paladinlost | 82nd moon [video]

[She knows sad drinking when she sees it, and she's got no idea who this guy its but it looks like it blows for him. Plus, he's kid of really hot so ofc she's gonna respond either way.]

Man, if I still drank I'd totes take you up on there offer. I quit a few months ago though, so even free drinks are a no go.

[So what if she's only sixteen and even def looks it. Do Johto and Kanto even have a legal drinking age?]

So, like, does that mean you've been in this place for three years now?

If alcohol is a problem, there's always orange juice. Though a bar would possibly still be inappropriate. ...Which gives you your compliment: your willingness to renounce drinking is admirable.

[His second month involved getting completely drunk with a sixteen-year-old friend, he can hardly talk.]

Three years today, yes. There are still a few people who arrived here before me, but less than there were last year.

[It gets her to smile brighter at least. The more she hears that, the easier it is to believe it.]

Five months sober with only one hiccup, yup.

[But then she pouts because dammit that's a tempting offer.]

As awesome as that sounds, also kinda all the way over here in Pewter right now an' got no idea how long it would take to even fly out there. Waiting takes away the fun of having someone to keep you company.

[Her life. Can't even keep a hot guy company.]

I'd say it's kinda awesome to be here for so long, but that's all a matter of opinion. How do you feel about it? But if you'd rather talk about something else, that's cool too, I totes understand.

That's an excellent start; I doubt I could last that long without a glass of wine at dinner. ...And considering that flying here from Pewter takes more than a few hours, I think I'd be counting bottles instead of glasses by the time you arrived.

[Life is made of small injustices like that.]

...It feels more than a little strange. I've not seen anyone from my world in almost two years barring those... strange weekends, and that's two years too many. But I've also met people I'd never have known otherwise, and I've become quite attached to my team. I don't know if I should be happy or sad.

[She suddenly misses portals and teleportation pads. Those things were awesome and so convenient.]

Yeah, it's kind of a mixed bag there. I count myself super lucky that one of my friends was here for me when I arrived, dunno what I would have done without her. And I know there's important stuff I gotta do back home and I miss the ones that aren't here, but my pokeboys are like my babies now and I don't wanna give them up either.

But you know, it's not good to dwell on things like that. Lookin' at what you don't have doesn't get anyone any where, so it's best to just be happy with what you've got. There's always a bright side to everything, you just gotta be looking for it or you'll lose it in the void of what's not there.

How lucky for you. Arriving in a strange world only to find old friends is always a pleasant surprise. I had four waiting for me here, on my first day. And since I'd not seen them in years, the reunion was twice as wonderful.

[And then they were all gone by April, but that is too sad to think about.]

I am happy with what I have, truly. I can even appreciate being woken at three in the morning but a hellhound licking my toes. ...But anniversaries are harder to deal with, a little. That, and birthdays.

Yeah, I can understand that.

[No one understands drinking away loneliness and sad dates like Roxy can.]

But things like anniversaries an' birthdays are meant to be celebrated. And even if there's not the ones you miss around there to celebrate with you, it's good to keep in mind that they probs wouldn't want you getting down over it. Enjoyin' yourself is what's most important. Or tryin' to at least. I think you're doin' a good job to start off with, but you probs shouldn't drink too much tonight or the hangover might not be worth it.

It'd be foolish to drink too much even if hangovers were not an issue. My Gardevoirs adore giving trainers brightly colored makeovers, and I have more trouble stopping them when I'm inebriated.

[A beat on his side, as he ponders his current state and that of the bar.]

...If this day is meant to be a celebration, it's greatly lacking in cake. I should have thought to bring one. Champagne, too.

See, that's the spirit. You should totes head out an' grab some champagne instead of hanin' at some lame and borin' bar. Also make the cake chocolate, that'd be legit. Unless I guess if you don't like chocolate or somethin', but who doesn't like chocolate?

If someone does not, they do not dare admit it in front of me. But this is a special occasion. I'd say it deserves a layered cake, with decorative frosting.

