ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

*catching wind of the mention of Lars, Jani asks Ripley* You know Lars? He uh...you haven't happened to see him lately, have you? *she low-key munches on another poke puff as she awaits a reply*

[I'll admit, the Ditto's antics (Benji, maybe...too confident in his speech to be Fan) enough to make me snicker a bit. I lean in some when I hear Ripley's apology, but I feel stupid for getting some form of catharsis out of it: it was my decision in the end, even if I did almost die...]

[I'm still a little shell-shocked by my spat with Mila...and, well...hindsight's 20/20. I should've went to PJ, not her. That was a mistake...and I was right there! Not that I probably could've done anything to persuade him...but I feel like things could've gone better if I talked to him instead. I don't know what I was thinking talking to her...she probably has the leg up because of me! I don't say a word, content in awkwardly glancing about.]

Andy leaned back. I can't tell you how hard it is to be find someone who legitimately cares about people. I mean, I became a pacifist to try and bring more peace to the world, but so far, it's felt like all I've done is been useless.

Fan clenched her eyes shut for a moment, shaking her head and 'slapping' herself a bit. "Nah, nah... nah, I gotta get back out there... if she suspects Cortez is me, maybe it's like... th-that thing my pa always used to tell me... the only refuge I got is in audacity! I-I mean, we're all gonna die anyways, what have I got to lose?"

With that, she bunched up and morphed back into Cortez. "Ya might wanna go talk to her yerself. If ya want. Though she might be occupied anyways. But if she needs me, she can see me."

Meanwhile, Ripley sighed in response to Jani's query, shaking her head slightly. "Lars... Lars, Lars, Lars. Peaceful, restrained, tactful... ever since he was a hatchling, you could smell the peace of mind coming from his shell. Last I saw him, he was still recovering from his latest 'disagreement' in Silversand. His disagreement with one of your number, as I understand."

*Jani sighs in relief* So he's really not...that's a load off my mind...like really. Tell him I hope his recovery goes okay... *she blushes at the possible implications given their last encounter, and adds* ...and that I'm not being sarcastic or anything. He's actually not that bad when he's not trying to kill us...

*meanwhile, Voxno picks up on Fan's cue and stops glowing pink...the doorknob, too, is freed up and the door can be civilly opened again* Perhaps I should make myself scarce with this encounter. It might seem strange if we are together, but perhaps... *Voxno affixes itself to the wall above the door, much like Unowns do* ...even if she notices me, she may assume I am simply spying on Cortez, gathering information.

edited 1st Sep '17 9:42:06 PM by sarysa

Well... (Marsha says,) Ya sound like you've lived a life of disappointments since ya got here...but, hey, if ya ask me, the best thing you can do is just keep tryin' until ya actually make a difference, okay? Heck, maybe somethin' ya did in the past amounted to somethin' great and ya just don't know it yet...?

I dunno, maybe I'm just slippin' into my glass-half-full side tellin' ya somethin' like that, but hey, it's worth a shot, right? (Marsha says, shrugging as she takes a sip from her soda. She's unsure if he'll like this advice.)

Yeah right. Since I came around, half my team got killed, and of the survivors, the one I like the most became a serial killer, I started a crime syndicate, a series of mystery-drama porn, and have abandoned the crime syndicate, and the little girl I promised to protect. If I've done a single good thing in this world, it'll be a while before someone notices. Andy took a large sip of his drink. He set it down and took in a sharp breath. But you, you've saved lives by now, probably.

Man...ya have had a hard time since gettin' here. (Marsha comments.) Yeah, I'll admit that I've saved a few, but this isn't about me.

Hear me out, Buggy, even if nothin' that you've done in the past seems to have amounted to anythin' now, it isn't like your life is over. Ya still have the chance to do somethin' great that everyone will benefit from. Ya still have the chance to find that one thing that'll make this place an even better place to live in. Heck, you're helpin' the others figure out how to get rid of this VA thing, aren't ya? That's somethin'. And even besides that, there's endless opportunities to make a difference or find where ya belong out there. Ya just have to keep lookin' until ya find it and not let the missed or failed opportunities that ya might have faced in the past or the ones you might face in the future keep ya down.

(Marsha downs the rest of her drink.) Did any of what I just said make sense to ya, or did I not think that through very well?

