The shadowed red eyes of a Woman Who Would Kill, and I really love the eyelashes, definitely taking after the spike fluff of Kamen Rider BUG's own, I dig that.
I should learn how to draw men.... maybe I'll give it a try after Update 1 (which I have finished btw and will just need some edits before posting hopefully before Saturday)
I am very glad you like the opening, it's definitely one of my more personal works after ages of avoiding writing like a plague with excuses that I have to practice drawing before going back. It definitely helped that everyone on the I Will Touch The Skies server and other friends have been very supportive of my idea and helping me bounce some setting stuff off. I also really appreciate the analysis on the Triforce theme and the types of the starters. I initially wanted to name the skills "Heart", "Mind", and "Body" but found it somehow too abstract to really establish how each of the three knight aspects bleed into each other.
Courage without Wisdom is Foolishness, Power without Courage is Wasteful, Wisdom without Power is Impotence.
One skill being chosen absolutely doesn't mean the others are cut off, but that the priorities lie on one aspect of the character that will at all points try to live up to all three. I hope I can continue to live up to the ambitions I've set for this quest.
Winning Vote: [X] The smell of nature. It feels familiar, like a garden you have not seen in a long time appears when you close your eyes.
Wisdom: There are many ways of persuasion. Knowing when to apply the right kind of force, knowing when to ease up, such is the way of a Knight. During lessons, the stories of those generals who set enemies up to fail with strategy and wit were always much more interesting to you than the brute strength of ancient Elysian heroes.
Your Pokemon and your Skills share the same slot. As one grows in power, the other will too. Read the updated Character Sheet to find out more.
###
There is tension in the air, some of the senior knights talk with each other in hushed whispers. Drake is gone, again, to meet the Duke. Your training is now in the hands of those who walk the same path.
This means spending less time with Capella, however.
She tries not to show it, but you know it's bothering her. Her face tells a story that her lips are not, and the truth bleeds in the way her fingers pinch your clothes when you say goodbye in the morning. At first, it feels like jealousy again, but you realize it's more than that.
Somehow, it feels bad how easy it feels to say goodbye. It will not be for long, right? Surely Drake will give her a partner as well, soon.
For now, though, you have found yourself face to face with your new partner. Drake chose the little one for you, and she's already the third best thing that ever happened to you, right after Drake and Capella.
Skiddo, about as high as your knees right now, will grow taller with time. Brown and white fur, with a coat of leaves around its torso and across her back. The leaves look much like most of Gildera's winter-covered ones, the edges deep blue and cold to the touch. She smiles at you, dancing around your legs and getting to know you.
"A Partner needs a name," you say, repeating the words of the senior knight that has taken over your training for now. Skiddo stops, staring up. You notice the bottom of your cloak in her mouth, though she doesn't seem to be chewing on it. You bend down, touching the ground with your knees and gently taking the coat out of her mouth.
"Very well," you say. "It'll probably take a bit for me to get used to calling you by a name, so forgive me if I misspeak."
Skiddo bah's.
"From now on, you're—"
[ ] Goatliath
[ ] Skiddle
[ ] Grassoran
"To bond," you repeat the words again, whispering. "We're going to learn about each other, right, Skiddo?"
She bah's again, but this time, her horns are pushed against your belly. Despite their tough exterior, they feel warm. You can't help but smile, your hands shaking as you reach out and touch the leaves on her back. You smell the flowers of that garden—
And snap back to reality the moment that Skiddo slams into your belly with a force that knocks you onto the ground. You shake your head, wisps of those memories escaping you as you turn to forget them. You lie down on the hard dirt, patting your partner. She looks sorry, if only a little bit.
"How about some foraging," you suggest. "There's some tasty berries in the woods. Capella and I always go there when we have time."
You know that these partners of the knight aspirants are all hatched at the Order. They're trained to respond to easy commands, and given some training much like you have. In a way, there's not much difference between the two of you. The purpose that brings you together is the same.
The Aspirant Knight and the Aspirant Partner.
###
The woods are dense at the edges of Gildera, and the Caer settles itself under the mountains near the north. Though the country is large enough that the Duke's lands don't touch the borders without mountains, the Border Marquess' territory is barely a half week's journey away from the training grounds.
Even if the border between those two territories itself was in the woods, there are still patrols. While nobles are forbidden from fighting each other, some knights call it 'sparring' when their eyes meet and so far you've been spared the headaches.
Now with Skiddo, it's not impossible to end up in a fight.
You try not to be excited at the possibility.
Fortunately, the woods are empty, with only the occasional whisper of a wild pokemon that growls from the trees. You see various Bug types building their nests and webs, you see some Pidgey and Spearows, fighting over spots on the branches.
You see the blanket of green and blue leaves that hide the sky allows only little rays of sunlight to pierce through the veil, revealing weathered glades. Cold grass pierces out of the ground, sometimes too pointy to simply lie down and relax. The path takes you to a swing, half an hour of walking away. It hangs from a berry tree, with soft white fruit hanging off it. In the mouths of the common folk, they call them Mountain Fruit. To you, they're Winterberries.
They grow all year, but as the weather grows colder they become sweeter. Of course, that also makes them more attractive to certain species of Pokemon which stalk the woods in search of food.
Skiddo notices your eyes traveling up the tree. A Murkrow sits there, happily eating one of the fruit directly from the branch. It makes a content noise as it takes pecks. You usually try not to disturb anyone who looks so happy and in their own world, but the hungry look on Skiddo's face makes it impossible to say no.
"Alright," you say. "I imagine climbing something this steep isn't quite your expertise."
Skiddo bah's, hitting the tree with her horns. The Murkrow reacts, looking down at what shakes the tree. Its expression darkens.
You raise your hands. "Sorry," you say. Murkrow looks even more annoyed. "We just want some fruit ourselves, there's enough for everyone, right?"
Murkrow tilts its head, looking at the rest of the tree. Your words are true, there is enough to feed a dozen of you. The tree is tall, the fruit ripe, and you all are more than happy to share—
"Right?" you ask again, trying to smile and failing when you see the expression on the Murkrow's face turn mischievous. "Aw, Ffff-fennekin."
It grabs the fruit it was eating and throws it at you. Skiddo jumps up and catches it with its mouth, happy enough with the scraps that it doesn't quite notice that this is just the start. Murkrow raises its beak and shouts into the sky, the caw calling others to it. A group of four Murkrow look down at you, and you already know what they're saying.
'Look, some human is trying to take our fruit,' Murkrow #1 says, gesturing with its wing.
'Well,' says another, crossing its wings and closing its eyes as if thinking hard about something, 'if it wants fruit, we should share.'
All four turn toward you, and you lift Skiddo up. A short caw is all the warning you get before the Murkrows start plucking berries, flinging them across the clearing and at your head. You dodge the first volley, but Skiddo is not that light and you are not that quick on your feet.
One of the fruits hits your leg. It's so soft, it rips open from the force of the throw and ends up leaving all the sticky juices on your trousers. You resist the urge to curse, though you find yourself irritated.
