch what the second bottle is. You're nowhere near fluent in the second script of the Old Tongue — considering it was never adapted to modern speech and you don't actually speak the Old Tongue — but the smattering you know is still enough to recognise the three characters written on the label (the fact that they're obviously hand-written on a blank label with minimal information really doesn't fill you with confidence).
"Habushu, really ? Ever Grande snake wine ? Isn't that too on-the-nose even for you ?" you groan, before another realisation hits you. "Wait, wouldn't you be opposed to that ? I didn't imagine you as an advocate of killing snakes."
"Ethical habushu," she corrects you with what you reckon is very much unwarranted smugness. "I helped train the potency of the Lavaridge herbal pharmacy owner's Seviper's venom for a few months. Part of my payment. I got her to try and make snake wine by fermenting milked venom rather than an actual live snake."
"… On one hand, I'm very interested," Joy admitted, "but as a medical professional I feel compelled to ask : you took a sometimes still problematically toxic drink and made it more toxic, if less unhygienic ?"
"That's why your cousin had it. She helped calibrate the dosage."
"You know what ? I'm just going to bring the two of you your dinner."
Melati and you actually take the time to enjoy your food this time, divested of deadlines and not being quite as famished as when you made it into town, and you take the time to chat a little.
It turns out she was actually dropping by the Shrine on official business from Pacifidlog Town, regarding some kind of exchange with one of the local shrines over there — you don't press her for details on the moment as she seems pretty annoyed at the memory — and most of her day was spent hammering out the fine print and then on the phone with an acquaintance to arrange something she doesn't expand on.
Then she casually drops that you missed out on briefly meeting another Named, albeit possibly the weakest of all. It turns out that as long as records have been around, there has always been a Named Mantine referred to as the Emissary, whose job is to regularly pop by all of Johto and some of Kanto's seaside shrines and relay their current status to the Lord of the Whirling Isles, aka Lugia. It's a fairly unique pokemon, in that the position of Emissary seems to be transferrable given that numerous ones have been observed over the years.
That said, what with the Whirlpool Lord not really bothered to interfere in human affairs if left alone these days, over the last couple of centuries the Emissary's role has mainly been to show up, check that no one has outright desecrated whatever shrine he's stopped by, get pampered a bit by the local priesthood and move on. What with the Silverwing Shrine already being pretty minor, he barely stopped for half an hour.
You'd definitely have liked to see it, you'll admit. Still, as you head out to bed, you don't think you've made a wrong decision. You've learned a fair bit of useful things, got someone to put in a good word for you in the Joy gossip and even learned about the location of what might just be the continent's — and possibly the world's — biggest Chansey population, and a standing permission to visit should you want to.
Plus you think you made a friend. That's not too bad either.
You wait for what looks like the day's last visitor to finish before collecting your keys — a very stern, actually-kind-of-scary woman in an honest-to-Celebi business suit whose looks and poise scream a mix of 'I am old Clan blood' and 'gaslight-gatekeep-girlboss'. The full team that Joy (whose face is locked in possibly the most plastic fake-happy expression you've ever seen) is handing back to her comfort you in the idea you don't want to mess with her.
She looks kind of familiar, but you're kind of too scared to stare and figure out why.
She briefly, spares a sharp glance to the two of you and utters out a terse 'Meriwether' upon recognising your mentor, before heading off.
There's a very uncomfortable silence for a few seconds until the three of you hear the door close, at which point Joy's features suddenly relax and she lets out a huge sigh of relief.
"When I find which of my sisters didn't warn me she was around, I'm going to throttle them," she groans. "Why does she have to be so intense ?"
"Taira Otsuya is Taira Otsuya," your mentor just shrugs philosophically in response, and that's when you realise why the woman was familiar.
It's only one of the strongest Trainers on the entire continent.
