Ah, let's see... Monkey Girl? No, actually she's been very fortunate in her second life... That businessman with the hard-drive that he needs to destroy -- slime. How about that kid -- oh he's a Shield Hero. Or -- damnit, Asshole X.
You're late to the party, no bland teenagers or single businessmen who wasted their lives for you. Your world needs someone, you're not just being capricious, and everyone local dropped the ball big time.
It seems you'll have to take what you can get, and prepare for trouble.
There's always a world at risk. But now, your world is at risk. Out of balance, threatening to become over-run. Evil people with wicked hearts rule, and the righteous try to change things and either die, or lose themselves.
This cannot stand. This cannot be. A champion is needed. Someone of pure heart, someone who will not be constrained by this world's norms and laws.
…Unfortunately, this is not the only world which faces similar difficulties, and the 'seed world' that great heroes are chosen from has been… over-harvested.
Better traffic laws, a return to primarily using trains for long-distance cargo hauling, and an increased pay rate and decrease in maximum driving hours per day for truck drivers has greatly decreased the mortality rate of bland teenagers.
Unmarried salary-men, the perennial second choice, have had no new laws or regulations made to protect them – they were unnecessary. A rash of accidents and 'accidents' befell their co-workers and business partners, so they began taking precautions. Now they always move in groups of at least two or three, wear stab-proof undershirts, and have begun favoring car-pooling over public transportation. A few even broke down and started dating!
While good for the 'seed world', this has decidedly negative effects for your world.
Some worlds have powerful gods, wise wizards, sprawling dungeons, insane levels of technology, vast skyscrapers and aliens and marvels of genetic engineering. And that's just in one universe! Not that you'd want to have to deal with the Four…
No, your world isn't one of the 'greats', but you think it shows promise.
-[] World
-[] High Fantasy
--[] Western (Swords and Sorcery, Gandalfs and goblins.)
--[] Eastern (Sects and Sages, cultivation and corruption.)
--[] Both, in the same world!? Gasp!
-[] Post Apocalypse
--[] Sea Based (think 'Future Boy Conan')
--[] Land Based (water is life)
-[] Industrial Revolution
--[] Steampunk
--[] Magic with Rules (FMA- or Youjo Senki-style)
--[] 'Normal' on the surface but with things going on. (fairy tales are real, hidden magic, shoe gnomes.)
As far as candidates go, you have a few options, but none of them are ideal. The 'seed world' was chosen for a reason. Its location is metaphysically 'central'. Its populace is untainted, and advanced enough that they have stories and fantasies about transmigration.
It was 'easy' to pluck an unfortunate away for a life of adventure and harem-building.
It's no longer so 'easy'. The list of ideal candidates has become greatly reduced, the implementation of wider safety regulations has made it substantially more difficult to arrange an 'accident', and the metaphysical 'scene' has been affected by peoples' thoughts and fears.
Beings like you – guardians, gods, and Great Masters alike – choose uninteresting middle-of-the-road under-achieving accident victims for a reason. 'Blank Slates' are easier to push in the right direction. Give them positive attention and the right impetus and they're less likely to hare off and start the world's first chain of pizza parlors.
You still regret Giuseppe.
So your candidate pool is less than ideal, and even if you find someone, you'd have to expend a greater amount of power than you'd prefer. Ordinarily, it would leave you depleted but not drastically so. Unfortunately, you already spent a great deal of power on an unsuccessful gambit. May his mozzarella rot.
You've got one choice, and then you're spent. Dead, or as good as. In time, you may come back – or, if the metaphysical character of your world changes enough, another being may replace you. You'll have just enough power left over to give your champion the vaunted "cheat power". But the game is rigged. No more chances. No more 'perfect taste-buds'.
You will merge with your candidate, impart a certain amount of knowledge, a certain amount of power, and ensure that they stay on the path of saving your people. You got this technique from a certain other world you have your eye on.
Your natural ally, the truck, has only had a few victims recently, and they're… not great. If you go this route, the 'cheat' is going to be very necessary.
[] Champion Source. Normally, it'd be a no-brainer, but pickin's are slim.
-[] The 'Seed World' (Highest customization, no crossovers)
--[] Senior Citizen. Not used to the new safety regulations and too slow to jump out of the way.
--[] Truck Driver. Swerved to avoid a gaggle of businessmen.
--[] Cat. The truck driver was heart-broken.
Alternatively, you could grab someone from a different world. Not just someone with potential, someone who's used that potential. It would cost you more power, but given the recent metaphysical changes the 'seed world' experienced, it's not an automatic 'no' anymore.
The main problem is that other worlds tend to have protective guardians of their own. You have to swoop in at a vulnerable moment or engage in 'horse trading'. The power given from the "cheat" merge will be negligible, but they're a ready-made hero.
No matter what, though, you're not touching the Degurechaff Debacle. That guy's an asshole.
-[] Someone Else's Playground All of the 'greats' are off limits, and so are most of the 'goods'. But the 'ehs'? They're ripe for the picking. (They'll be more-or-less compelled to be on the path of righteousness, but some of them are deranged and that will have very fun consequences!)
--[] Fullmetal Alchemist. The Elrics are strictly off-limits, you're neither willing nor able to exchange something equivalent to them. However, Truth does believe in your cause, and won't interfere if you choose someone who hasn't gone Gate-gazing… so long as you do the legwork yourself.
---[] Shou Tucker. Morally bankrupt, but he is an alchemist! A weak alchemist. With weak morals. But an alchemist.
---[] Nina Tucker. She deserved better. There was no equivalent exchange involved there. Truth salutes you.
---[] Captain Buccaneer. He's a bear-sized man with a robot arm. Sure, he doesn't know chi or alchemy, but look at the muscularity!
---[] Maes Hughes. A family man... and an investigator. He figured out the sinister plot before anyone else did... and then died. You could use talen like that. Then again, after dying he's probably itching for an opportunity to gush about his daughter.
--[] Avatar. You've had your eye on the Avatar Cycle for a while, and it's just been broken by that weird 'harmonic convergence' thing. You want Aang. You really, really want Aang, but he said 'only if I can bring my wife' and she's still alive, so that's that. As a 'plus', residents of the Spirit World are far easier to locate and 'yoink', and Raava is willing to help you out, meaning you won't need to expend much power on acquiring your Chosen, and any innate bending is locked in.
---[] The Boulder. "The Boulder needs no introduction, he will crush the opposition and return balance to your world!" That's what he said, verbatim.
-–[] Huu. Pants are an illusion, and so is death.
-–[] Tai Li. Not really leadership material, more of a follower. Easily cowed. But she's peppy and she's got moves, and she did learn to overcome her fear to help her true friends.
-–[] Jet. He did actually die, at some point. You were half-wondering if Korra would meet him, alas.
---[Y] Cabbage Merchant. In a twist, he chose you. Jumped into your back pocket. Guaranteed extra hero as long as you choose Someone Else's Playground, but this guy is also. A guaranteed Giuseppe 2.0.
---[] Hama. She scares you.
--[] Harry Potter. Practically all of your choices here have remarkably versatile magic. There are a few stragglers hanging around King's Cross Station who look promising.
---[] Gilderoy Lockhart. You got a dossier on this guy – a gentleman adventurer who resolved multiple catastrophic incidents, wrote the literal book on magical pest control, and sacrificed his own mind to protect his students? Grade A material!
-–[] Rita Skeeter. Investigative journalist with a secret stealth ability! Not that talented with a wand, but a solid choice. What's that about morals? They're strictly for other people and only useful to her when she wants to ruin someone's reputation? Hahahaha wait-
-–[] Hedwig. An owl?
-–[] Dobby. You just… gave him a sock…
--[] Pokemon. Arceus threatened to sue you, but honestly their other system with a hero in each region makes much more sense than having one hero face every single threat in every single region. 'The World Will Turn to Ash', you argued, could be made to be about your world. They grudgingly agreed to give you something.
---[] Blasting off Again! Arceus offered to foot the metaphysical bill if you took a certain troublesome trio off their hands. What could go wrong!? (No power spent, three sentient heroes for the price of none! Options galore! Meowth, that's right!) ---[] Early Kanto Ash. Ash, Pikachu, maybe more. Ash has just started to understand, but he hasn't even gotten to the conference yet!
--[] Star Wars On second thought, the cat's a safer option than these bozos.
A long long time ago, in a Galaxy far far away… wait, who are these people? Nien Numb, Constable Zuvio, Elan Sleazebaggano?? Is that one guy clutching an ice-cream maker?
-–[] Ima-Gun Di. On the one hand, a powerful Jedi Master. On the other hand, Ima-Gun Di. What was his padawan named, Ki K'me?
-–[] Salacious B. Crumb. He doesn't have much physical power, or any Force potential, but you have to admit he's your most physically attractive candidate by far.
-–[] Paodok'Draba'Takat Sap'De'Rekti Nik'Linke'Ti' Ki'Vef'Nik'NeSevef'Li'Kek. What the-
-–[] Baron Papanoida. Okay, okay, this one's a senator and a planetary leader. A Skywalker even knows he exists – hold on, that's just George Lucas in blue face paint! That's it, you're done here.
And that threat your world is facing. Evil, horrible. It threatens the essence of your world.
[] Threat. What evil are you facing? Pick Up To Two
-[] Dark Lord of Evil. Varies based on what kind of world it is, could be Generic Dark Lord, an evil cultivator or immortal maniac, even an evil bureaucrat. Has a nation or a court or an Evil Army of Evil, but it's a row of dominoes.
-[] Evil Empire of Evil – it might have a 'face', but you can't just take down the dark lord and wash your hands. People have tried. There's always going to be another Emperor. You need to knock down their pillars.