The Murkrow will certainly stop following you once you're far enough, their aim is quite good but they don't look willing to move away from the tree to chase you down. Skiddo— growls?
She thrashes in your arms, forcing you to drop her. Landing on her feet, she immediately ignores your shout to come back and glares up at the murder of Murkrow. She says something, and again, you can imagine what colorful language she is using considering the Murkrows' reactions. One of them points with its wing, cawing back.
Skiddo bah's.
Three of the Murkrow start laughing, the other turns red, or as red as it can considering it lacks any visible skin. You've already forgotten your attempt to escape and watch the scene unfold with a curiosity that's impossible to put into words. The insulted Murkrow flies off the tree, coming down to the ground. It can fly, of course. It has an advantage over Skiddo, being able to avoid the ground and grass where your trusty partner is strongest, but somehow whatever Skiddo said must've provoked the Murkrow into facing her like a… bird.
Skiddo turns to you, giving you a smile and nodding. She's… asking for permission? You blink. Of course, it's— a battle! A Pokemon battle!
It's not just you who wants to see what your new partner can do!
You can't help it. Something in you jumps in joy and you raise Skiddo's Pokeball forward. "Skiddo, let's show them what we got!"
Skiddo's smile turns into a small grin that mirrors yours. She turns around, giving the Murkrow that waited its turn an appreciative nod. It nods back.
"Into the woods," you say, taking a step back. Skiddo follows your command without hesitation, disappearing in between the trees. Murkrow follows, as expected, flying up to see better. You point on the path of the Murkrow, to where it will be in a second rather than where it was. "There!"
You expect Skiddo to jump, which she does. Instead of coming from the ground, however, Skiddo uses one of the more crooked trees as leverage, jumping on top of it first and then kicking off it to slam into Murkrow. The bird crashes down, and Skiddo jumps around in joy at the successful attack.
"Stay focused," you say. For good reason. Though Murkrow was surprised for just a moment, it soon responds with its own attack. The beak gleams under the rays as it pecks her, making Skiddo grunt. "Your horns, Skiddo!"
Skiddo grunts again, turning her head despite the rapid attack and catching the beak with the tip of her horn. Murkrow pulls back in surprise, nursing its beak.
"Tackle it! Go all out!" you command. It's over so fast, but that's what battles can be like, right? Often, people will fall without much effort. In the same vein, Pokemon are not that much more durable when facing other Pokemon.
Skiddo slams into Murkrow again, catching it between its horns and continuing until it slams into a tree. Murkrow caws, bouncing off the tree and spinning around a few times in confusion before falling into the ground.
It cannot fight any longer. Skiddo won. You won. Skiddo runs over to you, jumping in place, and you reach out, catching it mid-jump to give her a hug. "Good job!"
You have to tell Capella! And Drake! And the senior knights! And everyone who will listen in the entire Caer! Maybe even the Duke, if you ever meet him!
You won. This is a feeling you're not going to forget soon. You spin around, Skiddo happily going along with the dance. Once you do, however, you find yourself staring at the three Murkrow that are left. Maybe you can fight all of them? Skiddo certainly needs the experience!
Skiddo bah's, and the Murkrow all stiffen on the branch. You raise one of your hands again, trying to keep Skiddo steady with the other.
"There is more than enough fruit for all of us," you say again, your voice tighter than before, and slightly breathless now that the tension leaves your body. "Right?"
The Murkrow group grabs about a dozen or so of the fruit and brings them down to you. You can swear at least one of them bows as it vanishes into the trees. The knocked out Murkrow wakes up, and doesn't make a noise as it flies away.
The fruit is so, so very sweet, but somehow, victory is even sweeter.
It's a familiar feeling, but this time the nostalgia does not hit you in the chest like a Wood Hammer.
Skiddo jumps out of your arms and grabs something from the ground. A feather that the Murkrow lost during the fight. She pokes you with it, and you take it from her mouth.
[ ] Make it an accessory. Your first true victory. One of many to come. You can adorn the pommel of your knife with it.
[ ] Make it an accessory. Capella will surely appreciate something like this, maybe a necklace?
[ ] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
###
"Prince in the East, let there be peace instead of war between us. If you become my sun, I will become your moon." - First Princess of the Skywrath Throne, Isabel, before her ascension to Empress of Sol.
The book in front of you is not old at all. Written only a few years ago, the way it presents recent history makes it sound ancient. As if Isabel used to be a hero in Elysium centuries ago, rather than a real person who lived two decades back.
It's a book you've used during lessons before, but this one is different.
A lesson for those who are meant to have a trial soon. You sit in an office with five others, staring at Captain Redwood, whose frame is no less imposing than that of Drake. Fortunately, he is much more open to showing emotions and most of what he shows is warmth.
He reminds you a bit of a red-haired Ursaring. You do not voice that out loud. The chairs are mismatched, and there's a smell of old wood that shows despite his status, the Captain does not spend money where it isn't necessary. You're fairly certain the table used to stand in the refectory.
But he did spend enough money for a nice tea set and tea leaves that you know are from across the border.
"In your own words, aspirants," he begins. "What is our relationship with the Empire of Sol?"
"Allies," one of the older aspirants says. The young man is tense, his entire body rigid and his hands in his lap rather than the cup on the table in front of him. "We are on friendly terms, our royal families are in-laws."
"Were in-laws," another says. She's your age, and while less tense, there's a certain disdain in her voice as she continues. "The princess is dead."
Your ears perk up. There's a certain set of people in Gildera who've never quite accepted the situation, though the separation of princess and empress coming from someone this young is jarring.
"That is true," Redwood says, nodding. "The late empress is gone, though her legacy remains and the peace she brokered with her marriage has held for twenty years now. So with that in mind, what stops them from breaking it?"
"Even before that time, Gildera's unique topography makes it impossible for an invading force to gain ground." The words leave your lips before you can stop yourself. The group turns to you, and Redwood nods again, urging you to continue. "Surrounded by mountains and dense forests, the resources required to stage a war here are far too costly for even an empire ten times our size. There's also the Skywrath Sovereign."
While the ground is protected by the people of Gildera, any attempt to fly over the mountains is met with storms and pain. The god of Gildera does not take kindly to invaders, and the royal family is under its protection.
"But don't they have their own god?" the young man asks. "Why would it not help them?"
"Why would it?" the girl asks. "An unjust royal demands land and it simply descends from the sky to do their bidding? Is your view of Them so narrow?"
You have the feeling she has strong opinions. You wonder what that's like.
"Regardless, Aria is right," Redwood says. Though his voice is not loud, silence reigns to let him speak. "This does not mean there haven't been attempts, wars were fought and though right now we are allied, we cannot be certain it will always be like this."
And there it is again, the tension of the past few days now visible on the set jaws and wide eyes of those young men and women around you. You try not to follow suit, but it's hard. It is so easy to forget in between the smiles and friendly competitions that you're all technically soldiers. Knights trained for a purpose.
It's naive to assume you'd only ever know peace. Even without war, the world is full of conflict. Poachers and other criminals, wild pokemon that are provoked into attacking people, and even natural disasters—
"You six are the latest who have received a partner," Redwood says. "And so, it is my duty to prepare you for the inevitable time you will have to fight. Pokemon vary in strength, and humans have limits that they will reach. Working together is the only way to fulfill your duty."