Or at least, that's what it feels like. It's nigh on impossible to try and rank the Taira clan's golden child, because as far as training goes she's actually a hobbyist. Otsuya first became famous for being the latest Taira child to be granted more money and responsibility than should ever make sense upon coming of age through the power of nepotism, except that unlike most of her siblings she was actually an extremely shrewd businesswoman. After excelling in several leadership positions within one of the oldest and richest of Johto's clans (you know, they only founded Goldenrod City and ruled it throughout the entire Petty Kings era, no big deal) and business empires, she was eventually granted stewardship of one of the hedge funds the family controls before even hitting thirty.
And you wouldn't really have cared about all that normally. Sure, it made her a bit of a star in the business world and the people press, but you didn't care about either of these things and she was a private enough individual you wouldn't have normally been forcefully exposed to her existence.
The important detail here is not her job, but her hobby: training. Thanks to being ridiculously rich and having dubiously responsible parents, Otsuya throughout her childhood bought six carefully selected Eggs of the finest possible pedigree, and raised and trained them with impressive talent throughout most of her life — money may be a facilitator, but there's no denying sheer ability, and she also has that.
For a long time, it was something she kept fairly private, a little factoid tucked away on business magazines profiles, but at some point some five or six years ago she grew confident enough in her strength that she started to challenge Gyms as stress relief. Whenever she'd need to let out some steam, she would just go to a Gym and challenge it. And despite being a hobbyist, she just wouldn't lose. As of a couple of years ago, she officially became the first non-professional trainer to earn all sixteen badges of the joint Kanto/Johto League circuit since the Gym Challenge Reform, and that's not even counting those she picked up on foreign trips.
And although after her first couple of wins there were accusations of bribery thrown around… Well, at this point there's enough footage of her Gym battles that anyone can realise that's a load of poppycock. The fact that she has repeatedly professed she has absolutely no interest in the competitive scene, the Conference, a League position or even random tournaments has only added to the myth surrounding her — although by this point, what with her running out of Badges to earn at this point people are beginning to expect she'll start trying to pick on the Elite Four sometime soon.
But yeah — even though most professional observers seem to have a general consensus that she's not quite E4 level just yet… The simple fact that the question has to be asked of someone who just does this as a hobby is mind-boggling.
But dear Lord Ho-Oh, it's one thing to get the idea from the sparse interviews and camera footage which exists of her, another to see that she really is that intense in person. You actually feel tired just from having been in her vicinity !
Well, maybe that's your need to sleep acting up, actually.
Name: Otsuya Taira Profession: Businesswoman
Relationship: N/A
Moniker: The Strongest Hobbyist, Queen Bitch (by her peers) Theme: If there was a Royal-type, she'd be its Gym Leader. Her team is famously only composed of female pokemon from species with strong association to monarchy and/or leadership. Entrance theme for competitive matches: She is above such frivolities.
Known Pokemon: Her full team is public knowledge.
- F Vespiquen (Asantewa) (Ace)
- F Kangaskhan (Mandukhai) (Ace)
- F Nidoqueen (Shajar) (Ace)
- F Tsareena (Lakshmi)
- F Empoleon (Zetian)
- F Slowking (Kahina)
"Got a couple of doubles left ?" Melati asked, once you'd all shaken the weird encounter out of your system.
Joy just snorted, as she handed each of you a keycard.
"Sure. I have every room — you two are the only ones who've booked for tonight and I'm not really expecting more than two or three others by tonight, so just pick whatever. Doubles are in the four rooms at the end of the left-hand side corridor."
Most of the rooms in Centres are dormitories which can usually carry anything from eight to twelve bunk beds, with non-lockable doors to allow for the coming and going of trainers with varied sleep schedules, but every Centre has actual individual rooms for the lucky few who turn up early, and a couple of those usually have queen-size beds. They're supposed to be reserved explicitly for traveling companions (though Melati shared with you that so long as you don't abuse the privilege, outside of busy periods you can usually try your luck asking for one) or romantic partners. Four of those is actually a lot, though since this Centre sees so little traffic you imagine there wasn't much of a point in having too many dormitories.