Who's Rosa? Is she a friend of yours?

Rosa is my wife. She was present here for a few months, during my first year.

[He speaks of her with love and happiness and fuzzy feelings.]

Now, your compliment: your swift progress through the Gym challenge is impressive!

Oh. Do you think she'll ever come back?

Thank you. I've been trying my hardest.

...I've no idea. But if she did, I'd be the happiest man in the world.

[The only thing better would be having Ceodore there, too.]

I can see that. Seeing how type experts battle with their favorites is quite interesting, is it not?

I hope she does, then.

It is interesting, even if I'm not that fond of fighting. I always seem to learn something new though.

Thank you. I think learning is the point of it all, in the end; they do call it a challenge, and it's not as if it offers much of a reward.

You're welcome. Learning something new is a reward on its own though, isn't it?

It is, but when I first arrived it was thought that our reward would be the chance to return home. Many were disappointed when that was proven false.

I see. Do you believe there is a way to return home?

I know people vanish sometimes, but it seems beyond anyone's control.

If it can happen randomly, there must be a way to control it somehow. We've merely not found that way yet.

Someone has to figure it out eventually.

We'd need more information on its source for that. Is it caused by magic? A machine? A Pokémon? A magical, mechanical Pokémon?

That's a good question. They all seem possible.

If it's a Pokémon we could try catching it, but so could Team Rocket. That would be the worst possible situation.

Mm. Not everyone in Team Rocket is bad, though.

...I did meet a member or two that could sometimes be pleasant.

[And then they'd steal from innocents.]

There are some who didn't choose to be a member. But they can't leave or they'd get in trouble.

Criminal groups are rarely happy with defectors. But with our resources, surely the rest of us could help them leave. They must know that.

Edited 2013-08-31 21:00 (UTC)

Do you really think so? I wish I could help.

That would involve a lot of your resources and time, along with precise knowledge of who truly wants your help, of course.

It would be worth it.

...That it would be. The trickiest part would be avoiding those who merely intend to sabotage your efforts.

Then I'd just have to try even harder, right?

Try harder, or be more careful. Both options could work.

Mm. I agree.

Or you could decide not to take any chances and do both.

Yup! I should be careful anyway.

It can never hurt, especially when dealing with potential ennemies in another world.

By third anniversary, one would assume you mean of your tenure in this place?

As for a compliment, there is no need. I am far to new to have even the basest acquaintanceship with anyone here.

If you are so new, I must say that you are taking your new situation better than many!

[There might be no need, but Cecil wants to give them.]

And yes, that is what I mean. There were about three months' worth of arrivals before mine, but few still remain from that time.

[He chuckles pleasantly.] One could say that I am well-versed in traversing new worlds. Arriving here was only marginally different than anywhere else.

[Though the loss of power was a bit of a kicker, he's taken that in stride. Sometimes worlds have specific rules to them.]

You must have quite the base of knowledge of this place, having been here for such a time. Is there anything you would care to pass on to those who are just starting a legend of their own?

Well-versed, you say? You're very lucky. This is only my second time, but that's still more than most here.

[That's one rule he's pretty sure no one likes, though.]

Of course. Would you like to hear about the Pokémon themselves, the different towns, some little tricks that could help you along the way...?

A traveler of worlds as well? How rare and fortuitous. Such a thing is uncommon indeed. You must have great fortitude, yourself...

I wouldn't wish to take up too much of your time, though perhaps a bit about these Pokemon would be useful, as they seem to be essential.

Fortitude is necessary, to last so long away from home. Though I've seen plenty thrive here even if we start disadvantaged.

Very well. I do not know if you've read the handbook already, but one detail it does not mention is that while Pokémon themselves are limited to two types, their movelists are not so constrained. Pratically every Pokémon can learn Normal-type attacks, at the very least. Thus, you might want to look up your starter's weaknesses and see if a Move Tutor can teach it attacks that will counter them.

Adaptability is essential. Often the keys to survive are right before us, but without the ability to recognize them, it is possible to flounder and fail.