"Yes, sir!" you shout together with the group.
"While nobody knows what your trial is until that fateful day," he says, making you perk up, "preparing you for it means preparing your partner for it. You will receive tasks, and I will check your knowledge with questions. You are not some grunts, there is no excuse for inexperience and lack of education."
But, you already know your task, so—
You blink.
"Every knight who is allowed to call themselves one must have the wisdom, courage, and power to back it all up." He stands, towering over the group. "While no one has to be an expert in every field, our expectations are high, as they were with your predecessors."
"Yes, sir," the group says in tandem once more.
"To have an eye for this is also important. How do you recognize courage? Wisdom? Is it so easy to grasp?"
Your shoulders tense when he turns to you. He liked your answer, so now he's going to call you up. It's not the first time you've seen a look like that on a teacher's face.
"The princess' decision to leave her homeland to marry the crown prince, imagine she were a knight, what aspect does it embody?"
You tilt your head, trying to ignore the indignant scoff at your side as the royal ass-kisser finds herself annoyed at the audacity of the question.
"It is wise," you say, "to put peace above your own happiness. It takes courage to leave behind all you knew. And it is powerful, both being in the position and the privilege to use it for negotiation, and ascending the most powerful throne on the continent."
The scoff turns into a low growl, which sounds somewhat like an approving kind of growl in a way that makes no sense to anyone but you. Redwood does not say whether you are correct or not. He does not need to, because you know it is correct to you.
"If she embodies all of those," the other girl in the group speaks up. She sits at the far back, her hair in a ponytail, her eyes fixed on the page of the book. "Is it right to say she wasn't a knight?"
Redwood smiles. You find yourself nodding along. It's a valid question. There's formality in titles, there's ambition, audacity, and austerity. But in the end, the truth is that they're only titles. If one walks the path of a knight, keeping the paths clear of wild pokemon so people could safely travel, keeping the villages safe so that the farmers and workers could do their jobs in peace—
Keeping the kingdom safe, using a ring on your finger and a crown on your head.
"You're right," Redwood says. "It's nothing more than a formal title, especially in times of peace. So a knight is as a knight does, which is why I have a task for you."
"A task, sir?" One of the more quiet members asked. Their eyes are not fixed on the man's face, but on the floor.
"Find yourself together in groups." Redwood nods at all of you. "The Caer will be mostly empty soon. The senior knights are on the way to the Duke's estate for an important meeting. The villages around the Caer will be left without protection, and so we're going to trust you more than most aspirants."
"Not the juniors, sir?" Another young man asks.
"They'll assist, of course," he says, smiling through his beard. "And there are captains around that will keep watch, like me. That said, it's a bit unprecedented to leave the school so empty so it's going to be unconventional. A group of three is going to count as a junior knight for the purpose of these tasks."
While they wouldn't trust aspirants to do anything before passing their trial and becoming proper knights, they're now throwing that out of the window? There's only two people who can make that decision. The Duke is too hands off, so it must have been Drake.
You shake your head. Why doubt the man who's proven to have the greatest wisdom in all Gildera? You cross your arms, leaning back.
"There's some villages which have reported an increase in wild pokemon attacks," Redwood says. "Normally they try to avoid people, but desperation turns even the most skittish of Ratata into a force to be reckoned with. While the juniors investigate the source, we'll have you prove our expectations of your knighthood by keeping watch over the villages."
It is hard to keep your cool, especially with the excitement of the other five aspirants around you. Everyone in the Caer is looking for an opportunity to prove themselves. This is a much more important task than most others get even after receiving the title and the sword.
The book in front of you makes for dry reading, but you see the point.
There is more to courage, power, and wisdom than the most obvious of aspects that embody a knight. Your fist clenches in your lap.
The pokeball on your belt shakes slightly. The tension leaves your body, and you give it a pat, asking Skiddo to stay inside. It's not the time.
A group…
Well, you have to pick two members, so you might as well make the best of it. These are not strangers, after all. They're your peers, even if the intimidating presence of Redwood made you forget their names for a moment.
You don't know what exact tasks you will have to take care of in the village with your group, so you may as well pick the ones you want to get to know or the ones who you think can complement you and Skiddo:
[ ] Adrian, the third son of a third son of a small noble family. Without any expectations, you know the boy ended up in the Order to find his own path in life. He's not very bright, but makes up for it with his heart and an attitude that makes you try your best as well. His partner is a Spearow.
[ ] Pamela, a fan of the royals. She's never been the kind of person to mind her tongue, and that has gotten her into trouble more than once. Her family lives in the capital, and that's about most of the information anyone can get out of her. Her partner is a Snubbul nicknamed 'Isa'.
[ ] Bryan, one of the tallest of his age. He doesn't speak much, which makes him easy to get along with. His father is one of the captains in the Order, though he never received any preferential treatment. His partner is a Croagunk.
[ ] Ruby, they're a bit shy. You don't think they have ever looked you in the eye when speaking in all the years you've crossed paths. All you know is that in the earlier years when you still studied at the normal school their test results were always above everyone else's. Their partner is a Buneary.
[ ] Lissy, who has a rivalry with Capella. You don't know what the rivalry is about or who started with what, but she is always seen butting heads with her. She's one of the better physical fighters among the aspirants. Her partner is a Scraggy.
[X] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
[X] Adrian, the third son of a third son of a small noble family. Without any expectations, you know the boy ended up in the Order to find his own path in life. He's not very bright, but makes up for it with his heart and an attitude that makes you try your best as well. His partner is a Spearow.
[X] Lissy, who has a rivalry with Capella. You don't know what the rivalry is about or who started with what, but she is always seen butting heads with her. She's one of the better physical fighters among the aspirants. Her partner is a Scraggy.
[X] Adrian, the third son of a third son of a small noble family. Without any expectations, you know the boy ended up in the Order to find his own path in life. He's not very bright, but makes up for it with his heart and an attitude that makes you try your best as well. His partner is a Spearow.
[X] Bryan, one of the tallest of his age. He doesn't speak much, which makes him easy to get along with. His father is one of the captains in the Order, though he never received any preferential treatment. His partner is a Croagunk.
[X] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
[X] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
[X] Adrian, the third son of a third son of a small noble family. Without any expectations, you know the boy ended up in the Order to find his own path in life. He's not very bright, but makes up for it with his heart and an attitude that makes you try your best as well. His partner is a Spearow.
[X] Lissy, who has a rivalry with Capella. You don't know what the rivalry is about or who started with what, but she is always seen butting heads with her. She's one of the better physical fighters among the aspirants. Her partner is a Scraggy.
[X] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
[X] Bryan, one of the tallest of his age. He doesn't speak much, which makes him easy to get along with. His father is one of the captains in the Order, though he never received any preferential treatment. His partner is a Croagunk.
[X] Ruby, they're a bit shy. You don't think they have ever looked you in the eye when speaking in all the years you've crossed paths. All you know is that in the earlier years when you still studied at the normal school their test results were always above everyone else's. Their partner is a Buneary.