Seeing Melati already unclipping her pokeballs, you know exactly why she's so adamant on getting a large bed — her snakes have been in their balls for the whole day and you imagine she's in sore need of her usual cuddle pile.
Before you can follow her upstairs, though, Joy actually calls out to you.
"Hey, Joan, you're leaving at dawn right ?" she asks, to which you answer with a nod and affirmative hum. "Toss me your phone for a minute ?"
A little confused, you nonetheless comply, watching her dextrously type out something before throwing it back to you.
"There you go. Added myself to your contacts. I won't be on shift tomorrow morning, but don't be a stranger. And tell me if you stumble on anything interesting, will you ? Seriously, please. I never get to feed the gossip anything. Besides, anyone that can get along with Melati Meriwether's probably alright."
Indeed, your contacts list now has a number filed under 'Best Joy', something you're pretty sure you shouldn't let any of her sisters see. They seem to have a bit of a weird rivalry thing going on.
Name: Joy Profession: Nurse Joy (Silverwing Village Pokemon Centre)
Moniker: 'Best Joy' (self-proclaimed in your contact list)
Known Pokemon:
- M Comfey (Kama)
- F Cutiefly (Nyssa)
You've gained a new contact in the Silverwing Village Joy ! Whilst that wouldn't normally be worthy of spoiler box, through her you now have access to the Joy grapevine/info network/borderline spy agency as a possible source of info if you ever find yourself looking for something in particular. Keep in mind that they have obvious client confidentiality clauses and at the end of the day they are for the most part medical professionals, not battle/contest/capture experts, but they have fingers in a lot of pies, eyes in almost all trainer-heavy areas and a finger on the pulse of most near-urban pokemon ecosystems.
In exchange, I will be assuming that you'll be automatically forwarding interesting info you run into to Joy, unless you outright tell me not to or you stumble into awkwardly private matters/government secrets/something you'd be similarly hesitant to share. Joy will also take the initiative to directly contact you if something comes up which might be directly relevant to you, although for now that doesn't mean much. You'll be assumed to be keeping in more or less active contact with her, but you'll have to tell me if you want to do anything more than quickly catch up and trade gossip in the background downtime between updates.
But those are things for future Joan to consider, as Melati trots alongside you before throwing herself onto the bed with all the wonder of a tiny week-old sheep that has never seen a bed before in her life.
Now to sleep.
The morning is miserable, and you hate it.
You'd gotten used to rising with the sun, yes, but you have not magically become a morning person since yesterday (to your chagrin) and to top it all off there is something sinfully enticing about your bed when it's still mostly dark outside, as though it was affronted by the very notion of exiting its comforting warmth and venturing into the cold, dark world outside whilst improperly rested.
You ignore Melati's amused request to quit your grumbling as you scarf down the provided breakfast on autopilot (wait, have you been speaking your thoughts aloud ?), and soon the two of you are ready to go.
You say goodbye to Anna the receptionist, who is very confused at you calling her by name when she's never met you before (ah, with all of Joy's complaining you were subject to yesterday, you forgot you didn't actually know her — well, too bad), and the two of you slowly slink out of town and back onto the road, once more escorted by a faithful Yasigi. Good snake.
It takes over half an hour for your thoughts to actually reach a somewhat functional state, leading you to realise you forgot something.
"Ah, good morning, Melati, Yasigi," you tell them almost an hour too late, stifling another yawn.
"If I did not know better, I would've thought you were sleepwalking the whole way," she comments amusedly.
Then she takes a quick glance around you, seeing no one in particular crowding you.
"Well, since you're back with us, let's ditch the road. The path to Union Cave is fairly well-travelled, and I'd rather not deal with people."
And with that, she cuts off into the woods to your left.
That's… that's not the direction of Union Cave, though ? Wasn't that where you were headed ?
Actually, you have no clue where you're going. Are you going alongside the coastline and taking the long way round to Azalea ?
Only one way to know.
"Melati… Where are we actually going ?"