-[] Alien Invasion. Why couldn't it happen to a unified world? Or at least somewhere with better technology!
-[] Gods Gone Mad! You were the last sane one…at least, you sincerely hope you're still sane. The rest… Sheogorath would be considered a positive influence on the pantheon. (Isekai v Isekai, fight fight fight)
-[J] Giuseppe. You broke down and ordered a pizza. It took 3 hours for the pizza delivery man to get to your residence, and you didn't get a refund. He will pay.
-[] Write In Threat: That Guy. Must be taken with something else. After Giuseppe crashed and didn't burn, you cultivated a home-grown Hero, someone with actual stakes in the world. Unfortunately, after you empowered him you realized he hated Giuseppe more than you did, and he decided the best way to take revenge was by destroying all leavening agents in the world. You really hope he doesn't try to break into alternate realities. He's starting to have an effect on alcohol production. There are entire cultures that depend on the stuff to function!
-[] All Of Them. Somewhere, somehow, you messed up. It has to be you, because you're still sane enough that it bothers you. That Evil Empire's been around for a long time -- then one of your siblings empowered a merchant's child to try to topple the Empire. Instead of toppling it, or at least usurping it, they started their own power-base, with blackjack! And hookers! That sibling fell into despair, then another sibling had the genius idea to tempt aliens -- unified aliens with advanced technology and a thirst for conquest -- to attack your world. Genius. You all made a big gamble on Giussepe, and after that more and more of your siblings fell apart. That Guy was the last straw, and now they're part of the problem. They must be dealt with.
Hi there. I tried doing another quest a while ago and I lost the plot. I couldn't figure out how to move forward. All the options are things I'll be able to write. Note that I crossed out Star Wars -- I had a lot of fun picking obscure characters to mark as options, then realized I didn't want to risk having to actually write any of them.
Most of your character options are either low-tier power-wise or low-tier personality wise. Some are both! The name of the game here is 'what do you want to see' not 'how can I win'. Winning is an option. Losing is an option. If we roll 4 nat 1s in a row during a battle, I'm not pulling out the box with a god inside.
A lot of quests go with CK2 or CK3 style attributes, and I can see the appeal. It looks like it makes it much easier to write around. The problem is that 'martial' and 'intrigue' don't necesarily mean you can pick a lock or win a fist-fight. Sure, there could be a separate Prowess. I was tempted to have D&D style attributes when solo, and CK3 if you choose to join or build an organization, but that seemed overly complicated.
I won't make a final decision until quest creation's over, but I'm leaning towards doing a grid list of specific skills for the MC and certain NPCs, and then doing D&D style for most others.
One thing to keep in mind is that I want to make this funny. Laughter is life.
Members: Jessie, James, Meowth, WOBBUFFET other Pokemon.
Assets: Meowth Balloon, Special Pokedex.
Team Abilities:
-Protect The World from Devastation: When the world is directly threatened, Team Rocket will suspend villainy and hooliganry to fight for the greater good. Or at least, to fight for the continued existence of their world. (+15 to all rolls during Incidents of Mass Destruction.)
-Blasting Off Again: They have a habit of surviving failed encounters relatively unscathed, and are quick to recover and jump right back in. (When failing an action, roll three times to escape and use the highest one. Then use the lowest roll to determine how embarrassing their escape was.)
-Unite All People Within Our Nation: Team Rocket has a strange charisma. (When performing high-profile deeds, heroic or villainous, there will be a chance that someone in the back-ground or on the 'enemy team' will decide to support the Rockets instead. Varying DC based on the situation, higher roll = higher quality.)
-Prepared for Trouble: After multiple anime seasons worth of misadventures, the Trio is used to failure. Drenched in it. Prepared for it. (Whenever they crit fail, flip a coin. A heads turns it into a normal fail. Whenever they crit succeed, flip 2 coins. Two tails, and it's just a normal success.)
-Hiding in Plain Sight: Oh Look, Two Completely Non-Suspicious Street Venders and Their Totally Average Talking Meowth! (Roll with advantage when trying to go incognito or infiltrate.)
-Mayhem and Madness: Not exactly Heroic, but causing chaos is what Team Rocket does best. (Roll with advantage when trying to disrupt enemy operations. Will always be destructive to the general area.)
Jessie:
Strength: 14
Agility: 12
Dexterity: 13
Int: 9
Wis: 4
Charisma: 10
Diplomacy: 9
Will-Power: 10
Arcane: 3
On-Hand Creatures (Just Pokemon, for now):
-Wobbuffet: The fourth 'regular' member of Team Rocket is actually Jessie's Pokemon, and Jessie's only default on-hand Pokemon. (No directly offensive moves, only defensive and reactive. Despite being the comic relief's comic relief, has a very close relationship with his trainer… Also, shadow-tag has potential). SHADOW TAG; Counter, Bide, Mirror Coat.
-Arbok: Her original Pokemon, released to protect a group of Ekans from poachers. This act, more than anything else, proves her potential for heroism. Enlightened self interest cannot be argued. (Both offensive and defensive moves, bringing this Pokemon back will make Jessie remember her best side.) INTIMIDATE; Wrap, Poison Sting, Dig, Toxic
-Seviper: Jessie's Sinnoh Snake, sent into the Team Rocket pool after Sinnoh, and returned to her after Alola. Memorably caught after being bested in combat by Jessie herself. no Pokemon necessary. (Primarily offensive moves, Seviper was Jessie's preferred battle Pokemon, and will remind Jessie that she doesn't need Pokemon to fight for her all the time.) INFILTRATOR; Bite, Poison Tail, Haze, Wrap
- Blissey: Jessie befriended her as a Chancey during her misadventures in Nursing School. Despite never catching her, they formed a strong friendship. (Blissey is a primary healer. She will remind Jessie of her youthful aspirations and encourage her to be better.) HEALER; Sing, Soft-Boiled, Heal Pulse
Abilities:
-Anger Point: When she's well and truly enraged, Jessie becomes dangerous. (When something makes her truly angry, she gets a bonus to all combat rolls. WHEN ANGRY (not annoyed, ANGRY) +20 unarmed melee, +10 armed melee)
-Not Actually a Pokemon: Jessie's strong enough to defeat some Pokemon on her own, and she… accidentally? joined a Nursing School meant for Chancey and almost passed. It seems that she has a latent talent for the physical side of what her original world calls Aura. (Easier to learn and train physical techniques, bonus to personal combat. (+10 unarmed, +5 armed))
James:
Strength: 9
Agility: 11
Dexterity: 12
Int: 10
Wis: 3
Charisma: 14
Diplomacy: 10
Will-Power: 9
Arcane: 3
On-Hand Creatures (Just Pokemon, for now):
-Growlie: A Growlithe, James' childhood friend and companion. He was always there for James. After they reunited, James bid Growlie to 'stay' to watch over his parents. (Extremely loyal, this Pokemon will remind James of duty and responsibility.) FLASH FIRE; Flamethrower, Dig
-Carnivine: One of James' childhood Pokemon, it loves him. It shows its love in a… unique way. Well, not unique, but… Unique to James' Grass Types. (A lot of Grass-Type moves, Carnivine truly loves its trainer, and will remind James of his innocently adventurous youth.) LEVITATE; Vine Whip, Bind, Bite, Bullet Seed
-Weezing: The Pokemon James had at the start of Ash's Journey. Extremely loyal to James, to the point where he will refuse orders from anyone who isn't James. Believes that there are no evil Pokemon, but rather that Pokemon should do as their trainers say, and morality is the trainer's burden. Was released along with Jessie's Arbok to protect groups of their pre-evolutions. (Knows a mixture of damaging and utility moves. Weezing will remind James that he's not the only one affected by his choices.) LEVITATE; Poison Gas, Sludge, Smokescreen, Smog
Abilities:
-Silver Spoon in Hand: James was raised rich. Not 'no college debt and my parents own two houses' rich. Not 'enough money to live comfortably without having to ever work' rich. 'Family own multiple castles and mansions dotted around the world and nobody's sure where their money came from' rich. Filthy rich. Despite running away from it, James is intimately familiar with how the 'upper class' thinks, and can effortlessly blend in among them. He's extravagant, campy, moody and impulsive. Par for the course for nobility. But among normal people, uh. Well, he's definitely eccentric. (+25 when trying to blend in with the upper crust, +10 when trying to get something from them. -15 when trying to pretend to be from a humble background.)
-Pokemon Bait: Despite being part of a villainous organization that steals Pokemon, James is an affectionate trainer who loves all of his Pokemon. Well, most of his Pokemon. We don't talk about the Magikarp incident. And James' Pokemon love him back. (James has an easier time recruiting and bonding with creature team-mates.)
-More Than Meets The Eye: Under all the campiness and villainy, James can be perceptive. He mainly uses it for sarcasm, but he has a true talent for raising and training Pokemon. He can getthrough to almost any Pokemon. He has enough practical knowledge about Pokemon to convincingly impersonate Professor Oak. It turns out that he has a latent talent for the more touchy-feely aspects of what his original world calls Aura – though it's not clear if the Aura came first, or if he ended up subconsciously learning it because of his love for (his own) Pokemon. (Easier to learn and train empathic powers and techniques, decent bonus to 'face' rolls (+10 if he has no context, +15 if he has some previous knowledge about the situation, place, or person.))