[X] Adrian, the third son of a third son of a small noble family. Without any expectations, you know the boy ended up in the Order to find his own path in life. He's not very bright, but makes up for it with his heart and an attitude that makes you try your best as well. His partner is a Spearow.
EDIT: Seems like I have to pitch in my support for another.
[X] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
[X] Adrian, the third son of a third son of a small noble family. Without any expectations, you know the boy ended up in the Order to find his own path in life. He's not very bright, but makes up for it with his heart and an attitude that makes you try your best as well. His partner is a Spearow.
[X] Ruby, they're a bit shy. You don't think they have ever looked you in the eye when speaking in all the years you've crossed paths. All you know is that in the earlier years when you still studied at the normal school their test results were always above everyone else's. Their partner is a Buneary.
[X] Skiddle
[X] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
[X] Ruby, they're a bit shy. You don't think they have ever looked you in the eye when speaking in all the years you've crossed paths. All you know is that in the earlier years when you still studied at the normal school their test results were always above everyone else's. Their partner is a Buneary.
[X] Lissy, who has a rivalry with Capella. You don't know what the rivalry is about or who started with what, but she is always seen butting heads with her. She's one of the better physical fighters among the aspirants. Her partner is a Scraggy
[X] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
[X] Lissy, who has a rivalry with Capella. You don't know what the rivalry is about or who started with what, but she is always seen butting heads with her. She's one of the better physical fighters among the aspirants. Her partner is a Scraggy.
[X] Bryan, one of the tallest of his age. He doesn't speak much, which makes him easy to get along with. His father is one of the captains in the Order, though he never received any preferential treatment. His partner is a Croagunk.
[X] Plan: Crew of troublemakers
[X] Skiddle
[X] Make it an accessory. Your first true victory. One of many to come. You can adorn the pommel of your knife with it.
[X] Adrian, the third son of a third son of a small noble family. Without any expectations, you know the boy ended up in the Order to find his own path in life. He's not very bright, but makes up for it with his heart and an attitude that makes you try your best as well. His partner is a Spearow.
[X] Lissy, who has a rivalry with Capella. You don't know what the rivalry is about or who started with what, but she is always seen butting heads with her. She's one of the better physical fighters among the aspirants. Her partner is a Scraggy.
Skiddle: because there's no other choices.
Accessory: A black feather could clash with Skiddo's look, or get easily damaged in their battles. Aria, on the other hand, I want people to look at her and think "Clever, tricky crow". Being associated with corvids can only go well when we've already picked wisdom.
Adrian: He's a gold-hearted dumbass, those are always a treat to have, our own himbo. Furthermore, the desire for his own path and partnership with a Spearow of all things makes me think there might be a ferocity to him that could be fun.
Lissy: Capella's rival for peak drama. The Scraggy partner means she's punk-ish, and she's certainly willing to brawl.
The general idea is to get up to some mischief with this lot. Aria as the clever and wise crow, Lissy as the punk who will throw hands with any idiot who needs punching, and finally Adrian as the token gold heart, but still involved in our antics cause you don't have a Spearow by being nice.
I'm sorry, knights are supposed to be noble and chivalrous? Never heard of it. These ones will get the good work done, just don't question the mud stains and burning stable behind them. They had a little fun on the way.
Okay I am a dumbass and forgot to name the other four partners. Just imagine me saying something like 'oh it's the only one that Aria heard out loud so she knows the Snubull's nickname' and not that I posted the update way too early because I got impatient <.<
[X] Make it an accessory. Capella will surely appreciate something like this, maybe a necklace?
[X] Ruby, they're a bit shy. You don't think they have ever looked you in the eye when speaking in all the years you've crossed paths. All you know is that in the earlier years when you still studied at the normal school their test results were always above everyone else's. Their partner is a Buneary.
[X] Lissy, who has a rivalry with Capella. You don't know what the rivalry is about or who started with what, but she is always seen butting heads with her. She's one of the better physical fighters among the aspirants. Her partner is a Scraggy.
Too bad there's no write in option for the name, we could've named her Baahladin
[x] Grassoran
[x] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
[x] Pamela, a fan of the royals. She's never been the kind of person to mind her tongue, and that has gotten her into trouble more than once. Her family lives in the capital, and that's about most of the information anyone can get out of her. Her partner is a Snubbul nicknamed 'Isa'.
[x] Bryan, one of the tallest of his age. He doesn't speak much, which makes him easy to get along with. His father is one of the captains in the Order, though he never received any preferential treatment. His partner is a Croagunk.
Went with Grassoran since Skiddle could be awkward on evolving, as Nemo said, and with Pamela to have a Fairy type. Was gonna pick Lissy as the second partner, but went with Bryan for less trouble
[X] Make it an accessory. Capella will surely appreciate something like this, maybe a necklace?
[X] Ruby, they're a bit shy. You don't think they have ever looked you in the eye when speaking in all the years you've crossed paths. All you know is that in the earlier years when you still studied at the normal school their test results were always above everyone else's. Their partner is a Buneary.
[X] Lissy, who has a rivalry with Capella. You don't know what the rivalry is about or who started with what, but she is always seen butting heads with her. She's one of the better physical fighters among the aspirants. Her partner is a Scraggy.
Your shoulders tense when he turns to you. He liked your answer, so now he's going to call you up. It's not the first time you've seen a look like that on a teacher's face.
[X] Goatliath
[X] Make it an accessory. Capella will surely appreciate something like this, maybe a necklace?
[X] Pamela, a fan of the royals. She's never been the kind of person to mind her tongue, and that has gotten her into trouble more than once. Her family lives in the capital, and that's about most of the information anyone can get out of her. Her partner is a Snubbul nicknamed 'Isa'.
[X] Bryan, one of the tallest of his age. He doesn't speak much, which makes him easy to get along with. His father is one of the captains in the Order, though he never received any preferential treatment. His partner is a Croagunk.
I think it would be incredibly funny to saddle Pamela who runs her mouth with two people who seem far less willing to voice their opinions readily. I wanna see that group dynamic play out and possibly explode. Also given that Capella seems to have mixed feelings about our leaving, I think giving her a token to remember us by would definitely move that sharply in one direction or the other.
[X] Make it an accessory. Capella will surely appreciate something like this, maybe a necklace?
[X] Ruby, they're a bit shy. You don't think they have ever looked you in the eye when speaking in all the years you've crossed paths. All you know is that in the earlier years when you still studied at the normal school their test results were always above everyone else's. Their partner is a Buneary.
[X] Lissy, who has a rivalry with Capella. You don't know what the rivalry is about or who started with what, but she is always seen butting heads with her. She's one of the better physical fighters among the aspirants. Her partner is a Scraggy.
[X] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
[X] Adrian, the third son of a third son of a small noble family. Without any expectations, you know the boy ended up in the Order to find his own path in life. He's not very bright, but makes up for it with his heart and an attitude that makes you try your best as well. His partner is a Spearow.
[X] Lissy, who has a rivalry with Capella. You don't know what the rivalry is about or who started with what, but she is always seen butting heads with her. She's one of the better physical fighters among the aspirants. Her partner is a Scraggy.