Where might these Move Tutors be found? Are there fees for such training?

Luckily, in this case the keys are given to us from the very beginning. That makes using them much simpler.

The Move Tutors travel through cities as they wish, not advertising their presence but helping those who request their aid. However their services are free, which can make them more useful to newcomers than the easy to find but costly TMs.

Then I shall keep watch for these Move Tutors.

For one training a Normal-Type Pokemon, what would you recommend?

Ah, Normal-types. You'll have no trouble finding good compatible moves with those. You might want to aim for counters to the Rock-, Steel-, Fighting- and Ghost-types. If your Pokémon is also part Flying-type, Fighting-types will be no trouble. If not, plenty of the more animal-like species learn Bite, which will be a blessing against ghosts.

I'll make certain to research which moves would be most effective in those cases. Your insight into this matter is appreciated.

There is much geographical information available, but as someone who has travelled this area, what do you recommend for those curious about Pokemon themselves? Where are interesting historical or research centres? Are there specific cultural items that relate? These creatures seem an integral part of life here, I would like to know more about them as a whole.

If you seek recent information, New Bark Town and Pallet both have laboratories. For history your best bet would be Ecruteak, with Pewter's museum a close second. Relevant items and books are easier to find in Goldenrod's and Celadon's Department Stores, but you can find minimal information in every town. ...Of course, the Pokémon themselves can be observed anywhere, with a particularly high number of species to be found in the Safari Zone.

I'm quite grateful for your kind assistance. These must seem quite foolish questions, but we all must start somewhere.

Your questions are far from foolish. I remember a time when our questions were even more basic, but no one had learned enough to answer them. I'm merely glad I could help you.

Free drinks somewhere I'm not? You're killin' me here, Cecil.

Is it not a good incentive to discover the secrets of teleportation, instead? ...Also, your ability to survive everything the world throws at you with so few injuries is the greatest I've ever seen.

Eh...I kinda specialize in being a tough guy to kill. But I think teleportation's a little beyond me for now.

It's not such a complicated spell. even I can normally manage it.

[A beat.]

...Of course, these days I have to depend on my Psychic-types.

I usually rely on Rapidash to get around, myself.

No flying for you? The view from the skies is much more impressive.

I think I might be more interested in keeping my feet on the ground. Might be worth a shot, though.

It'll also spare you the overly agressive Rattatas. I've not yet seen any that can jump that high.

Yet. I wouldn't be surprised if they sprouted wings just to mess with me.

...They could also decide to work with the Pidgeys. Surely they have something to offer in return.

Now you're just freakin' me out, Cecil.

It'd only be Pidgeys and Rattatas.

[A beat.]

Not Pidgeots and Raticates.

Edited 2013-09-01 23:48 (UTC)

...Stop giving them ideas.

There's no need to worry. I have neither of those species in the house, so they'll not hear of it at all.

Hey, welcome to the club, old timer.

[It's said with a snicker and a smirk. It's a strange mix of reassuring and daunting whenever he sees fellow oldbies around. How many are even left?]

Seems like we're almost an endangered species these days. I can't even remember how many people have stuck around since the old days. Maybe ten? But that might be a bit too generous.

Why, thank you. After how many years will we receive a congratulatory certificate?

[And will anyone last that long in the first place?]

Not many, that's for certain. I know for a fact that everyone who arrived during the same weekend as me is long gone.

Five? Seven? Maybe ten? It's hard to say. Not like there's a precedent, unless somebody came years before us and hasn't outed themselves yet.

[But wouldn't the locals have known about it? Eh, it's unlikely at the very least.]

I think just about everyone who popped up my first week vanished, too. Could always take a headcount sometime.

You'd think they'd have offered to shae their experiences by now... It could be interesting to see if certain waves have endured the passage of time better. That might be a clue to the reason for our presence here.

[A beat.]

...You show an excellent entrepreneurial spirit, by the way.

[Compliments for everyone, he said.]