–
Meowth:
Strength: 10
Agility: 14
Dexterity: 14
Int: 14
Wis: 6
Charisma: 10
Diplomacy: 13
Will-Power: 8
Arcane: 6
Moves: Fury Slash, Scratch, Bite
Abilities:
-Actually a Pokemon: Meowth doesn't have a Pokemon, he is one. He heals faster and doesn't get hurt as easily, has an easier time getting stronger, and can relate more easily to animals/'animals'. Even if he's not always sure about that last part. (+10 to all combat rolls, +10 to diplomacy with creatures, can learn techniques unique to creatures.)
-Da Brains: Meowth may be hesitant to use moves or learn new ones, but when he's forced to fight he's smart. And while he prefers not to fight directly, he's the one responsible for making, maintaining, and repairing Team Rocket's insane mechas and machines. (+10 when fighting outside the box. Bonus when learning more technical skills like alchemy, able to do things with technology. Not that that could be relevant in a High Fantasy setting, right? Hahahahahaha.)
-Schroedinger's Move: Nobody actually knows how Meowth can talk. Sure, he taught himself – but is it an Ability? A Move? Just something he can do? (Explicitly makes talking one of Meowth's innate abilities. He no longer lives in fear of losing his ability to snark at his teammates just because he learned how to Tackle. Makes it possible to teach speaking to other Pokemon/creatures.)
-Dat's Right: Meowth is ambitious. He's conniving. He's greedy. And yet, he'll put it all aside – put enmity and petty rivalries aside, when the Big Picture demands it, or even when he feels like it. He loves being evil, but being good feels good. (No inherent maluses when doing good deeds. It took Meowth a long time to admit to himself that he enjoys helping people.)
-What the Fuck is That, is That a Fucking Cat?: A talking Pokemon he may be, but Meowth is still a feline. The Boss' favorite feline, for real now! (Can seamlessly impersonate a normal-ish cat, no rolls unless he acts out of character. Enjoys stereotypical cat activities.)
Rogue Assets:
The Cabbage Merchant:
Strength: 9
Agility: 14
Dexterity: 9
Int: 7
Wis: 2
Charisma: 6
Diplomacy: 9
Will-Power: 17
Arcane: 9
Rage and Understanding: Explanation on synthesis to follow first appearance in-story.
Giuseppe:
Strength: ?
Agility: ?
Dexterity: ?
Int: ?
Wis: ?
Charisma: ?
Diplomacy: ?
Will-Power: High.
Arcane: ?
Successful Chain of Pizza Parlors. Perfect Taste Buds: Pfeh Isekai: Standard Isekai victim, bland underachieving high-school student with a useless-seeming obsession who got hit by a truck.
Scheduled vote count started by xamaplak on Oct 11, 2024 at 8:44 AM, finished with 15 posts and 10 votes.
[X] Plan: Team Rocket Vs the Universe!
-[X] World -[X] High Fantasy
--[X] Both, in the same world!? Gasp!
-[X] Someone Else's Playground
--[X] Pokemon. Arceus threatened to sue you, but honestly their other system with a hero in each region makes much more sense than having one hero face every single threat in every single region. 'The World Will Turn to Ash', you argued, could be made to be about your world. They grudgingly agreed to give you something.
---[X] Blasting off Again! Arceus offered to foot the metaphysical bill if you took a certain troublesome trio off their hands. What could go wrong!? (No power spent, three sentient heroes for the price of none! Options galore! Meowth, that's right!)
-[X] All Of Them.
[X] Plan: Another World. Same old War.
-[X] World
--[X] Industrial Revolution
—-[X] Magic with Rules (FMA- or Youjo Senki-style)
-[X] Someone Else's Playground
--[X] Fullmetal Alchemist. ---[X] Maes Hughes.
-[X] Threat. What evil are you facing?
--[X] Evil Empire of Evil – it might have a 'face', but you can't just take down the dark lord and wash your hands. People have tried. There's always going to be another Emperor. You need to knock down their pillars.
I messed up originally by not opening votes with the first post. Because of my mess-up, the voting's off -- there were two votes before I hit 'open voting'. Too Old For This and Battle Bonds got 4 votes, making it a three-way tie.
So I'm opening voting for about half a day to do a runoff vote on what is actually a tie. Guh.
[] Plan: Team Rocket Vs the Universe!
-[] World
--[] High Fantasy
--[] Both, in the same world!? Gasp!
-[] Someone Else's Playground
--[] Pokemon. Arceus threatened to sue you, but honestly their other system with a hero in each region makes much more sense than having one hero face every single threat in every single region. 'The World Will Turn to Ash', you argued, could be made to be about your world. They grudgingly agreed to give you something.
---[] Blasting off Again! Arceus offered to foot the metaphysical bill if you took a certain troublesome trio off their hands. What could go wrong!? (No power spent, three sentient heroes for the price of none! Options galore! Meowth, that's right!)
--[] All Of Them.
[] Plan: Battle Bonds and Bonds of Battle.
-[] World
--[] High Fantasy
---[] Both, in the same world!? Gasp!
-[] Champion Source
--[] Someone Else's Playground
---[] Pokemon. Arceus threatened to sue you, but honestly their other system with a hero in each region makes much more sense than having one hero face every single threat in every single region. 'The World Will Turn to Ash', you argued, could be made to be about your world. They grudgingly agreed to give you something.
----[] Early Kanto Ash. Ash, Pikachu, maybe more. Ash has just started to understand, but he hasn't even gotten to the conference yet!
-[] Threat
--[] All Of Them.
[] Plan: Too Old For This
-[] World
--[] Industrial Revolution
---[] 'Normal' on the surface but with things going on. (fairy tales are real, hidden magic, shoe gnomes.)
-[] Champion Source. Normally, it'd be a no-brainer, but pickin's are slim.
--[] The 'Seed World' (Highest customization, no crossovers)
---[] Senior Citizen. Not used to the new safety regulations and too slow to jump out of the way.
-[] Threat. What evil are you facing?
--[] Alien Invasion. Why couldn't it happen to a unified world? Or at least somewhere with better technology!
Even with a lackluster showing, you were still tempted by the Seed World's harvests. There's always potential in someone with no preconceptions about magic or sorcery, and you've never even heard of an elderly person being reincarnated. That would be interesting, someone with no preconceptions about their new world, but a lifetime of experience with their old one…
But the allure of a world where, from a young age, children are urged to Be The Very Best was too much.
In the end, you had a choice. A young man who could – would – become a great trainer, a savior of regions, and best friend to… a good two dozen people, at least. Natural charisma, natural talent. Natural arrogance, natural childishness. Untempered and untested. The start of something great.
Or his most common adversaries. Tenacious and stubborn, obsessive and not too bright. Rotten, but not to the core. Irreverent but never irrelevant. Willing to step in when the world is in peril…
And able to survive incredibly high voltage shocks, and falls from great heights.
In the end, you chose the Terrible Trio. The 'freebee' nature of the choice was absolutely a factor – three for the price of none! What a deal!
As you and Arceus shake metaphorical hands, you feel an imprint of a thought.
||All transactions are final.||
"He's finally done it." James sighs, slowly doffing his elaborate disguise. "Part of me will miss him."
"Whaddaya mean miss 'im? Monarch don't mean nothin'. Da twerp's nevah gonna change – 'e won't stop travelin'. Ain't about the destination no more."
"That just proves how much of a twerp he is." Jessie scowls and shakes her head, "If I were in his place, I'd luxuriate in it. Officially recognized as the best trainer in the world, friends with every pokemon professor, champion, and Gym Leader? I'd be set for life. No more roughing it," She lets out a bitter bark of laughter. "No more 'blasting off'."
"I don't know," James says, thinking back to his own brushes with a life of ease. "I don't think I'd trade this for anything. What's a life of luxury if you're not doing what you love?"
"Luxury's in da eye 'a da beholdah. What would I trade for a chance ta be da boss' favorite feline?" Meowth pauses, then nods. "Pikachu."
"We've been beaten by Le gendaries before. But I must admit, I've never even heard of a Legendary Pikachu."
"As-if the twerp's doesn't qualify?"
The trio thinks.
"Does dat mean-"
"Another Pikachu with the same amount of power as the twerp's?" Jessie grins.
"And the Strongest Pokemon Trainer in The World is nowhere to be seen. Fabulous." James reaches for his pokeballs.
||Fabulous indeed.||
"Wobbuffet!"
"Dat's no Pikachu."
"Wobbuffet!"
||Your Pikachu is in another castle.|| The voice pauses. ||Or rather, you're in another castle.||
"...it's right. We are." James gulps, looking around. A white void, nothing in sight.
Jessie shivers, "What did the twerp do this time?"
"I tink it's less 'what did da twerp do', and more 'what did da twerp miss'. I knew it was too good ta be true. No one can be there fer every disaster. Somethin' had to give."
"So it's over…" Jessie fights back tears, "It's gone… it's all gone…"
James sinks to his knees. "Our Pokemon. Our families. Even the twerp."
"It's ovah. It's really ovah."
It seems that Arceus passed them to you at just the right moment.
"Not for you."
"What-"
"It doesn't have to be over for you." It has to be in the form of an offer, always. Give them the illusion of a choice, while also making it seem like there's no choice at all. Make them grateful.
"Oh, I know what this is!" James immediately brightens up, "I read this fascinating book a few weeks ago called 'I was reincarnated as a refrigerator but without a freezer on top and now I'm the King's advisor in Ancient Galar'!"
"Dat's a mouthful, why izzit dat new books always give away da full plot in da title? What's da point a'readin' them?"
"It's because they started as electronic novels. Readers don't bother looking at summaries, so they have to put everything in the title." James shakes his head, "I'll admit, it's become overdone, but they have to keep the brand recognition when they make the switch to published novels."
"Wonderful discussion. I have to say, I'm fascinated." Sarcasm is one of the things that holds Team Rocket together. "But instead of talking about the intricacies of modern literature, which doesn't exist anymore, maybe we should focus on the Legendary offering us a second chance!"