[X] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
[X] Adrian, the third son of a third son of a small noble family. Without any expectations, you know the boy ended up in the Order to find his own path in life. He's not very bright, but makes up for it with his heart and an attitude that makes you try your best as well. His partner is a Spearow.
[X] Bryan, one of the tallest of his age. He doesn't speak much, which makes him easy to get along with. His father is one of the captains in the Order, though he never received any preferential treatment. His partner is a Croagunk.
Winning Vote: [X] The smell of nature. It feels familiar, like a garden you have not seen in a long time appears when you close your eyes.
Wisdom: There are many ways of persuasion. Knowing when to apply the right kind of force, knowing when to ease up, such is the way of a Knight. During lessons, the stories of those generals who set enemies up to fail with strategy and wit were always much more interesting to you than the brute strength of ancient Elysian heroes.
Your Pokemon and your Skills share the same slot. As one grows in power, the other will too. Read the updated Character Sheet to find out more.
Oho, this is a very interesting tidbit right here, not only does it reaffirm that Wisdom is more properly a Trickster archetype as it is Diplomacy, which sets up expectations for things to get Funny, but the clarification of Aria's Pokemon Team playing the role they do for her Skills is really reminiscent of Asphodel in Mourning, while giving it a twist that speaks to its own identity, I'll have more to say once I reread the Character Sheet at chapter's end.
"Elysian" though, this makes me curious, is that the name of the Region Gildera exists on, or some precursor civilization of legend? Tasty hints, first assumption I had was that ABfI might be set in old timey Galar.
There is tension in the air, some of the senior knights talk with each other in hushed whispers. Drake is gone, again, to meet the Duke. Your training is now in the hands of those who walk the same path.
This means spending less time with Capella, however.
She tries not to show it, but you know it's bothering her. Her face tells a story that her lips are not, and the truth bleeds in the way her fingers pinch your clothes when you say goodbye in the morning. At first, it feels like jealousy again, but you realize it's more than that.
Somehow, it feels bad how easy it feels to say goodbye. It will not be for long, right? Surely Drake will give her a partner as well, soon.
I see Capella is something of a gay crab. We should get her a Corphish.
Everyone feels on edge, like there's something at the periphery Aria isn't seeing yet (which, of course that's the case, she wouldn't have been knighted for a secret mission otherwise), and people are picking up the ripples from Drake's movement.
Her face tells a story that her lips are not, and the truth bleeds in the way her fingers pinch your clothes when you say goodbye in the morning.
For now, though, you have found yourself face to face with your new partner. Drake chose the little one for you, and she's already the third best thing that ever happened to you, right after Drake and Capella.
Skiddo, about as high as your knees right now, will grow taller with time. Brown and white fur, with a coat of leaves around its torso and across her back. The leaves look much like most of Gildera's winter-covered ones, the edges deep blue and cold to the touch. She smiles at you, dancing around your legs and getting to know you.
Our main little buddy being Skiddo is a fun vibe, I love how her leaves are described, it's a great way to spotlight the natural atmosphere of Gildera as the apparent domain of Glastrier and the time of year we're starting the story in.
"A Partner needs a name," you say, repeating the words of the senior knight that has taken over your training for now. Skiddo stops, staring up. You notice the bottom of your cloak in her mouth, though she doesn't seem to be chewing on it. You bend down, touching the ground with your knees and gently taking the coat out of her mouth.
"Very well," you say. "It'll probably take a bit for me to get used to calling you by a name, so forgive me if I misspeak."
Every single one of these is really good (even though I can't figure out what Grassoran is riffing off besides maybe "Grass o' Ran"), but I have to go with Goatliath.
Aria just fucking going for that is incredible. It says so much about how her brain works.
You can't help but smile, your hands shaking as you reach out and touch the leaves on her back. You smell the flowers of that garden—
And snap back to reality the moment that Skiddo slams into your belly with a force that knocks you onto the ground. You shake your head, wisps of those memories escaping you as you turn to forget them. You lie down on the hard dirt, patting your partner. She looks sorry, if only a little bit.
Love that you followed up the Wisdom vote being the one that explicitly reminded Aria of her past Elpis, the Haunting adds to Aria's flavor profile as a protagonist.
You lie down on the hard dirt, patting your partner.
"How about some foraging," you suggest. "There's some tasty berries in the woods. Capella and I always go there when we have time."
You know that these partners of the knight aspirants are all hatched at the Order. They're trained to respond to easy commands, and given some training much like you have. In a way, there's not much difference between the two of you. The purpose that brings you together is the same.
There's something about the way Aria perceives herself. Like a blank page.
You can tell she wants to pay forward the feeling of being treated like a person in sharing the bits of her life she's built with her partner, which is genuinely charming, but also quietly sad because. Yeah you can tell this is not the product of a healthy childhood.
The woods are dense at the edges of Gildera, and the Caer settles itself under the mountains near the north. Though the country is large enough that the Duke's lands don't touch the borders without mountains, the Border Marquess' territory is barely a half week's journey away from the training grounds.
Even if the border between those two territories itself was in the woods, there are still patrols. While nobles are forbidden from fighting each other, some knights call it 'sparring' when their eyes meet and so far you've been spared the headaches.
Now with Skiddo, it's not impossible to end up in a fight.
Fortunately, the woods are empty, with only the occasional whisper of a wild pokemon that growls from the trees. You see various Bug types building their nests and webs, you see some Pidgey and Spearows, fighting over spots on the branches.
You see the blanket of green and blue leaves that hide the sky allows only little rays of sunlight to pierce through the veil, revealing weathered glades. Cold grass pierces out of the ground, sometimes too pointy to simply lie down and relax. The path takes you to a swing, half an hour of walking away. It hangs from a berry tree, with soft white fruit hanging off it. In the mouths of the common folk, they call them Mountain Fruit. To you, they're Winterberries.
They grow all year, but as the weather grows colder they become sweeter. Of course, that also makes them more attractive to certain species of Pokemon which stalk the woods in search of food.
Skiddo notices your eyes traveling up the tree. A Murkrow sits there, happily eating one of the fruit directly from the branch. It makes a content noise as it takes pecks. You usually try not to disturb anyone who looks so happy and in their own world, but the hungry look on Skiddo's face makes it impossible to say no.
"Alright," you say. "I imagine climbing something this steep isn't quite your expertise."
Skiddo bah's, hitting the tree with her horns. The Murkrow reacts, looking down at what shakes the tree. Its expression darkens.
You raise your hands. "Sorry," you say. Murkrow looks even more annoyed. "We just want some fruit ourselves, there's enough for everyone, right?"
Murkrow tilts its head, looking at the rest of the tree. Your words are true, there is enough to feed a dozen of you. The tree is tall, the fruit ripe, and you all are more than happy to share—
"Right?" you ask again, trying to smile and failing when you see the expression on the Murkrow's face turn mischievous. "Aw, Ffff-fennekin."
It grabs the fruit it was eating and throws it at you. Skiddo jumps up and catches it with its mouth, happy enough with the scraps that it doesn't quite notice that this is just the start.