No, no, makes perfect sense. It's just, the way I see it, every time I try to help make a difference, somebody's got a problem with it. So what's even the point then? Maybe if I want to make the biggest difference, I oughtta stick my neck out of everyone's personal affairs. But after that point, what do I even do with myself?

Ripley couldn't help but raise a brow. From what she had heard... this was Jani, wasn't it? From what she had heard of Jani, she certainly wasn't... forgiving? "Well... as his former caretaker, I can say... he does have a gooey, upstanding centre; that he fears more than anything. If you want to defeat him, hug him. He won't know what to do."

Meanwhile, in 'Cortez' office, the Tyrantrum nodded and took a long, deep breath, attempting to regain his prior confidence. However, his eyes clamped shut and he grimaced upon coming to an inconvenient realisation. "Agghhh... I remembered, for as long as I'm in charge of this place, I have to balance the books..."

Well, if ya do that, it's not like there's any shortage of opportunities out there that don't require you to have to get all up in people's personal business. (Marsha points out.) Heck, just look at Del and I. We just watch over the beach, keep everyone safe and happy, and rescue people when needed. We don't get up in people's business unless they bring it up first, and who does that when they're just havin' fun on the beach? Not sayin' that becomin' a lifeguard like us is what ya need to do, but ya do get what I mean, right?

I just float around Hoard, hoping that something happens.

edited 2nd Sep '17 6:44:19 AM by chianticat10

*Jani makes a glib note to Ripley* Not the easiest thing for me to do... *the Diglett stretches herself to make a point* ...but I'll keep that in mind. *and with that, she munches into another puff*

*at this point, Voxno-V is simply a fly on the wall of Cortez' office, waiting for what's coming next to occur*

(I'm still sitting on the Dojo bench. I get up again and attempt to figure out how I could possibly learn Fire Punch. The familiar Medicham from my first training session ever walks out from a door in the back.)

Hey, hey! Magic Marlon! You're doing really well out there! What brings you here this time?

(I put my hand to my chin, and then speak.)

I really want to learn Fire and Thunder Punch. I already have learned Ice Punch, but I still don't really know how.

(The Medicham thinks for a moment and then decides to explain how he does it.)

When I try to use Fire Punch, I kind of generate heat in my hands, and then I rush forward.

Don't you think that's a little dangerous?

(The Medicham thinks for a minute again and then remembers something.)

Wait here.

(The Medicham leaves again for a back room, and comes back with a glove-type thing. He puts it on one of my hands.)

This, is basically a heat shield. When I go to use Fire Punch I always use this to protect myself from burns. Watch and learn.

(After acquiring his own Glove, the Medicham focuses power into generating heat on his gloved hand. To my surprise, only the glove is set on fire, and then the Medicham punches a nearby dummy with the punch, causing a clear singe to appear. He beckons me to try the same. I try to acquire power into my arm and to my equivalent surprise, only the glove is set on fire, and it seems to just be stuck in place. I too lunge forward at the same dummy and punch it. I stare at the dummy in surprise as it is singed even further.)

(Meanwhile, somewhere outside of Hoard...)

(A shopkeeper Exploud and his grandson Whismur walk up to their family shop to begin the day. The Exploud, Richard, and his Grandson Whismur, Marty, begin discussing. Richard has a beer in his hand.)

Hey, (Belch), Marty, I can't wait to (belch), show you my new orbs!

Oh man, I don't know Rich...

Oh come (Belch) on, Marty, it'll make me a (Belch) top scientist in the Council of Explouds!

(Rich arrives at his desk in the back room of the shop, and pulls out four orbs, taking great care to not have bare hands touching the orbs.)

This orb allows (Belch) for the transforming of one Pokemon's into another,

This (belch) one allows for one to call down a sandstorm,

This third one allows for (belch) warping, pretty self-explanatory,

(Rich smiles as he brings out his last orb.)

And this one, turns you into an inanimate object.

Jeez, Rich, I don't know about this..I don't wanna be a statue-

(Rich grabs Marty.)

We'll deal with that later, but you gotta listen to me Marty! This could make me a top scientist in the (Belch) Council of Explouds! Now, there's a tournament going in Hoard right now, and we'll need to get through customs if we want to sell them, but we can't get through it with these things! What I need you to do with these is...

Oh man...