"That is an excellent point, although personally I'm of the opinion that the longer the title, the better. At one point I fully expect a clever author to stick the entire first chapter in the title." You pause, "It's too bad you won't be able to see that happen."
"What do you mean, aren't you giving us a chance to fix this?" James sounds genuinely confused. "In 'My Second Life as a Magikarp', Magi stops the meteor that originally killed him from destroying Hoenn-"
"Your world's story is over. My world's story, on the other hand…" You trail off.
"Has just begun?" Jessie suggests, "Needs more characters? An empress, living a life of luxury-"
"Wit' her most trusted advisah!"
"And her chief Pokemon tender," James has a dreamy look in his eyes.
"No. It's been going for quite a while. But it's become… cluttered."
"Cluttered?"
"Cluttered. I find myself in need of… technicians. Agents."
"Patsies." Jessie spits.
"In a way. I am limited in acting directly." You pause, "You will, of course, be handsomely rewarded."
"Servants?"
"My own personal Saffari Zone?"
"A pillow that my claws'll nevah ruin?"
"Wobbuffet!"
"Intriguing. Your dumbest member is your smartest."
The blue thing salutes.
"You are being given a chance to live. Is that not reward enough?"
"Not if ya need us." Meowth grins, "Sure, maybe we need each-othah. But I don't do nothin' fer nobody unless I know what I'm gettin' outa it."
Mercenary. Predictable. "Very well. In return for your loyal service as my intermediaries."
"Yes?" All four rockets lean forward.
"My Chosen."
"Yes?"
"My Heroes."
"Wobbufet!"
"I will grant you power. Special power. Unique power."
"Dat doesn't seem like a gift, more like a useful tool fer you."
"Good point. You're right. A group of your caliber deserves fair compensation. Unfortunately, my world needs immediate aid, and I have little power to spare. I'll just leave you in limbo for the next God-"
"Ah ha ha ha ha ha! Nah, nah, we're da best at what we do!" Meowth smiles and nudges James. "Right, Jimmy?"
"Right!" James straightens his uniform, "We're uh, we're always happy to help a world in need-"
"We're always prepared for trouble!" Jessie has a gleam in her eye.
"Make it double!"
"We'll protect the world from devastation!"
"Unite all peoples within our nation!"
"Denounce the evils of-" Jessie pauses. "Uh. What evils are we fighting?"
"Let's just say that I fully expect you to extend your reach to the Stars Above."
"Meowth, dat's concernin'."
"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet salutes, and you mentally translate what he said as "That's just the way it is, baby."
"Team Rocket will blast off at the speed of light for you." Jessie pauses, "....Boss."
"Boss." James nods.
"Boss." Meowth brightens up, "Am I yer favorite feline?"
"Patches narrowly avoided the truck, so yes. Yes you are."
Meowth carefully considers your statement. "I'll take it! Dat's right!"
Jessie clears her throat. "So, Boss, about those special powers…"
You will play as Team Rocket, but their personalities are… not inherently conducive to grand heroics. That's the problem with recurring villains – unless you want them to make a permanent heel-face turn, it doesn't matter how many sympathetic character moments or snapshot episodes they get. They still have to be over-the-top bad guys. There will, by default, be general reluctance to act like "goody two-shoes twerps".
You have 30 Power Points to spend.
First off, what form does The Boss' consciousness take?
[] Consciousness
-[]Back of the mind, present but not active. Passive unless something bad happens, but passive thoughts will always prompt more… beneficial actions. (Team Rocket doesn't know the Boss is always there, but if there are non-write-in options, one will always further The Boss' goals, and any personality-based maluses to heroic options will be lessened. There will be opportunities for direct communication where The Boss can menace [or praise] them.) (Default, 0 Points)
-[] Back of the mind, active. The Voldemort to their Quirrel. Active communication, but they know The Boss is there. (Less general confusion at their new surroundings, and straight-up shenanigans will often be curtailed, but a god isn't always tuned in to the vagaries of mortal life and TR might grow to resent their Boss.) (3 Points)
-[] Pokedex: Rotom ain't got nothin' on you. Not a phone, not a fancy flying Pokedex, you take the form of an ordinary-seeming old-school Pokedex. Bulky, charming. Small blurbs of easily digested exposition. Nudges and hints, and the ability to, as the kids say, face-time. (The cheat item is you, except you don't rub their faces in it. And you're not actively counterproductive. No, I'm not Kazuma.) (4 Points)
-[] A Legendary Pokemon. Gods having a physical presence is strangely appealing. (They'll have a special Pokeball with The Boss inside it. QM chooses the Pokemon. They'll be free from The Boss' preconceptions. Mechanically, it can be applied to one action a turn for a gigantic boost. If it's used too frivolously or too often, The Boss will remove itself to a physical location like a lake or a mountain for a time. As well, physical forms are vulnerable. Take ¾ of the Legendaries Ash encountered, for example. Or Tui and La.) (7 Points)
-[]Write in. Subject to veto. (Variable points.)
-[] Mote of light/Siri: Not a physical form, a small ball of light. You will always be there to guide their way, light the darkest moments, and generally be ever-present...but you will only speak when directly prompted. (4 points)
And options for their direct power-ups, and direct conditioning…
[] Rocket Power
-[] General
--[-] Protect The World from Devastation: Already in effect. When the world is directly threatened, Team Rocket will suspend villainy and hooliganry to fight for the greater good. Or at least, to fight for the continued existence of their world. (Bonus to all rolls during Incidents of Mass Destruction.)
–[-] Blasting Off Again: Already in effect. They have a habit of surviving failed encounters relatively unscathed, and are quick to recover and jump right back in. (When failing an action, roll three times to escape and use the highest one. Then use the lowest roll to determine how embarrassing their escape was.)
–[] Unite All People Within Our Nation: Team Rocket has a strange charisma. (When performing high-profile deeds, heroic or villainous, there will be a chance that someone in the back-ground or on the 'enemy team' will decide to support the Rockets instead.) (2 Points)
--[]Prepared for Trouble: After multiple anime seasons worth of misadventures, the Trio is used to failure. Drenched in it. Prepared for it. (Whenever they crit fail, flip a coin. A heads turns it into a normal fail. Whenever they crit succeed, flip 2 coins. Two tails, and it's just a normal success.) (2 Points)
–[] Prepared For Trouble Fools' Edition: After multiple anime seasons worth of misadventures, the Trio is used to failure. Drenched in it. Prepared for it. Expecting it. (Whenever they crit fail, flip a coin. A heads turns it into a normal fail. Whenever they crit succeed, flip 2 coins. Two tails, and it's a failure.) (1 Point)
–[]Hiding in Plain Sight: Oh Look, Two Completely Non-Suspicious Street Venders and Their Totally Average Talking Meowth! (Roll with advantage when trying to go incognito or infiltrate.) (2 Points)
–[] Not You Guys Again!: No matter how far they Blast Off, no matter how many miles separates them from their quarry, Team Rocket always finds what they're looking for. (Roll with advantage when trying to track down a character or object.) (2 Points)
–[] Words of Power: Meowth, That's Right! (Every time they're able to fully complete the Team Rocket motto, Team Rocket and their allies get buffed and their enemies get a debuff. Bonus to all attempts to recruit temporary allies.) (3 Points)
-[] Mayhem and Madness: Not exactly Heroic, but causing chaos is what Team Rocket does best. (Roll with advantage when trying to disrupt enemy operations. Will always be destructive to the general area.) (3 Points)
-[] Just The Players In MyMaster Plan: Their personal schemes are nothing compared to their orders. Their Boss is the Boss. No matter how much they grumble, they will give 150% of their effort to enacting The Boss' direct bidding. (When directly following The Boss' orders, re-roll first failure.) (Synergises very well with Quirrel-style, but at what cost?) (5 Points)
--[] Rocket Pilots: Over their long career, Team Rocket has piloted and driven a wide selection of vehicles and mecha. They've become proficient in piloting pretty much... anything. (Advantage when piloting or driving vehicle, conveyance, mech, piloted golem, or moving Castle. Useful... Under the right circumstances.) (4 points)
-[] Write In: Subject to Veto.
-[] Jessie
–[-] Wobbuffet. Already in party. The fourth 'regular' member of Team Rocket is actually Jessie's Pokemon, and Jessie's only default on-hand Pokemon. (No directly offensive moves, only defensive and reactive. Despite being the comic relief's comic relief, has a very close relationship with his trainer… Also, shadow-tag has potential)
–[] Arbok. Her original Pokemon, released to protect a group of Ekans from poachers. This act, more than anything else, proves her potential for heroism. Enlightened self interest cannot be argued. (Both offensive and defensive moves, bringing this Pokemon back will make Jessie remember her best side.) (1 Point)
–[] Seviper. Jessie's Sinnoh Snake, sent into the Team Rocket pool after Sinnoh, and returned to her after Alola. Memorably caught after being bested in combat by Jessie herself. no Pokemon necessary. (Primarily offensive moves, Seviper was Jessie's preferred battle Pokemon, and will remind Jessie that she doesn't need Pokemon to fight for her all the time.) (1 Point.)
–[] Mimikyu. Jessie initially thought it was cute, but it joined Team Rocket because of its hatred for Pikachu. At the end of the Alola journey, it let go of its hatred – but during its stay with Team Rocket, it was willful, obsessive, and focused on its own goals. (Strong and scary, it will both bring out Jessie's spitefulness, and show her how it affects other people.) (1 Point.)