Murkrow raises its beak and shouts into the sky, the caw calling others to it. A group of four Murkrow look down at you, and you already know what they're saying.
'Look, some human is trying to take our fruit,' Murkrow #1 says, gesturing with its wing.
'Well,' says another, crossing its wings and closing its eyes as if thinking hard about something, 'if it wants fruit, we should share.'
All four turn toward you, and you lift Skiddo up. A short caw is all the warning you get before the Murkrows start plucking berries, flinging them across the clearing and at your head. You dodge the first volley, but Skiddo is not that light and you are not that quick on your feet.
One of the fruits hits your leg. It's so soft, it rips open from the force of the throw and ends up leaving all the sticky juices on your trousers. You resist the urge to curse, though you find yourself irritated.
The Murkrow will certainly stop following you once you're far enough, their aim is quite good but they don't look willing to move away from the tree to chase you down. Skiddo— growls?
She thrashes in your arms, forcing you to drop her. Landing on her feet, she immediately ignores your shout to come back and glares up at the murder of Murkrow.
She says something, and again, you can imagine what colorful language she is using considering the Murkrows' reactions. One of them points with its wing, cawing back.
Skiddo bah's.
Three of the Murkrow start laughing, the other turns red, or as red as it can considering it lacks any visible skin. You've already forgotten your attempt to escape and watch the scene unfold with a curiosity that's impossible to put into words. The insulted Murkrow flies off the tree, coming down to the ground. It can fly, of course. It has an advantage over Skiddo, being able to avoid the ground and grass where your trusty partner is strongest, but somehow whatever Skiddo said must've provoked the Murkrow into facing her like a… bird.
Wowwwwwwwwwwwww, Skiddo's name calling is ALREADY that good.
So this is what it means to have a Wisdom Spec Partner...
Aria: I could just put Skiddo back into her pokeball and run for the hills but I wanna see where this is going now.
Actually thinking about it it is SO funny Aria choose to physically carry a whole vegetable goat when she has her pokeball, you can really tell this is a country where pokeball management isn't a universal standard, even though Aria used to be on the other side of the class divide responsible.
Skiddo turns to you, giving you a smile and nodding. She's… asking for permission? You blink. Of course, it's— a battle! A Pokemon battle!
It's not just you who wants to see what your new partner can do!
You can't help it. Something in you jumps in joy and you raise Skiddo's Pokeball forward. "Skiddo, let's show them what we got!"
Skiddo's smile turns into a small grin that mirrors yours. She turns around, giving the Murkrow that waited its turn an appreciative nod. It nods back.
This is charming, Aria and Skiddo want to throw down as a team, and there's a clear code of conduct with Murkrow even though this is literally just a bird who's pissed off you're trying to eat its food, love this about Pokemon.
"Into the woods," you say, taking a step back. Skiddo follows your command without hesitation, disappearing in between the trees. Murkrow follows, as expected, flying up to see better. You point on the path of the Murkrow, to where it will be in a second rather than where it was. "There!"
You expect Skiddo to jump, which she does. Instead of coming from the ground, however, Skiddo uses one of the more crooked trees as leverage, jumping on top of it first and then kicking off it to slam into Murkrow. The bird crashes down, and Skiddo jumps around in joy at the successful attack.
"Stay focused," you say. For good reason. Though Murkrow was surprised for just a moment, it soon responds with its own attack. The beak gleams under the rays as it pecks her, making Skiddo grunt. "Your horns, Skiddo!"
Skiddo grunts again, turning her head despite the rapid attack and catching the beak with the tip of her horn. Murkrow pulls back in surprise, nursing its beak.
"Tackle it! Go all out!" you command. It's over so fast, but that's what battles can be like, right? Often, people will fall without much effort. In the same vein, Pokemon are not that much more durable when facing other Pokemon.
Skiddo slams into Murkrow again, catching it between its horns and continuing until it slams into a tree. Murkrow caws, bouncing off the tree and spinning around a few times in confusion before falling into the ground.
It cannot fight any longer. Skiddo won. You won. Skiddo runs over to you, jumping in place, and you reach out, catching it mid-jump to give her a hug. "Good job!"
Oh wow, this was fast, but in a really fun and efficient way!
You can tell that Aria and Skiddo are beginners, but really talented ones who deserve the positions they're assigned, Aria knowing how to juggle Skiddo and Murkrow's positioning and direct Skiddo's defense, and Skiddo using the trees to mix up her trajectory on her own initiative, a really solid two-person team effort that gives me high hopes for the mouthfeel of fights going forward.
Anyway this is cuuuuute, super brought back to Ash and Pikachu dancing around every time they win a fight, Murkrow spinning around and falling face flat is an amazingly nostalgic description.
You have to tell Capella! And Drake! And the senior knights! And everyone who will listen in the entire Caer! Maybe even the Duke, if you ever meet him!
You won. This is a feeling you're not going to forget soon. You spin around, Skiddo happily going along with the dance. Once you do, however, you find yourself staring at the three Murkrow that are left. Maybe you can fight all of them? Skiddo certainly needs the experience!
Skiddo bah's, and the Murkrow all stiffen on the branch. You raise one of your hands again, trying to keep Skiddo steady with the other.
"There is more than enough fruit for all of us," you say again, your voice tighter than before, and slightly breathless now that the tension leaves your body. "Right?"
The Murkrow group grabs about a dozen or so of the fruit and brings them down to you. You can swear at least one of them bows as it vanishes into the trees. The knocked out Murkrow wakes up, and doesn't make a noise as it flies away.
The fruit is so, so very sweet, but somehow, victory is even sweeter.
It's a familiar feeling, but this time the nostalgia does not hit you in the chest like a Wood Hammer.
Ahahahahahaha, wonderful, I'm happy the first fight in this quest is such a cheerful romp, you can still A Ballad for Icarus is going to get into somber themes (especially with a name like that) so it's nice to be assured that, also, Aria and her pals are just going to have fun where they can too.
Also, I just love when Pokemon characters just use moves as turns of phrase, incredible.
Once you do, however, you find yourself staring at the three Murkrow that are left. Maybe you can fight all of them? Skiddo certainly needs the experience!
Skiddo bah's, and the Murkrow all stiffen on the branch. You raise one of your hands again, trying to keep Skiddo steady with the other.
"There is more than enough fruit for all of us," you say again, your voice tighter than before, and slightly breathless now that the tension leaves your body. "Right?"
The Murkrow group grabs about a dozen or so of the fruit and brings them down to you. You can swear at least one of them bows as it vanishes into the trees.
Skiddo jumps out of your arms and grabs something from the ground. A feather that the Murkrow lost during the fight. She pokes you with it, and you take it from her mouth.
[ ] Make it an accessory. Your first true victory. One of many to come. You can adorn the pommel of your knife with it.
[ ] Make it an accessory. Capella will surely appreciate something like this, maybe a necklace?
[ ] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
Oh this is an interesting choice, and one I'm don't have a particular pick among.