There's a pregnant pause, as she stops and turns to look at you blankly, cocking her head to the side a bit.
"… Did I forget to tell you ?"
"Yes. Yes you did."
A few seconds trickle by, as you see her replaying all your conversations in your head.
"Oh yeah. Was going to draw it out. Then I forgot."
"Is that why you're drawing it out right now ?"
You should know better than asking, really.
"Yes."
Finally, her blank mask breaks and she lets out a small snort at your irritated sigh.
"There's another small beach beyond this patch of forest, just after you get out of the forest and hit the cliffs. We'll be camping out there for the next week. I need the open sea to keep up Pep and Jura's practice, it's easy enough foraging and it's a quiet enough area. No hikers really ever go there. Couple of locals, but nothing too bad. It's a semi-known training spot, so we might run into others, though that's unlikely.
"It's why we're going, though. We're meeting up with someone in three days."
"We are ?" you ask, kind of surprised. Melati's not exactly what you'd call the social type.
"T's what I was sorting out on my earlier call. Don't know if you've noticed, but I don't really care about battling, and I had an acquaintance who's better at it currently in Azalea pissing off Bugsy. They'll be coming through Union Cave in three days' time to give you some coaching."
"Huh," you say, oddly touched. It'd be easy to see it as Melati just foisting you onto someone else, but you know her well enough by now to tell that she's genuine in her belief that this person would be able to help you better. "Who is it ?"
"Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise," she croons with a smirk.
Ah. There goes your goodwill.
The trip isn't actually all that long, and you reach your objective just in time for a slightly-late lunch. You set up the camp in what's quickly becoming rote gestures — actually, having just thought that, you get the instinct to double check your work and realise you'd forgotten to pin down your tent. Got it, don't get too comfortable.
The lot of you — well, the two of you plus your pokemon — gobble down a hastily assembled lunch, until you realise it's time to get back to the grind.
It's training time.
You are at the very tail end of route 32, past the Union Cave entrance, on a small secluded beach enclosed on one side by sheer cliffs and by a sparse evergreen forest on the other. There is no real trail, but the way has been cleared enough you can see the contour of a path through flattened dirt back towards the main Route and Union Cave — you're about an hour away from said entrance, at a guess.
You have at your disposition sand, water and rock in abundance, and although you don't particularly want to savage the nice vista, you can get some wood easily enough. Melati is willing to put Yero the Seviper, Nekeh the Arbok and Manasa the Serperior at your disposition (grudgingly so, in the latter's case) if you need help, though she still warns you not to rely on them to do all the work. Yasigi has already appointed herself Marigold's supervisor, and Pep and Jura the Gyarados and Milotic are working on their own training off the coast with Melati.
Marigold knows the moves Tackle, Growl, Take Down, Charge, Electric Terrain and Thundershock. She has the traits Beautiful, Battery and Heightened Senses (Magnetic).
Melati reckons that whilst she'd still advise you work with what you have for now, after getting Thundershock you shouldn't have too much problems getting a new move down. However, she estimates there's no chance in hell you'll get any new move ready in time for battle training in three days, in case you want to train up something specifically for that. Flash might be an exception, but that's a maybe.
Marigold has been visibly growing and is getting more comfortable in her body, so whilst you'd still get diminished returns, Melati reckons you could still do some physical training if you want and actually get something out of it.
In terms of the surrounding wildlife, in case you want targets or a challenge, you're happy to notice there are still a handful of Wingull around, if less than at your previous spot, although they look a little stronger overall. Some common Water-types (Krabby, Goldeen, Remoraid, Mantykes…) can occasionally be spotted close to the shore, although you'd be careful going down the stretch of beach at the cliff's foot — there are camouflaged Staryu on the rocks there, and while one would be a tough fight, you'd need to be sure there aren't any others lurking around.