–[] Blissey. Jessie befriended her as a Chancey during her misadventures in Nursing School. Despite never catching her, they formed a strong friendship. (Blissey is a primary healer. She will remind Jessie of her youthful aspirations and encourage her to be better.) (3 Points.)
–[-] Anger Point:Already in Effect. When she's well and truly enraged, Jessie becomes dangerous. (When something makes her truly angry, she gets a bonus to all combat rolls.)
–[] Not Actually a Pokemon: Jessie's strong enough to defeat some Pokemon on her own, and she… accidentally? joined a Nursing School meant for Chancey and almost passed. It seems that she has a latent talent for the physical side of what her original world calls Aura. (Easier to learn and train physical techniques, bonus to personal combat.) (3 Points)
–[] Chainer Jessie: Before Team Rocket, Jessie and James joined a bike gang. Not motorcycle, bicycle. While part of that gang, Jessie was known for… swinging a chain over her head?! In a bicycle gang!? (Knows how to use weapons like flails. Is scarier.) (1 Point)
–[] Contest Queen: While her natural talents lean more towards violence and intimidation, Jessie has always yearned to be seen as a graceful beauty. Whether in Contests, Showcases, as a wannabe -model, -Idol or otherwise. (Bonus to rolls where it's possible to look graceful or where she can perform, small bonus to 'face' rolls.) (1 Point)
--[] Write In: Subject to Veto.
-[] James
–[] Carnivine. One of James' childhood Pokemon, it loves him. It shows its love in a… unique way. Well, not unique, but… Unique to James' Grass Types. (A lot of Grass-Type moves, Carnivine truly loves its trainer, and will remind James of his innocently adventurous youth.) (1 Point)
–[] Growlie. A Growlithe, James' childhood friend and companion. He was always there for James. After they reunited, James bid Growlie to 'stay' to watch over his parents. (Extremely loyal, this Pokemon will remind James of duty and responsibility.) (1 Point)
–[] Weezing. The Pokemon James had at the start of Ash's Journey. Extremely loyal to James, to the point where he will refuse orders from anyone who isn't James. Believes that there are no evil Pokemon, but rather that Pokemon should do as their trainers say, and morality is the trainer's burden. Was released along with Jessie's Arbok to protect groups of their pre-evolutions. (Knows a mixture of damaging and utility moves. Weezing will remind James that he's not the only one affected by his choices.) (1 Point.)
–[]Chimecho. James always wanted a Chimecho – and when he and Chimecho found each-other, they bonded at first sight. James is incredibly protective. (Primarily used for healing and morale, James will not allow Chimecho to fight. Chimecho will bring out the protector in James.) (2 Points)
–[-] Silver Spoon in Hand:Already Active. James was raised rich. Not 'no college debt and my parents own two houses' rich. Not 'enough money to live comfortably without having to ever work' rich. 'Family own multiple castles and mansions dotted around the world and nobody's sure where their money came from' rich. Filthy rich. Despite running away from it, James is intimately familiar with how the 'upper class' thinks, and can effortlessly blend in among them. He's extravagant, campy, moody and impulsive. Par for the course for nobility. But among normal people, uh. Well, he's definitely eccentric. (Big bonus when trying to blend in with the upper crust, decent bonus when trying to get something from them. Malus when trying to pretend to be from a humble background.)
–[-] Pokemon Bait: Already in Effect. Despite being part of a villainous organization that steals Pokemon, James is an affectionate trainer who loves all of his Pokemon. Well, most of his Pokemon. We don't talk about the Magikarp incident. And James' Pokemon love him back. (James has an easier time recruiting and bonding with animal/'animal' team-mates.)
–[] More Than Meets The Eye: Under all the campiness and villainy, James can be perceptive. He mainly uses it for sarcasm, but he has a true talent for raising and training Pokemon. He can getthrough to almost any Pokemon. He has enough practical knowledge about Pokemon to convincingly impersonate Professor Oak. It turns out that he has a latent talent for the more touchy-feely aspects of what his original world calls Aura – though it's not clear if the Aura came first, or if he ended up subconsciously learning it because of his love for (his) Pokemon. (Easier to learn and train empathic powers and techniques, decent bonus to 'face' rolls.) (3 Points)
–[] Prepare For Rhyming: And mind the timing. James has a talent for writing rhymes, poetry, and snappy tunes. He doesn't quite have the same knack for it as Professor Oak… or at least, he didn't back when it was relevant. He's got a way with words, an affinity for alliteration, and the ability to drop a sick beat. (Bonus to 'face' rolls. Ability to make, modify or alter rhyming couplets and possibly any affects they may have.) (3 Points)
--[] Write In: Subject to Veto.
--[] Stage Make-up: While every member of Team Rocket has had occasion to disguise themselves, James has taken... a flare to it. (Large bonus when James tries to disguise himself. When he cross-dresses, will always have... uh... notable assets. There was a reason that episode never aired in America...) (1 Point)
-[] Meowth.
--[-] Actually a Pokemon:Already Active. Meowth doesn't have a Pokemon, he is one. He heals faster and doesn't get hurt as easily, has an easier time getting stronger, and can relate more easily to animals/'animals'. Even if he's not always sure about that last part. (Bonus to all combat rolls, bonus to diplomacy with animals/'animals', can learn techniques unique to animals/'animals'.)
--[-] Da Brains:Already Active. Meowth may be hesitant to use moves or learn new ones, but when he's forced to fight he's smart. And while he prefers not to fight directly, he's the one responsible for making, maintaining, and repairing Team Rocket's insane mechas and machines. (Bonus to unconventional fighting, bonus for learning more technical skills like alchemy, able to do things with technology. Not that that could be relevant in a High Fantasy setting, right? Hahahahahaha.)
–[] Schroedinger's Move: Nobody actually knows how Meowth can talk. Sure, he taught himself – but is it an Ability? A Move? Just something he can do? (Explicitly makes talking one of Meowth's innate abilities. He will no longer live in fear of losing his ability to snark at his teammates because he learned Tackle. Makes it possible to teach speaking to other Pokemon/animals/'animals'.) (1 Point)
–[] Dat's Right: Meowth is ambitious. He's conniving. He's greedy. And yet, he'll put it all aside – put enmity and petty rivalries aside, when the Big Picture demands it, or even when he feels like it. He loves being evil, but being good feels good. (No inherent maluses when doing good deeds. It took Meowth a long time to admit to himself that he enjoys helping people.) (1 Point)
–[] What the Fuck is That, is That a Fucking Cat?: A talking Pokemon he may be, but Meowth is still a feline. The Boss' favorite feline, for real now! (Can seamlessly impersonate a normal-ish cat, no rolls unless he acts out of character. Enjoys stereotypical cat activities.) (1 Point)
–[] Payday Loan: Meowth will learn Payday, it will not conflict with any other Moves or Abilities, and the coins will exist for 3 days. (They are criminals.) (2 Points)
–[] Da Noive!: Meowth can be a spiteful kitty. After the Pikachu saga, he's done being constantly defeated by the same nuisance. (When facing someone who has beaten him previously, Meowth's first success will be critical. If it's a natural crit, the next failure will be a success.) (3 Points)
--[] Write In: Subject to Veto.
-[] Cheat Items:
–[-] Meowth Hot Air Balloon: Already owned. The classic. Slow but steady. (Hot air balloons were invented in China almost 2000 years ago, and were around in Medieval Europe. They are not unknown in this new world.)
--[]Master Ball: x0 Guaranteed capture of any animal or 'animal'. (3 Points each)
–[] 10 Green Apricorn Seeds: (4 points)
–[] 3 Black Apricorn Seed: (4 points)
–[] PokeBike: Two bicycles that can be stored in a backpack, are very durable, and allow people to move great distances at a far greater speed than one would expect. James' will have training wheels. (3 Points)
–[] Z-Ring and Two Z-Crystals. (4 Power Points)
—[] Write in Z-Crystals.
–[] Keystone and one Mega Stones: (4 Power Points) (Team Rocket have no Mega-Capable Pokemon unless you choose one of the next two options.)
–[] Unevolved Non-Legendary: (3 Power Points.)
—[] Write in Pokemon, Subject To Veto:
–[] Unevolved Non-Legendary Grass Type: Will be automatically assigned to James. (1 Power Point, can only be used once.)
—[] Write in Grass-type.
–[] Magic Weapon of Power: (4 Power Points)
—[] Flail
—[] Write in, subject to Veto:
–[] The Unbreakable Shield: Wait, you already have Wobbuffet. (4 Points)
–[] The Unbreakable Shield, Skintight Suit Edition: Greed? Oh, no. Well, I guess it could be argued- (Extremely difficult to physically harm one party member.) (8 Points)
--[] Write in? Extremely subject to veto.
A/N:
I... got a bit deep with their Pokemon options, didn't I? The tragedy is, if you glom all of their character moments across all of the animes together, Team Rocket have come a long way. But everyone got a variable character- and competency-reset in New Regions up until Journeys (which I have watched exactly 0 episodes of. I've at least dabbled in all of the others, though admittedly Alola's large cast put me off.)
Also, I forgot everything about the episode where Chainer Jessie was talked about except for the fact that Jessie swung around a chain and James needed training wheels. I was half-convinced it was a weird dream.
Please let me know if any of the options don't feel right. I'll review any write-in's, then open voting tomorrow (Tuesday) some time after 6 PM EST.