The fact that both of the latter options involve Capella suggests that they're going to weigh on her Relationship Flags, though how straightforward that'll be, hm hm hm.
Aria making it her own speaks to feeding this directly into her sense of self, making her knife more iconic, reminding her that this win was hers.
Giving the feather to Capella would relate to the consistently referenced tension between them, seemingly answering the concern that becoming a knight ahead of Capella won't separate them, though whether that digs into another layer of the conflict Aria isn't seeing is a possibility worth chewing on.
Putting it on Skiddo is laying the prize of success on her instead of Aria, which is a nice way to commemorate their bond's beginning, though it relying on Capella implies it's going to press on her jealousy of one of these two (if not both), yet, it maybe should be considered if the opposite would be true for Skiddo, too, since she's just a little guy who might have her own expectations about the trophy she gave her partner.
This is of course separate from the chance that this is just a nice chill moment that has no consequences on anyone's insecurities! I don't trust like that when clearly everyone here is a bundle of class trauma, but ya know I can acknowledge the chance.
"Prince in the East, let there be peace instead of war between us. If you become my sun, I will become your moon." - First Princess of the Skywrath Throne, Isabel, before her ascension to Empress of Sol.
The book in front of you is not old at all. Written only a few years ago, the way it presents recent history makes it sound ancient. As if Isabel used to be a hero in Elysium centuries ago, rather than a real person who lived two decades back.
It's a book you've used during lessons before, but this one is different.
It's a book you've used during lessons before, but this one is different.
A lesson for those who are meant to have a trial soon. You sit in an office with five others, staring at Captain Redwood, whose frame is no less imposing than that of Drake. Fortunately, he is much more open to showing emotions and most of what he shows is warmth.
He reminds you a bit of a red-haired Ursaring. You do not voice that out loud. The chairs are mismatched, and there's a smell of old wood that shows despite his status, the Captain does not spend money where it isn't necessary. You're fairly certain the table used to stand in the refectory.
But he did spend enough money for a nice tea set and tea leaves that you know are from across the border.
"In your own words, aspirants," he begins. "What is our relationship with the Empire of Sol?"
"Allies," one of the older aspirants says. The young man is tense, his entire body rigid and his hands in his lap rather than the cup on the table in front of him. "We are on friendly terms, our royal families are in-laws."
"Were in-laws," another says. She's your age, and while less tense, there's a certain disdain in her voice as she continues. "The princess is dead."
Your ears perk up. There's a certain set of people in Gildera who've never quite accepted the situation, though the separation of princess and empress coming from someone this young is jarring.
"That is true," Redwood says, nodding. "The late empress is gone, though her legacy remains and the peace she brokered with her marriage has held for twenty years now. So with that in mind, what stops them from breaking it?"
"Even before that time, Gildera's unique topography makes it impossible for an invading force to gain ground." The words leave your lips before you can stop yourself. The group turns to you, and Redwood nods again, urging you to continue. "Surrounded by mountains and dense forests, the resources required to stage a war here are far too costly for even an empire ten times our size. There's also the Skywrath Sovereign."
While the ground is protected by the people of Gildera, any attempt to fly over the mountains is met with storms and pain. The god of Gildera does not take kindly to invaders, and the royal family is under its protection.
Okay we're talking about the Legendary in the room already, nice.
Skywrath Sovereign...The natural implication of Glastier being a national pokemon would suggest this is Calyrex (since not being willing to take the Legendary's name in vain dismisses Glastier by now), though given Calyrex's domain is more harvest than anything...
...Hm, maybe its Shaymin? That feels like the most natural intersection, though, storms being the keyword...I'm seeing options worthy of consideration, but I think I'll leave it at that for now.
Anyway, you can definitely see why this topic is being asked of Aspirant Knights, being able to understand and digest the real world conditions that maintain the boundaries between nations and alliances is important in an officer role like this.
"Regardless, Aria is right," Redwood says. Though his voice is not loud, silence reigns to let him speak. "This does not mean there haven't been attempts, wars were fought and though right now we are allied, we cannot be certain it will always be like this."
And there it is again, the tension of the past few days now visible on the set jaws and wide eyes of those young men and women around you. You try not to follow suit, but it's hard. It is so easy to forget in between the smiles and friendly competitions that you're all technically soldiers. Knights trained for a purpose.
It's naive to assume you'd only ever know peace. Even without war, the world is full of conflict. Poachers and other criminals, wild pokemon that are provoked into attacking people, and even natural disasters—
"You six are the latest who have received a partner," Redwood says. "And so, it is my duty to prepare you for the inevitable time you will have to fight. Pokemon vary in strength, and humans have limits that they will reach. Working together is the only way to fulfill your duty."
"While nobody knows what your trial is until that fateful day," he says, making you perk up, "preparing you for it means preparing your partner for it. You will receive tasks, and I will check your knowledge with questions. You are not some grunts, there is no excuse for inexperience and lack of education."
"Every knight who is allowed to call themselves one must have the wisdom, courage, and power to back it all up." He stands, towering over the group. "While no one has to be an expert in every field, our expectations are high, as they were with your predecessors."
"Yes, sir," the group says in tandem once more.
"To have an eye for this is also important. How do you recognize courage? Wisdom? Is it so easy to grasp?"
Your shoulders tense when he turns to you. He liked your answer, so now he's going to call you up. It's not the first time you've seen a look like that on a teacher's face.
"The princess' decision to leave her homeland to marry the crown prince, imagine she were a knight, what aspect does it embody?"
"It is wise," you say, "to put peace above your own happiness. It takes courage to leave behind all you knew. And it is powerful, both being in the position and the privilege to use it for negotiation, and ascending the most powerful throne on the continent."
The scoff turns into a low growl, which sounds somewhat like an approving kind of growl in a way that makes no sense to anyone but you. Redwood does not say whether you are correct or not. He does not need to, because you know it is correct to you.
"If she embodies all of those," the other girl in the group speaks up. She sits at the far back, her hair in a ponytail, her eyes fixed on the page of the book. "Is it right to say she wasn't a knight?"
Redwood smiles. You find yourself nodding along. It's a valid question. There's formality in titles, there's ambition, audacity, and austerity. But in the end, the truth is that they're only titles. If one walks the path of a knight, keeping the paths clear of wild pokemon so people could safely travel, keeping the villages safe so that the farmers and workers could do their jobs in peace—
Keeping the kingdom safe, using a ring on your finger and a crown on your head.
"You're right," Redwood says. "It's nothing more than a formal title, especially in times of peace. So a knight is as a knight does, which is why I have a task for you."
"A task, sir?" One of the more quiet members asked. Their eyes are not fixed on the man's face, but on the floor.
"Find yourself together in groups." Redwood nods at all of you. "The Caer will be mostly empty soon. The senior knights are on the way to the Duke's estate for an important meeting. The villages around the Caer will be left without protection, and so we're going to trust you more than most aspirants."
"Not the juniors, sir?" Another young man asks.
"They'll assist, of course," he says, smiling through his beard. "And there are captains around that will keep watch, like me. That said, it's a bit unprecedented to leave the school so empty so it's going to be unconventional. A group of three is going to count as a junior knight for the purpose of these tasks."