Put them way up your butt, Marty. I mean, wayyy up there. It's the only say I know how to beat Customs! You're young, I'm old! I can't do smuggling anymore! Trust me Marty, we'll be rich if we pull this off!

Oh jeez, I guess Rich..

(Rich and Marty prepare to set off for Hoard. In the meantime, Rich's daughter Beth and her husband Jerry will run the store.)

(Back at the Dojo, the Medicham commends me on a great performance in learning the move so soon, and leaves for a back room again. I leave the Dojo and wander around, trying to find a place to go for now.)

edited 2nd Sep '17 11:10:56 AM by Team42Larson

No, of course I get it, but there's not a lot that someone below everyone's hip can do when it comes to saving lives. I just try to make everyone more decent about things, and then the whole message gets misconstrued and at the end they are able to incorporate that into me being a pervert. It just feels like a Sisyphus style shit-show.

edited 2nd Sep '17 11:59:03 AM by TacoBadger

I'm sure there's somethin' a Joltik could do to help folks out. (Marsha says.) Course, if all else fails, ya could always evolve into a Galvantula to make things easier for ya if ya choose to.

(Marsha rubs her chin as she thinks about the party accusing Andy of being a pervert.)

Don't take this the wrong way, but I can see why they accuse ya of bein' a pervert. From what Goobert told me, ya hit on a lot of the gals ya meet and won't take no for an answer...I should know... (she says.) Also, 'scuse me if this is too personal, but would what happened between ya and the gal ya were originally into have anythin' to do with why ya seem desperate for a significant other, so to speak?

Hearing Marsha ask about Jillian he scoffs. You ever live under a blanket for a year and spend the rest of your life in the cold? That's how I've felt about it.

He sighs. Look, I tried to a nice gentleman, I really did. When I first met Mila and the gang, I spent a day or two being as helpful and kind as I could be. Would you like to guess how that turned out?

Hmm...what happened? (Marsha asks.)

(Arnold, Marlon's Dragonair competitor from round two, has spent most of his time since said battle being trained vigorously by Pops at the training room in the inn they have been staying at (a separate one from the Board in Hoard) in order to fix the "mistakes" Arnold made during that match.)

Pops, I couldn't just rely on Dragon Breath all the time, you know it doesn't have a surefire chance of paralyzing another Pokémon. (Arnold protests.)

If ya paralyze them, they're sitting Psyducks! Always go the chance to paralyze you opponent! I expect you to do that next tournament we go to. (Pops argues.)

...Sure, Pops... (Arnold says, defeated.)

(In the meantime, Sheena, Arnold's Goodra sister, has been sadly sitting by herself in this inn's dining area, bored because her parents are busy trying to make Arnold into the best battler that ever was...as usual.)

You know...I don't have to stay here...I think I'll go out into the bazaar...it'll give me something to do.

(Sheena gets up and heads into the bazaar...)

Rolls into the Dojo.

"Anybody here can teach me some moves?"

No bullshit, they literally didn't even notice me. Not even kidding for a second, they didn't even see me.

Did ya even say anythin' to them or otherwise make yourself known? (Marsha asks, confused.) I find it kinda hard to believe that ya would be around them that long without them noticin'.

*a middle-aged Emolga is chatting with the Rhyperior sensei near the entrance, and eyes Philly rolling in* (Hmm, him again.) *she ponders* (Probably doesn't have a single Poké on him...) *though upon further reflection, she remembers his little incident from yesterday* (We did get pretty lucky there...better help him anyway. It'd be a chore if he happened to explode again.)

*and with that, the Emolga leaps into the air and floats over to Philly* Looking to train?

(I decide to go to the Bazaar, and can't help but get a look at the glove I was given by the Medicham. It's pretty nifty, that's for sure. I just need to find out how to learn Thunder Punch. I do also observe someone who looks like Goobert coming into the Bazaar. Hmm? I don't engage for now.)

Philly nodsnods.

"Teach me how to do Electric attacks."

*the Emolga pivots herself a bit higher, as she looks down at the Voltorb* Quite direct, aren't we? *but after a few seconds, she grins and remarks* I like that! We can't have you rolling around and demolishing buildings anyway, so yeah...I'll train ya. Come on over.

*the Emolga leads Philly over to a sparsely populated area of the dojo*