I'd kill for any clue at this point. We're still stuck playing guessing games for now, which kind of stinks after all these years. Not that I'm complaining; this place isn't a bad world to get caught up in.

[Then again, it's the only world he's been to outside of his home.

That compliment throws him off, guard, though, and he blinks before responding.]

...You really think so?

It's certainly a step up from the last world I visited, but I'd still appreciate knowing why I was brought here and how I can see my family again.

[Among many, many other things.]

Of course. I've seen plenty of businesses spring up and fail within a few months back in Baron, even if they were started by rich merchants or even minor nobles. You're doing much better than any of those.

Man, you've seriously been to other worlds? Consider yourself lucky. I'd kill to see what else is out there.

[It's that Riku wanderlust kicking in. One of the downsides of being stuck here is that he's been able to see the worlds he encounters in his future.

Ah well.]

Thanks, though. I think part of it's just... the way this place works, I guess. The Breeding Center's just as lucky, and overall the economy here seems pretty relaxed. You definitely don't see much poverty, anyway.

Only once, I'm sad to say. It was a beautiful world, and the people I met there even made up for the endless fighting.

[That wanderlust is met with the Cecil brand of misplaced nostalgia, of course.]

It's one of the most surprising aspects of this world, but hardly one I'd complain about. Where else could children and teenagers learn to own property and manage businesses so young? ...Even if I'm not quite certain what is the local age of majority...

Endless fighting? Are we talking a war?

[That's the only thing he can think of, at any rate. That, or the people there just bickered all the time.]

And I'd guess that the age of maturity's, like... ten. That's when kids get their trainer's license, anyway, and some of the Gym Leaders are kids and teens. Just look at Blue.

[He can't be much older than fourteen.]

A war between gods, yes. One that we won, even if I'm still not quite certain what that meant.

[Other than getting to go home. If only leaving this world was that easy...]

Considering Blue's team, refusing his qualification based on his age would have been foolish of whoever nominates Gym leaders. But I could swear I've seen trainers younger than ten on the road...

Between gods... Dang, that sounds brutal. How do you even go up against deities?

[Granted, his experience with gods is lacking. The Regis don't count.

But he's got a point about Blue. Heh, the one Gym Leader who presents one heck of a challenge...]

I guess you've got exceptions to the rule. I just remember hearing about trainers getting their starter at age ten. Maybe all those other kids are prodigies.

[Or their parents raise Pokémon. That might be a bit more likely.]

You dodge as much as you can, you never let your guard down, and you hope your luck holds as long as possible.

[Never touching the ground also helps, but he's quite aware not everyone can manage that.]

Or they could have received a Pokémon from their parent at a younger age, either bought or captured, regardless of the starter tradition. I doubt that's illegal, considering the locals' lifestyle.

So it's basically just endurance? Not taking them out?

[Well, on the other hand, taking out a god probably would throw things out of whack.]

And maybe it's not illegal, but you've gotta wonder how many parents actually let their kids go out before age ten. And why ten in the first place? Pokémon might protect the kids, but they're basically letting them off the leash and out into the wilderness.

Oh, ideally you do take them out eventually. But good openings in their defenses are few and far between, and you need to stay alive long enough to get one.

[It kinda sorta condemned that one world to a slow drawn-out death, not that Cecil has been told about that. Oops.]

Ten is a nice round number, and also at least five years too young. Even starters can dislike their trainers; what happens when children do not even have that minimal protection?

And I take it they're the kind of gods who could kill you blindfolded and with both hands tied behind their backs.

[Or at the very least, could do so with little effort. God does imply power, after all.]

It wouldn't surprise me if there were accidents, though. Hate to sound morbid, but kids aren't always responsible. They treat their team like trash, and I'm sure it'd come back to bite them later on.

Chaos was, at least. Cosmos's powers, while great, were not combat-oriented or aggressive, from what I've seen.

[That is not to say they were useless, of course. Merely not enough to directly fight a god of discord.]

Yet we never hear about them, not counting those who post on the network with their hair on fire. Could it be that the locals cover them up?