[x] Plan: last minute anti-heros
- [x] Consciousness
--[x] Mote of light/Siri: Yours is a visible, albeit, limited presence. Not a physical form, a small ball of light. You will always be there to guide their way, light the darkest moments, and generally be ever-present...but you will only speak when directly prompted. -[x] Rocket Power --[x] General ---[x] Not You Guys Again!: No matter how far they Blast Off, no matter how many miles separates them from their quarry, Team Rocket always finds what they're looking for. (Roll with advantage when trying to track down a character or object.) (2 Points) ---[x] Just The Players In MyMaster Plan: Their personal schemes are nothing compared to their orders. Their Boss is the Boss. No matter how much they grumble, they will give 150% of their effort to enacting The Boss' direct bidding. (When directly following The Boss' orders, re-roll first failure.) (Synergises very well with Quirrel-style, but at what cost?) (5 Points) -[x] Jessie –[x] Blissey. Jessie befriended her as a Chancey during her misadventures in Nursing School. Despite never catching her, they formed a strong friendship. (Blissey is a primary healer. She will remind Jessie of her youthful aspirations and encourage her to be better.) (3 Points.) -[x] James –[x] Growlie. A Growlithe, James' childhood friend and companion. He was always there for James. After they reunited, James bid Growlie to 'stay' to watch over his parents. (Extremely loyal, this Pokemon will remind James of duty and responsibility.) (1 Point) --[x] Write In: Stage Make Up skills. Hey. Remember that time James wore a - -[x] Meowth. –[x] Schroedinger's Move: Nobody actually knows how Meowth can talk. Sure, he taught himself – but is it an Ability? A Move? Just something he can do? (Explicitly makes talking one of Meowth's innate abilities. He will no longer live in fear of losing his ability to snark at his teammates because he learned Tackle. Makes it possible to teach speaking to other Pokemon/animals/'animals'.) (1 Point) –[x] Dat's Right: Meowth is ambitious. He's conniving. He's greedy. And yet, he'll put it all aside – put enmity and petty rivalries aside, when the Big Picture demands it, or even when he feels like it. He loves being evil, but being good feels good. (No inherent maluses when doing good deeds. It took Meowth a long time to admit to himself that he enjoys helping people.) (1 Point) -[x] Cheat Items: –[x] Magic Weapon of Power: (4 Power Points)
—[x] Write in, subject to Veto: A Whip, for Jesse
—[x] Write in, subject to Veto: Shuriken, for meowth
—[x] Write in, subject to Veto: Smoke bombs, for james, a weapon in the correct hands
The three Rockets all start speaking at once, interrupting you.
James' fists are clenched and he has a gleam in his eyes, "Our Pokemon, we are nothing without our teams!"
"Power! Unlimited Power!" Jessie cackles.
"Knowledge. Knowin' is half da battle!"
Hmm. They're lucky, you were going to grant them all three anyway. There is a flash.
James takes in a breath, and lets it out. "Something feels different."
"Somethin' is different," Meowth murmurs, staring at his paws. "Da powah was inside me the whole time…"
"Oh," James looks around the alley they've been deposited in, then up. "Oh."
You come to life in Jessie's hands. "Henisi, Center of Trade in the 'Boot of Power', and one of the most important cities in the League of Tonitr. Henisi is an old city, built to control and regulate the canals that were dug across the top of The Boot, affectionately called 'the Boot's Collar'."
"The Boot?" James wrinkles his nose, "We're in a Region called The Boot?"
"Our 'Fabulous Secret Power' is just a Pokedex?" Jessie scoffs, and tosses you at James.
"The Boot of Power," you lecture, unperturbed, "was the center of an old Empire. Steeped in magic, it remains a corner-stone of the modern world."
"Jessie, look." James points, and Jessie gasps.
"I've seen smaller Sky-Scrapers." Jessie admits, grudgingly impressed.
"The Taciturn Tower was one of the Wonders of the Daquinan Empire. Few remember how to make such grand structures."
James fiddles with you, "So The Boss decided knowledge is power, huh?"
"Meowth, 'e's right!" Meowth cackles, "Knowledge is powah, and I've got all da knowledge I need!" His eyes are sparkling.
James taps his foot on the ground, "What are we fighting, anyway? Meteorites, and angry Legendary?"
"The World Under The Sun faces many threats, both existential and insidious-" You begin.
"Save the lecture you stupid box, we've got company!" Jessie reaches for her belt, grabbing the first Pokeball her hand finds.
"Oh, I'm just passing through." A tanned man wearing a green tunic almost runs out of the alley where your Heroes were deposited. "Now, where can I find some cabbages…"
"Cabbages, eugh." James shudders, "I do hope they're not a staple crop here."
"I tink we should follow dat guy's lead, honestly."
"Why would we want to find cabbages?" Jessie turns up her nose
"I'd much prefer rice, or maybe a nice malasada." James crosses his arms, still holding you.
"What I meant," Meowth rolls his eyes, "was dat we should get outta dis alley and figure out what's goin' on, and where we are."
"Henisi, weren't you listening?"
"Yeah, yeah, but where's Hensisi? Where's dis Boot of Powah, and what's bad enough for a Legendary to grab us ta fix it?"
"War. War neverending."
"Oh, yeah dat kinda tracks." Meowth nods.
Jessie and James nod in agreement. "War, huh?" Jessie muses.
There's a beat.
"WAR?!" All three exclaim.
"Death-"
"Destruction of property-"
"Diseases an' food shortages-"
"How are we supposed to stop a war?" Jessie shrieks.
"A war? Which one?" Someone has taken notice of your Heroes, and they don't look cabbage-themed. "And why are you hooligans yelling in an alley?"
(How fortuitous is this encounter: 70.)
"Multiple wars, lovely." James sighs, "We're a bit lost, I'm afraid."
The person comes into view, revealing the form of a hunched old woman. "Hm, lost eh? Judging by your clothes, you're not from around here."
Jessie and James pat themselves down, realizing they're wearing pristine Team Rocket uniforms. "I rather assumed we would find ourselves in local garments." James admitted.
Jessie lets out a bark of laughter, "Of course not, that would be too easy."
"Meowth-"
"...is that a cat?"
"Cat? Isn't that a Pokémon body-type?" James hums, "Yes, I suppose Meowth-"
"Meowth, the Scratch Cat Pokémon. Meowth loves to roam at night to gather coins and other objects that sparkle, but it spends most of the daylight hours sleeping."
"Meowth, been a while since I heard dat entry."
"A talking cat? Meowth the talking cat?" The old lady hums, "Those clothes, the talking cat, your features… and that device. You must be from the East."
"The East?" James' brow furrows, "Well, I suppose-"
"Yes. Yes we are." Jessie cuts in, "We just got here, actually."
"On a boat!" Meowth adds, "Dose canals sure are somethin'."
"Yes, we're quite proud of them." The old lady seems to stand a little bit straighter, "Are you lost? Were you trying to find the Tower?" She wrinkles her nose, "I hope you're not part of one of those 'Sects'."
"Oh, heavens no." James says automatically, then pauses. "Sects…"
"Sects are organizations of Cultivators. Due to recent events, they have begun re-locating and splitting off, though they are still most numerous in their home-country, known in the West as Seiqua."
"Seiqua Region?" Jessie tilts her head, "And Sects are like Gyms?"
"Ah!" James nods, "Then we're definitely not trying to join the local Sects."
The old lady hums, "Good. They seem to cause nothing but trouble. There are a few of your 'Great Sages' up at the Tower, but they never do anything when the Sects have their little-" she sniffs, "turf battles."
"If the Sects are Gyms, then the Taciturn Tower is a Battle Facility." Jessie reasons, "Great Sage must be a class of trainer."
"...are you sure you're from Seiqua?"
"We," James says grandly, "are the highest class of Cultivator. From the distant shores we call home, we've journeyed West to find-" He pauses.
"Knowledge!" Meowth suggests.
"Riches!" Jessie adds.
"Wobuffet!"
"-ourselves." James finishes.
(How does he do? D100+Charisma+10 (face): 107)
The woman's gaze softens. "Oh, I see. Adventuring types."
"Indubitably." James bows, "Team Rocket, at your service."
"There's certainly always something going on along the Hem." She huffs, "Outside of Kakonium" she turn her head and spits on the ground, "we're the center of plots and intrigue, for better and worse."
"Ah, so this must be the capital of your… Boot?"
"Foreigners. 'The Boot' is a peninsula." She pauses, "It was the center of an empire, once, but now it's a collection of cities and towns that are a shadow of what used to be, forced to join forces in a defensive league."
"But Henisi is clearly the most important city." Jessie leans in and grins.
"Yes, yes it is." The old lady laughs, "Not that Daquinum or will ever acknowledge it!"
"Daquinum, the old capital of the Daquinan Empire, once held primacy in the continent. Enduring the ravages of time and war, it is still steeped in the ancient magic and rituals that fueled it."
"And they'll never let us forget it." The old lady scoffs, "Daquinum is a relic, a shadow of its former self. Henisi remembers the old rituals. Henisi remembers the pacts that were made. Henisi yet knows the art of Sacred Stone. Henisi controls the canals, Henisi keeps our trade routes un-plundered by the Kakonines or Varags." She closes her eyes and breathes deeply.
James croons "Hensisi is truly the jewel of your league… Ah." He pauses, "When is the next conference?"
"Conference?"
"League Conference." James nods, "When the strongest trainers challenge each-other to find the next Champion."
"I dunno, dis place seems a bit…" Meowth trails off, glancing at the old lady. "Uh. I don't know dat dey'd have tournaments like that, Jimmy."
"Leagues have to have conferences, Meowth." Jessie snorts, "How else will they separate out the chaff from the 'very best'?"
"Ah! Tourneys are held regularly," The old lady pauses, "Daquinum holds them most often. Although the Protector Tonitrum in Prasata gives out the grandest prizes. But Prasata is practically on the frontier, and has more of…" She pauses, "More Sects, so you won't have any particular novelty. Our prizes might not be the grandest, but our sorcerors and craftsmen ensure that they last the longest.
