ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

Oh really? (I say, stopping and looking around.) Man...I must be losing my touch or something. I thought I was good with directions...

Should we go the direction you suggested, Eliot? (Delilah asks Eliot.)

(Lucy doesn't even hear Teller say that her meal was on the house, she stands up and looks at Dore with a very hard expression.) What do you mean they aren't coming back? What happened to them? They didn't die or something, did they? How do you know that they aren't coming back?

Dore sighed. I didn't see a logistical purpose to saying that barkeep, I didn't think that it looked like I assumed that. I mean, it sounds like you're just saying that to be rude about it.

Dore looked at the little girl. Because the Bedsheets collapsed. One of the gang members wanted to bring it all down, so they did so, at the cost of everyone in there. I saw it happen. I was one of the two last survivors. I made sure the other one payed for his actions. I'm sorry, Lucy.

edited 18th Oct '17 9:41:53 PM by TacoBadger

[Okay, wow, I just ground the party to a halt, yeaaaaa, this is...uhhh...oh, fuck me, I never asked for this.]

"Uhhhhhh, h-here, f-follow me!" [I point to the sky, then spin around, taking us back down the path we came. It's okay, I'll just need to go back around the house, I think it was to the right? Maybe the left...well, I thought it was the right. Right it is...or will be, we're not there yet...]

*Teller shrugs, stating carefully* How you choose to interpret my words is your business. *dodging the obvious slight he intentionally made, though he then warns Dore* However, it would be wise for you to remember — both myself, and Orichalcum as a whole, have limits.

I did the right thing. I stand by this. Dore says this specifically quiet to hopefully leave Lucy deaf to the statement.

(I sheepishly begin following Eliot. Delilah puts a hand on my shoulder.)

(Lucy stares frozen in shocked silence for a moment.) M-mama...daddy...? (She finally says.)

(A bluish-purple aura begins glowing around her. Her shocked face changes to one of rage and she punches toward Dore. This, of course, has no effect as Dore is part Ghost-type.)

WHY DIDN'T YOU DO ANYTHING TO STOP IT?! (Lucy shrieks, futilely punching in Dore's direction again.) WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE MY PARENTS?! YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING AND NOW MY MAMA AND DADDY ARE...!

(Lucy whiffs one of her punches, loses her balance, and falls onto the ground. She simply lies there on the ground and begins sobbing uncontrollably. In her anguished rage, she fails to hear Dore tell Teller that he "did the right thing".)

edited 18th Oct '17 10:05:58 PM by kablammin45

Dore turns to the barkeep. Well?! You gonna help her? You think she wants to be comforted by me right now? Christ...

He turned and floated out of the bar. The girl didn't need to be reminded of him right now.

*not really sure what to do in this situation, Teller mixes something up to help the kid calm down. It's not exactly a kid-friendly beverage, but it's mixed well enough to more or less resemble ordinary juice of a flavor Lucy might like* Here...it's just juice. On the house.

*internally, he's actually holding down a bit of rage. he starts glowing pink, as do a number of the other bar patrons. They seem to be discussing the ramifications of allowing what he views as a psychopath like Dore to simply wander the town, given the underlying truth of what he's done*

(Lucy, tears still streaming down her face, sits up and sits down at he bar. She takes a single sip of the drink, but nothing more. She notes the pink glow around Teller, recognizing it as the type of glow her father did whenever he got angry...something she won't see again.)

(She buries her face in her arms and begins crying again.) Mr. Teller...why did this happen...I want my mama and daddy...

(Benji and Dinah continue to read their books, but Dinah finds herself unable to concentrate.)

Benji...I just can't stop thinking about that Riolu who was just here...what's she going to do when she finds out that her dad and possibly her mom are gone? (Dinah asks Benji.)

I just don't know, kid. (Benji says, shaking his head.) Should we go find her and gently break the news to her?

(Dinah simply shrugs. Benji gets up from his chair and begins heading out of the library.)

(As I continued to follow, somewhat briefly amazed at Goobert's sense of (lack thereof) direction, I look to Eliot and ask:)

Obviously, I'm sure that yas know the basic type weaknesses and resistances of each Pokémon.

(I don't comment on the sense of direction thing, he's my best friend after all.)

edited 19th Oct '17 3:22:59 AM by Team42Larson

"... Oh. I see."

Despite him saying nothing, Finley immediately picks up on what's happening.

"If you just... don't wanna talk to me, that's fine." She realizes just as quick that she's in a dull mood again and quickly corrects herself.

"Least we talked, right?"

"Hm?" [As I'm leading the group to what I can only presume is that creek from, what, two weeks ago?, I look back at Marlon and answer sheepishly,] "Eeuhhhhhhh, more'r less."

[That's kind of a lie: I know some of the basic ones, and perhaps I could intuit some of the others, but for a good deal of type matchups, I'm stumped. All I know is that Fire/Poison is a good matchup against Bug/Fairy, and that Psychic may be advantageous against me, I don't know...]

(I look back over to Eliot as we continue toward this creek:)

Yeah, considering yer dual-typing...one Earthquake against yas would be pretty bad in battle...anyway, are we any closer yet?