While they wouldn't trust aspirants to do anything before passing their trial and becoming proper knights, they're now throwing that out of the window? There's only two people who can make that decision. The Duke is too hands off, so it must have been Drake.
You shake your head. Why doubt the man who's proven to have the greatest wisdom in all Gildera? You cross your arms, leaning back.
"There's some villages which have reported an increase in wild pokemon attacks," Redwood says. "Normally they try to avoid people, but desperation turns even the most skittish of Ratata into a force to be reckoned with. While the juniors investigate the source, we'll have you prove our expectations of your knighthood by keeping watch over the villages."
It is hard to keep your cool, especially with the excitement of the other five aspirants around you. Everyone in the Caer is looking for an opportunity to prove themselves. This is a much more important task than most others get even after receiving the title and the sword.
The book in front of you makes for dry reading, but you see the point.
There is more to courage, power, and wisdom than the most obvious of aspects that embody a knight. Your fist clenches in your lap.
The pokeball on your belt shakes slightly. The tension leaves your body, and you give it a pat, asking Skiddo to stay inside. It's not the time.
Well, you have to pick two members, so you might as well make the best of it. These are not strangers, after all. They're your peers, even if the intimidating presence of Redwood made you forget their names for a moment.
You don't know what exact tasks you will have to take care of in the village with your group, so you may as well pick the ones you want to get to know or the ones who you think can complement you and Skiddo:
[ ] Adrian, the third son of a third son of a small noble family. Without any expectations, you know the boy ended up in the Order to find his own path in life. He's not very bright, but makes up for it with his heart and an attitude that makes you try your best as well. His partner is a Spearow.
[ ] Pamela, a fan of the royals. She's never been the kind of person to mind her tongue, and that has gotten her into trouble more than once. Her family lives in the capital, and that's about most of the information anyone can get out of her. Her partner is a Snubbul nicknamed 'Isa'.
[ ] Bryan, one of the tallest of his age. He doesn't speak much, which makes him easy to get along with. His father is one of the captains in the Order, though he never received any preferential treatment. His partner is a Croagunk.
[ ] Ruby, they're a bit shy. You don't think they have ever looked you in the eye when speaking in all the years you've crossed paths. All you know is that in the earlier years when you still studied at the normal school their test results were always above everyone else's. Their partner is a Buneary.
[ ] Lissy, who has a rivalry with Capella. You don't know what the rivalry is about or who started with what, but she is always seen butting heads with her. She's one of the better physical fighters among the aspirants. Her partner is a Scraggy.
So this is the crew, hm, hm, I like the list, all really fun framings that I hope get their time in the sun, though Pamela took center stage this time.
Hmmmm, thinking on it, the base, surface level assumption I have of which virtue each of these guys specializes in from their descriptions seem to be:
Adrian: Courage.
Pamela: Courage.
Bryan: Power.
Ruby: Wisdom.
Lissy: Power (which is funny since she's a bookworm).
I'm not committed to these reads meaning anything, though I'd be fascinated if this manifested noticeably in the group brain tank, so, taking my picks of the lot:
[X] Adrian, the third son of a third son of a small noble family. Without any expectations, you know the boy ended up in the Order to find his own path in life. He's not very bright, but makes up for it with his heart and an attitude that makes you try your best as well. His partner is a Spearow.
[X] Ruby, they're a bit shy. You don't think they have ever looked you in the eye when speaking in all the years you've crossed paths. All you know is that in the earlier years when you still studied at the normal school their test results were always above everyone else's. Their partner is a Buneary.
I like this combo because Adrian is just Encouraging, and, coming with a Spearow, means him and Aria can watch out for each other's weaknesses Type wise, and Ruby can balance the brainpower detriment (also I have to fight for every Ruby in the world).
I like the High Energy (Adrian)/Medium Energy (Aria)/Low Energy (Ruby) vibes.
Your Pokemon and your Skills share the same slot. As one grows in power, the other will too.
They're graded loosely adapted from We Stand In Awe's and But Not Forgotten's skill levels. Everything runs purely on a narrative basis, with your capability in a skill deciding the paths that become available to you rather than rolls which decide their outcomes.
1: ??? the Skiddo: Wisdom [Student]: There are many ways of persuasion. Knowing when to apply the right kind of force, knowing when to ease up, such is the way of a Knight. During lessons, the stories of those generals who set enemies up to fail with strategy and wit were always much more interesting to you.
Skiddo isn't the strongest, but she has a nose for things that she shares with you. Somehow, you feel like you can understand others a little better with her around.
I am very glad you like the opening, it's definitely one of my more personal works after ages of avoiding writing like a plague with excuses that I have to practice drawing before going back. It definitely helped that everyone on the I Will Touch The Skies server and other friends have been very supportive of my idea and helping me bounce some setting stuff off. I also really appreciate the analysis on the Triforce theme and the types of the starters. I initially wanted to name the skills "Heart", "Mind", and "Body" but found it somehow too abstract to really establish how each of the three knight aspects bleed into each other.
Courage without Wisdom is Foolishness, Power without Courage is Wasteful, Wisdom without Power is Impotence.
One skill being chosen absolutely doesn't mean the others are cut off, but that the priorities lie on one aspect of the character that will at all points try to live up to all three. I hope I can continue to live up to the ambitions I've set for this quest.
I really do appreciate how you honed in on this as an articulate conversation of the narrative and setting, it's charming to see how Aria and her teachers are thinking on these cultural virtues and how it manifests in low stakes characterization and higher purpose ideals, so I'm looking forward to how things get mixed up as our protagonist matures and she opens herself up to new influences.
Irregardless of which vote ends up taking it in all three categories, this has been a fun ride, thanks for posting!
[X] Adorn Skiddo with it. Capella surely has the equipment to make it fit either on her horn or in her pelt.
[X] Adrian, the third son of a third son of a small noble family. Without any expectations, you know the boy ended up in the Order to find his own path in life. He's not very bright, but makes up for it with his heart and an attitude that makes you try your best as well. His partner is a Spearow.
[X] Ruby, they're a bit shy. You don't think they have ever looked you in the eye when speaking in all the years you've crossed paths. All you know is that in the earlier years when you still studied at the normal school their test results were always above everyone else's. Their partner is a Buneary.
Well, you have to pick two members, so you might as well make the best of it. These are not strangers, after all. They're your peers, even if the intimidating presence of Redwood made you forget their names for a moment.
Honestly all the options are very interesting. Much as I have my bias, I want to see all these goobers bouncing off each other. The skim across the surface we got from the meeting + what the voting options tell us paint a lot of interesting pictures. Given the way the mission statement is framed, I suspect even the people we pick will have a Presence, now or later, so I'm sunny and hopeful about things.
Supremely underrated gag of imaginary arguments with things. It being a silly and dorky thing makes for a nice contrast with the palpable fog of sorrow and tragedy that hangs around her.
This is of course separate from the chance that this is just a nice chill moment that has no consequences on anyone's insecurities! I don't trust like that when clearly everyone here is a bundle of class trauma, but ya know I can acknowledge the chance.