"I see!" James bows, "Thank you for your advice, kind lady."
She chuckles, "Lady? Me? I'm a simple washer woman, nothing more. If you want a Lady, showing your might at a tournament would be the way to go." She clucks, "Ah, excuse me. The day flies by." She nods at James and leaves the alley.
Jessie nods decisively, "Granny Exposition gave us a place to start. We should enter a tournament. I doubt they've seen Pokemon like ours before."
James feels at his belt, "And I can't say that we've seen Pokemon like theirs before, either. I don't even know who I've got with me!"
"Wobbuffet!"
"Jimmy's right," Meowth nodds, "We can't fight no-one 'till we know what we have. And dis place has what, magic an' knights? An' what's Cultivation?"
"Cultivators dedicate their lives to understanding the power that's inside. The process of understanding involves learning how to harness, hone and utilize that power. Many cultivators become conceited and foolhardy, causing conflicts of personality that may result in feuds and even wars."
"Twerp stuff." Meowth huffs, "But before dey realize dey're all on da same side and team up ta fight us. I tink we should head ta this Taciturn Towah and," he wiggles his hand, "knock on da door."
"Marvelous plan. Brilliant." James deadpans, "Oh, hello Mr. Wizard, Great Sage! We are but humble travelers who wish to learn the great secrets of magic! Pay no attention to the Meowth sneaking in behind us." He shakes his head, "No, we need to do some scouting. Go to a few inns and taverns, listen to what people say. Maybe pick up a few contacts."
"You want to go bar-hopping?" Jessie pauses, "Well, I could use a drink, and some food… but we don't have any money. The tournament is our best bet-"
"WOBBUFFET!"
What do Team Rocket end up doing?
[] Blasting off?
-[] Jessie - Find a competition of some sort, and enter
-[] Meowth - Go to the Taciturn Tower and beg for some mystic power
-[] James - Go tavern-crawling and hope to run into a quest-giver
-[] Wobbuffet - You don't need a regional Professor to teach you Brick Break, find a move tutor! Or uh, something to that effect?
-[] Sects - "What? The 'Seiquan' twerps that fight each-other? Actually, on second thought, they do sound more like gangs…"
-[] Write-In: The Pokedex had a solution. (Subject to Veto)
Team Rocket is your gambit. Team Rocket are your Heroes. You chose them.
However, it seems… someone else chose you.
You can feel it. You can feel why. Everything he ever did seemed to be for naught – every endeavor, destroyed. Incidentally. All of his work, for nothing, over and over and over again. And nobody cared. Nobody thought to ask if he wanted help. Nobody ever helped him pick up the pieces.
You understand. He hitched a ride, hoping for a second chance. A better life. He's a bit more… business-minded than you'd prefer, but you get him. You'll even give him a... minor boon.
Pick One:
[] My Cabbage Merchant?
-[] Speed: He managed to seem like he was everywhere, always one step ahead of the Fire Nation. Now, he's even faster, able to rival horses or even some Cultivators.
-[] Knowledge: He specialized in selling cabbages, he knew them fairly well. Optimal growing conditions, different strains and varieties, how to recognize a cabbage that's about to spoil. Now, he'll have a special insight about cabbages. Perhaps he'll make a new cultivar...
-[] Rage: My cabbages... My Cabbages... MY! CABBAGES! RAAAGH!
A talkative (but biased and a bit xenophobic, but not extremely so) old woman is decent, all told. A crit would both have resulted in one particular guy appearing, but the circumstances would be wildly different based on if it was a success or failure.
Prasata was vaguely mentioned, it's a city in the League of Tonitrum that's outside of The Boot of Power. 3 guesses on where in Legally Distinct Europe 'The Boot' is, and the first two don't count. I'll post a map and the character sheet(s) on Tuesday or Wednesday. If anyone guesses what real life city Prasata corresponds to, I'll give them a choice of either a minor boon, or a bit more lore than I intended to give so early.
"The Taciturn Tower," you say from James' hands, "is one of the cornerstones of the League, and arguably the single most important structure in Henisi. The majority of the tower is invitation-only, however the lowest floors are open to anyone… who shows promise."
"Pfeh." Jessie spits, "Promise. It always comes down to 'potential'. The Twerp got badges without having to battle, but we don't have Twerp luck. Like I said, we'll need to prove ourselves first."
"Whaddaya sayin'?!?" Meowth stomps his little foot, "A'course we show promise! Dere's no Twerp, Da Boss chose us. Not even our old Boss did dat."
"And who kept up with the Twerp for all his adventures? Misty?" James scoffs, then furrows his brow. "Hold on, we out-lasted Brock!"
"We lasted longer than Brock?" Jessie is staring at her hands.
"See?" Meowth crosses his arms, "We followed da Twerp everywhere. Unova, Kalos, even Alola! How many times did we go back ta Kanto? We saw everythin'. We survived everythin'. Ash, Pikachu, an' Team Rocket."
"Wobuffet!"
"This is a new world. They don't know us. We don't even have disguise ourselves, yet!" James pauses, "...Hold on, if Ash isn't here, and we're the Chosen Ones, does that mean we're the Twerps-"
"Enough reminiscing!" Jessie points to the massive silhouette, "The Taciturn Tower is waiting for us!"
The only thing of interest outside of the Tower is a rodent that James identifies as a 'bizarre regional variant Rattata' that seems to be dragging a slice of pizza back to its nest. Meowth gets twitchy but manages to hold himself back.
Jessie points at the entrance, and the path leading up to it, which are flanked by gargoyles. "Are those Pokemon or just statues?"
"They could be both." James says absently, staring straight up. "It's impressive from afar, but up-close…"
"It just goes up an' up an' up-" Meowth shakes his head, speaking softly, "almost looks like it's growin', don't it?"
"I've seen more impressive towers," Jessie scoffs, "...but I have to admit..."
"You didn't expect a ye olde skyscraper?" James drawls, "I won't lie, it does impress me. Magic or not, it would be notable even back home."
"A marvel, made in a time of marvels. The Taciturn Tower is the tallest structure known to exist, made out of entirely magical materials."
"That's not the Pokedex," Jessie says, then manages to break her eyes away from the Tower, and looks down. And down, and down… "A twer- a child?"
"Don't be gauche!" James turns up his nose, then pauses and reverses his nose's trajectory. "Children don't have beards… often?"
Does This Small Bearded Person have Edward Elric energy? (1D100=99)
"Ha! Easterners, I'd wager!" The small man laughs, "I heard that your Dwarves keep their chins bare, but I didn't believe it!"
"Yes, facial hair does seem to be more common in the… West." James pauses, and speculates wildly. "I wonder if their lack is due to Cultivation..." Because James still doesn't actually know what Cultivation is.
The Dwarf squints at James. "Aye, that's certainly a theory." He pauses, "I'd wager I'm the first Dwarf you've met west of Kakonium, eh?" He shakes his head, then gives a short bow, his impressive chest-length beard clinking. "My manners escape me. I am Castano, seeker of the Burning Peak, once Eighteenth and Seventh of the Fifth Tallest to the West of the Frigid Divide."
Jessie opens her mouth, but pauses, transfixed by the Dwarf's jeweled beard.
"Ah, James… the uh… the only son of…" James crosses his eyes, trying to remember old, old lessons on pre-League propriety.
(DC 50/70/90 – 1D100+10 (diplomacy) +10 (no-context face) + 25 (Even James realizes Jeweled Beard plus fancy introduction = Upper Crust) 145?!?! Prepared for Trouble activities: 1 head, 1 tail, no change! SUPER EFFECTIVE!
James' eyes sparkle as he suddenly gets it, and he points to Jessie. "Hit it."
Jessie grins, slowly making a fist "We're always prepared for trouble!"
"And we're experts in making it double!" James' smile is contagious.
Jessie moves her hands, as-if cupping a sphere. "To protect the world from devastation!"
"We seek to unite all people, in every nation!"
"Denouncing the Evils-" Jessie crinkles her nose, and glares at the Pokedex. James grimaces, and points up, then down. Jessie nods. "Below as Above!"
Castano looks impressed.
"And we shall extend our reach…" James wrinkles his brow and rubs his chin. "until all know love." He almost makes 'love' sound like a question, but then he winks and there's a wolf-whistle.
"Jessie!"
"James." James bows.
Jessie points to the sky, "Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Our foes should surrender, unless they're prepared to fight." James crosses his arms, with the iron-clad certainty that he's made the right call.
"Meowth, dat's right!"
"Wobbuffet!"
Castano bows once again, more deeply, so that his beard almost touches the ground. "It is an honor. I have met many human cultivators, but you are like no others I have ever heard of."
There's the sound of clapping, and your surprisingly wonderful trio look around in shock.
They are surrounded by a small crowd. Some seem to have come from the tower, while others look like ordinary people who were attracted by the display.
James preens. "I'm not surprised. We are unique."
"Indeed, ah, Young Master?" Castano tilts his head, "Is Rocket an established sect?"
James bites his lip, looks to Meowth, then to Jessie.
Jessie starts nodding, but gets violently nudged by Meowth. She turns her stumble into a bow. "We-ee-ee! We! Are merely a group of… companions." She rights herself, "Dear, dear companions, isn't that right, Meowth?"
"Dat's right!" Meowth bows as well, "Companions an' friends, but dis Sect ting ain't outta da question!"
"I should hope not. The local Sects could certainly learn something from a group like you." Castano reaches out and shakes James' hand, then Jessie's, and even Meowth's paw.