(I ask Eliot.)

edited 19th Oct '17 7:23:48 AM by Team42Larson

*still glowing pink from being in telepathic conference with some of the native patrons, Teller states* The world can be a cruel, senseless place...and why things happen the way they do is not for us to know. *not really sure how to address children, he more or less persists* It happens to everyone, without exception...which is why establishments such as this one exist. *in spite of being appalled by the situation, the truth surrounding Dore is not his place to state*

(Lucy continues to sit there, still sobbing and not looking up at Teller or touching her drink.)

(Outside, Benji walks down the path, going by Teller's when he hears the sound of someone crying from within.)

Oh...heck... (Benji immediately turns to look inside, and he sees Lucy sitting at the bar, still quietly sobbing to herself. Benji quickly runs in and walks beside her.) Oh kid...I-I'm sorry...

Benji...my mama and daddy...they're gone... (Lucy sobs quietly.)

(Benji looks up sadly at Teller.) Poor kid... (He says quietly to him.)

edited 19th Oct '17 7:39:39 AM by kablammin45

"Oh..." [Wait, what Pokémon know Earthquake? I know Jani does, from what I can recall from Silversand...Silversands...]

[...y'know, I have to wonder if Types are really all it's cracked up to be. I do find it a bit odd that the possibility space of our abilities are so finely divided into the quanta we call moves, and maybe it's because that's how the games worked, but I get the feeling things are bound to work differently here. Maybe I will have to worry about typing, but not to the point where I have to rely on it for success...]

[Looking ahead, I do feel like I'm moving down a familiar path, the same path Mila and I shuttled down when we heard all that fighting. I'm tempted to traverse this path with the same level of urgency we ran it with all those days ago. Following my gut on this, I'm starting to feel more and more certain the closer we get to our destination, or I think we're getting closer...]

[...wait...that tree! Yea, I know that tree: I rested there after pouting about not being able to do anything for that fight, but fuck that, I think this is it! Past the tree, I spot a creek: the creek! Yes, yes, I did it, I found it!] "Hey, we're here!" [I look back to the others, making sure, after all this time, that they're still with us.]

(I follow closely:)

Well, great! Then how about we get to practicing, then? How do you guys want to do this?

(I ask the group.)

(A Xatu watches the scene in Teller's bar, but does not yet approach.)

Well, I know that I'll be taking a seat over here so I can watch the rest of you. (Delilah says. She walks over to a grassy spot just beside the creek and sits down.)

(I still feel bad that Delilah isn't going to be able to take part in this, but nevertheless, I nod at her and turn to the others.)

We could take turns usin' attacks on him like we did with Giggles' sisters. (Marsha suggests to Marlon.)

Hey, there's an idea. (I say.) Then Eliot will be prepared for a whole bunch of different kinds of attacks.

(After Benji doesn't show back up for a while, Dinah gets up and begins looking for him. She eventually spots him in Teller's. Her heart sinks when she sees Lucy sitting at the bar crying.)

Oh no... (Dinah says, walking in. Benji looks at Dinah coming in and nods solemnly at Dinah.)

(Dinah walks up to Lucy. Before she even realizes it, she is giving the sobbing Riolu a hug.) I'm so very sorry...

I want my mama and daddy... (Lucy sobs again.)

"...sounds good t'me..." [I get that I was the one who suggested this, but I didn't expect I'd be the sole focus of this...but I did ask for it. I shrug, pulling off my shawl and folding it up, resting it and my bag beside that tree. Tapping my fingers together, I make my way out into the middle of the clearing, waiting.]

"...so...who's on first?" [Who. I chuckle to myself, my tongue poking through my dopey grin.]

I remember that there was a bar nearby. (I shouldn't have skipped out on breakfast… Hunger's definitely making me crankier.) Eventually reaching the place in question, the first thing that grabs my attention to find a little girl crying her eyes out. (… I came at the wrooong time…)

(I shrug and step forward.)

Well, I guess I'll go first. Be ready!

(I think about what I can use first. Remembering that I used psychic waves on the sisters, I fire a small wave of psychic energy at Eliot.)

Lets see if ya can evade this.

(The Xatu approaches Lucy and puts out a wing:)

Hello kid...you like reading?

Hoo boy! (Marsha says, smiling as Marlon uses Psychic.)

(Benji looks up and sees Niles coming in.) Heya, kid... (He walks over to Niles.)

Uh...this Riolu here...her parents were at the Bedsheets when that Honedge kinda...you know, brought down the house, just sayin'. (Benji tells Niles in a hushed tone.)

(Lucy looks at the Xatu with tear-stained eyes.) Um...a little bit, yeah...

(Dinah worriedly looks around at everyone else in the bar.)

The news is enough to momentarily snap out of my angry haze. "That's… awful." I stare at the Riolu. She seems so distraught. "Tch… that no-good motherf…" I turn back to leave the bar. This'll hold off my hunger well enough.

Dore, meanwhile, is trying his best to forget this day with a small cask of gin, wandering through Orichalchum.

(Benji watches as Niles leaves just as quickly as he entered.)

Hoo boy, someone's head is about to roll, just sayin'... (Benji mutters to himself. He turns his attention back to Dinah, Lucy, and the Xatu talking to Lucy.)

edited 19th Oct '17 9:23:38 AM by kablammin45