Seeing as you can actually access the rest of the surrounding area this time, the forest behind you didn't seem to hold anything too out of the ordinary when you walked through it. Some Caterpie/Weedle and their cocoon evolutions, a handful of Pidgey and Spearows, some sleeping Pineco… The only surprises have been the unusually high amount of Hoppip — it's the first spring breezes, and the new hatchlings are still too weak to actually fight the wind currents — and what could have either been a Zigzagoon or a Bidoof, you didn't get a clear look before it jumped into the bushes. If you go train in the forest, Melati warns you not to stick too close to the mountainside, as Geodude are known to roll down the slopes at times and Marigold might have trouble with them right now.
Marigold's gotten into a few scraps now, even if they were ones where she was at an obvious advantage, but you'd feel quietly confident to let her try her hand at some of the weaker locals, especially those at a type disadvantage.
Although there've been Whismur sightings in the last handful of decades, Melati begs you not to go looking for them and to ignore them if you see one. You are camping next to a cliff, and their screams are known to occasionally cause rockslides. Also, the noise is unpleasant.
[][Training][Write-in your plan over the next two and a half days, and whether you're training specifically with the upcoming battling tutorial in mind or just want to work on something a bit more long-term.]
A/N: It's over ! At last ! I didn't plan for this one to take so long in coming, or to be so long, but every time I'd write a chunk and go "hmm, that's not a good spot to end it yet", until eventually it ballooned up to these proportions. I don't know how it'll show up in the threadmarks, but on my side that was over 11k and yeah that's longer than I want those to be. Thankfully the next one should be pretty straightforward. Dramatis Personae will be updated with all the new profiles in the near-ish future.
Since we're still in tutorial mode, you also got glimpse at some of what the other choices would have netted you, and let me tell you I am glad you didn't pick wandering around. The plan for that one was some more general and Johto worldbuilding, and meeting a new random Named Trainer from the roster of those who could conceivably show up here, and when I pulled out Otsuya Taira when getting to the bit where I'd showcase who you missed I was incredibly relieved I didn't have to work around that because I'm really not sure how I would have made that one worth your vote when you are of basically zero interest to her right now. She's very much endgame content, in a way. Also my random trainer picks have apparently decided that only female trainers exist, because that's now four out of four girls from a roster that's got a roughly 50/50 gender balance.
So yeah, with the Shrine visit you missed an opportunity to meet the Emissary and join the mini-pampering session, and some worldbuilding on religion and faith in the Pokemon world, as well as a little bit more Melati background. But instead you've befriended Joy (not to be confused with Joy, Joy, Joy or even Joy), learned some of the worldbuilding around the Joy/Jenny clans and gotten some background on yourself, as well as indirectly met your three past rivals/sort of friends and finding out what they're up to these days. Also her pokemon are respectively named after a brand of jasmine beer and a brand of honey beer, because she's a bit of a boozehound. Her Cutiefly was originally named Citra, after another honey beer, until I realised that Kama Citra was a phonetically problematic pair of names. Speaking of, I will wholeheartedly admit that Joy complaining about fetishists was fuelled by my struggle to find a single suitable picture for a Joy that didn't look entirely generic and/or hypersexualised. I wasted so much time on this, like what the fuck internet. People are weird about Nurse Joy, and I say that as someone who had to look for a Misty pic last time around.
ALSO ACTUALLY IMPORTANT BIT: This is gonna be my last call for potential Joan pics - after this upcoming vote is closed, I'll put up the appearance vote while I'm writing the next update from the pics I think fit what I have in mind. Right now there's four I think ? Also since some people seem to think so, they don't particularly have to be blonde.
Speaking of, I will wholeheartedly admit that Joy complaining about fetishists was fuelled by my struggle to find a single suitable picture for a Joy that didn't look entirely generic and/or hypersexualised. I wasted so much time on this, like what the fuck internet. People are weird about Nurse Joy, and I say that as someone who had to look for a Misty pic last time around.
The very instant I saw the Joy pick, I thought. "Hey, that's a nice picture! Must have taken a good while to find though, since... internet." My second thought was: "Ah. That's where Best Joy was coming from."