Meowth, strangely, grabs the Dwarf's hand… and moves it to his head. "Ah, sorry 'bout dat-"
Castano laughs and starts scratching Meowth's ear. "No, don't be. There are not many like you outside of the Mountain Homes," he pauses, "and even there, very few learn the art of speech."
Meowth purrs. "What can I say, it's a talent!"
"What brings you West?" Castano asks, lifting his head to look James in the eyes.
"Oh, the usual." James airily waves his hand. "The urge to do good, the feeling that we need to be here, a force that can't be denied. All that."
"Ah, the call to adventure. I know it well." Castano nods, "In order to access the Tower, most must prove themselves talented, knowledgeable, or interesting."
James, Jessie and Meowth lean forward.
"You." Castano turns and gestures, "Are worthy."
James almost destabilizes, but Jessie holds him up.
"Ah," Castano hums, "true unity between a Physical Cultivator and a Mental Cultivator… I never thought I would see the day." Castano leads, and the Rockets follow. Around the tower, past those stone guardians, and through what looks like an arena.
"Physical Cultivation is the art of the body. Strengthening the arm, quickening the eye, enhancing the senses. Physical Cultivators tend to be hardy and healthy until they die, withstanding and surpassing the withers of aging. The highest echelons of Physical Cultivators are said to be nigh invincible, and can live for hundreds of years."
"That is a handy device," Castano hums, "though giving a general overview every time Cultivation is mentioned will save you the breath every time someone asks what Cultivation is, I feel that it would become grating over time--"
"Mental Cultivation is the art of the soul. Strengthening the mind, quickening the wit, even leaving one's body. Mental Cultivators, when successful, transcend the Mortal Realm. After a certain point, they become functionally immortal, and the highest class are said to survive the destruction of their mortal shells."
James pats himself down, "But my body is so fabulous…"
"Hm. It missed a few things; it's a good primer, but if you're looking for students, you can't rely on it."
Meowth scoffs, "Students? We don't need no stinkin' students."
"It's different for Spiritual Beasts," Castano hums sadly, "you learned Mental Cultivation on your own?"
"Yep!" Meowth half lies.
"Have you noticed that other Spiritual Beasts are stronger? Physically more powerful?"
"Wellllll – Yeah. But I can fix dat now, an' my brains make up fer my lack a' brawn!"
"Yes, purposeful Cultivation strengthens both the body and mind to an extent, no matter the path. However, it is far easier to stumble upon Physical Cultivation than it is to naturally develop Mental."
"Spiritual Beasts are what you call Pokemon, then." James hums, "I suppose Psychic-types aren't common around here?"
"...which part of Seiqua are you from, again?"
Jessie doesn't hesitate, "The best part, of course!"
"Where ordinary Cultivators dare not tread!" James crosses his arms, nose in the air.
"It ain't much, but our home is where our hearts a'."
"Oh." Castano sighs and rubs Meowth on the back. "That is why you came to Henisi. Why you have no Sect." He bows for a third time. "It's true, the Tower has been trying to find answers since Pavelshrad. One day your bodies may reclaim what your hearts yearn for."
The Trio share a glance.
"Wobuffet!"
Castano gestures to something that looks like an elevator shaft, "Your journey, I assume, has been long. Your intent has earned you access to our common facilities for acolytes, our arbitration for exchanging knowledge, and our oversight when developing new techniques." Then he gestures to the room he led you through, "However, words and actions are two different things. Strength, knowledge, technique. Wit. You have my approval, but I am merely one of many. One who is not even halfway up his Peak. Prove yourself worthy, and you will have access to higher floors, better facilities, more knowledge."
Castano, a Dwarf, is very impressed by Team Rocket's words. He has granted them access to the lowest levels of the Taciturn Tower, which per his description seems like a cross between a Battle Facility and a Pokemon Center. There is no inherent need to prove themselves in order to access anything. They may rest, exchange information, or test their skills – if they lose, Castano's invitation will not be revoked.
[] What to Do
-[] Rest and mingle – the Trio haven't done anything strenuous, but they're… well. They are who they are, and they still don't know much about the world. Ideally, hanging around this Tower's facilities will let them passively learn more about this world.
--[] Upstairs, make use of the rest areas and listen in on the gossip.
--[] Spectate the fighting on the bottom level, see what these people and their 'Spiritual Beasts' can do.
-[] Try to find someone to "trade" techniques with. Nobody has seen the Trio in action – Castano seems to think that Jessie, James, and Meowth are cultivators, and has pegged two of them as Mental Cultivators, and one as a Physical Cultivator. For Meowth, it's his speach. For the others? Well, you know why. Will require quick thinking, and may require a demonstration.
--[] Castano. He is impressed, and seems to think Jessie, James, and Meowth are all 'Cultivators'. It may be possible to capitalize on that.
--[] Ask around. See if you can find a sucker.
-[] Prove Yourselves. (Jessie approves) Any Rocket may be picked once.
–[] In the ring, personally. (Pick which Rocket(s) fight)
—[] Jessie (Currently DC 50 to see if she'll do it, Seviper buff not in effect until she knows Seviper's there.)
—[] Meowth
—[] James? (DC 70 to see if he'll actually do it. The man is a noodle.)
–[] In the ring, with Pokemon. (Pick which Rocket(s) send out their Pokemon. This time, the Pokemon used are GM fiat, because the Rockets don't know who they have available)
—[] Jessie
—[] James
–[] On a stage. (There's one off to the side with a rotating audience of informal judges.)
—[] Jessie (will absolutely use her Pokemon to do an impromptu Performance)
—[-] James (His crit saved them the trouble, he doesn't feel as-if words along will make their bounty double.)
—[] Meowth? (DC 35, he can show off sometimes but he's no show-cat.)
–[] Exhibition Battle. Fight each-other.
—[] Pokemon Battle (Jessie and James)
—[] Physical Battle?
----[] Jessie and Meowth? (DC 45)
----[] Meowth and Wobbuffet
NO MORATORIUM, VOTE AT YOUR LEISURE! Meowth WAS going to keep his mouth shut, but the motto meant he had to speak. I was halfway through a semi-pretentious (well, for the average cultivator or mage, downright humble) introduction speech from James when I realized that The Motto was perfect, and with minor modifications to seem less villainous, could give someone with knowledge of how Cultivators and Sects function... ideas. Castano knows quite a bit about Cultivation and the associated politics. If you'd rolled a 100, you'd have gotten someone more powerful, with more pull, and almost no knowledge of Cultivation.
Dwarves... they're stubborn. They live longer than the average human. There are multiple civilizations. They love alcohol. They are skilled craftsmen. They almost universally something something something. Sometimes they enter fey moods.
As for Cultivation... it's not unrelated to western magic, but they're separate things. There are fundamental differences that can be speculated upon, and/or will be revealed to the Rockets by the Pokedex. Currently, the Rockets know about as much about Cultivation as the average educated westerner. (They were correct in that there is absolutely Shounen logic in play, Twerpish nonsense. 'Give 150%' is very much a thing, but there are methods and paths and Ways. Dantians and Meridians. There's spiritual food, there may well be cultivation pills. There's also Corruption. Don't tell the cabbage merchant.
Cultivation and Magic are not mutually exclusive. Mages may learn or stumble upon cultivation, and cultivators may learn a bit of magic. Arts like alchemy or enchanting exist in the West and East. In not-Europe, magic is the predominant mystical path to power, with notable exceptions. In Seiqua, cultivation is the predominant mystical path to power. Seiqua has Sects, whereas in the West it's more of a master-and-apprentice type deal. There are exceptions and differences, guilds and mentors and university-type things, in both places. There are absolutely a few Sectless sages who fly around on swords and teach random peasant children the Power That's Inside, and there are starting to be more and more refugee Sects in the West.
The Trio don't know this yet, but Sects do specialize, and.... well, there's a lot of stuff going on. They'll probably be able to grasp that there's a difference between magic and cultivation, at least, Type stuff and all that.
I've decided to save the map for a tiny bit. When the Trio see a map, so will you. At some point there will be an option to come clean about being from another world, but the Trio won't do that unless and until it's explicitly chosen (and there might be a DC attached to it).
I want to note that, in the last vote, Jessie's option would have led them to a fighting-only contest. With rules and actual battles with stakes. Whereas the Tower, at this level, is very much 'show me your moves'. James got their foot in the door with his crit, but the more impressed people are, the more willing they'll be to teach, trade, or converse. The Exhibition Battle option is purely an exhibition battle between known quantities, all the other battle options would be against someone who has something to prove.
Meowth has been pegged as a talking Spiritual Cat. Wobbuffet has been seen and heard, but nobody is sure what Wobbuffet is. Spiritual Beasts can be bizarre, and that's not even getting into corporeal ghosts and god-things. Jessie, James, Meowth and Wobbuffet are the only currently known members of Rocket. The Pokedex is notable, seen as useful, and has been recognized as a device, not a spirit or anything like that. Why would a ghost enter that little grey box, after all? The various Pokemon are in Pokeballs and have not been observed.
The Trio are going to realize very very soon that people don't have Pokemon/Spiritual Beast partners, at least not like they do. They see people fighting each-other, sure, but they're very smart people and need a bit more information to Get It.
Scheduled vote count started by xamaplak on Nov 4, 2024 at 12:45 PM, finished with 8 posts and 6 votes.
[x] What to Do
-[x] Rest and mingle – the Trio haven't done anything strenuous, but they're… well. They are who they are, and they still don't know much about the world. Ideally, hanging around this Tower's facilities will let them passively learn more about this world.
--[x] Spectate the fighting on the bottom level, see what these people and their 'Spiritual Beasts' can do.