Sheesh, with a name like Chaos, I can see why. So, was this Chaos on his side? An enemy?

[All this is so wild, so intriguing. It's almost like reading about legendary Pokémon, just from someone's personal experience. Hopefully Cecil doesn't mind all the questions!

But cover ups, huh? Riku's brow furrows, and he strokes his chin.]

I'm sure there's a cover up involved. Kids getting injured, maybe even killed... that's bad press. Wouldn't that push parents to keep their kids from becoming trainers in the first place?

Chaos was the leader of the opposite side, and he had a tendancy to summon either terrible people or estranged relatives. We had no choice but to kill most of his warriors before we fought him. ...Yet for all the trouble he caused us, I cannot help but pity him.

[That might have been a side effect of feeling all that despair, though.]

It certainly would, but at the same time I cannot imagine that they would not know the risks. Unless that information is hidden to convince the children, not the parents...

Estranged relatives? [...snort.]

That's kind of an odd combo, but why the pity? Is there more to his story?

[Then again, grey areas pop up all the time. Maybe this is one of those cases.]

That probably depends on the kids, though. Some kids would look at those dangers and feel even more compelled to go out there and train. Kids can be pretty rebellious-- believe me, I know that from experience.

...It took killing Cosmos for him to realize that his war with her was his only reason to exist. Realizing what he lost, and knowing that it was his own doing... Even as that world grew unstable, we could fear his despair spreading.

[They still killed him, of course, pity or not.]

Would you have been the type to leave home with a fox that breathes fire, knowing that the last child from your town had been found as a scorched corpse? That's the sort of situation that could easily happen.

...Ouch. That was seriously his only reason for existing? Or was that something he decided for himself?

[No matter how you look at it, it's still depressing as heck, even if Riku wouldn't blame Cecil for killing Chaos.]

...And when you put it that way, I don't know. Guess I might've been a bit intimidated, but the stubborn side of me probably would've taken that fox and tried to prove it could be tamed.

He was a god of discord, while she was a goddess of harmony. Perhaps wanting to destroy her was part of his nature.

[Or maybe he just didn't know what else to do.]

That sort of determination could be helpful when dealing with particulat stubborn Pokémon, I suppose. Or lead to some nasty burns.

...Okay, when you put it that way, I guess it makes sense. Can't really expect peace and chaos to play nice with each other. They're like polar opposites.

[And people tend to be cautious around those who're different, anyway.]

And I'd say that depends on the approach and the Pokémon. Who's to say that Vulpix wouldn't push their trainer right back?

A large and terrible demon of war fighting against a beautiful and peaceful woman. Polar opposites is a good term for it.

[Even their colors schemes were opposed. Details like that are important.]

Push, or bite? I can imagine a Pokémon deciding that it wants to lead the group, human included.

That different? Well, I guess if I tried picturing peace and chaos, I'd come up with something like that. Maybe throw in horns and flames for the war demon.

[Then again, that's just your standard devil imagery. For all Riku knows, this guy was totally different.]

But I'd say they'd push, bite, and burn, if they're rowdy enough. Even worse if it's something tougher, like an Onix or Rhyhorn.

There were plenty of horns and flames, both on his body and in his lair. The atmosphere was very impressive, if you enjoy that.

[The crotch face is not to be mentioned.]

An affectionate Onix could be worse than a rebellious one. Can you imagine the hugs?

Sounds like it'd go great with Halloween, if it weren't for the whole god of chaos bit.

[Then again, even that little detail could go right into a horror film.]

Please, if you think an Onix is bad, try an affectionate Steelix. Or, heck, how about a Wailord?

He'd make the skeleton monsters and the eerie music seem much more pleasant suddenly, that's for certain.

[It sure gives people plenty of nightmares.]

Wailords cannot possibly be that heavy. They can learn Bounce without destroying nearby cities.

Well, yeah, but Dragonites can fly with tiny wings and rock types can learn Surf. I get the feeling Pokémon have some secret, physics-smashing power.

It would be quite nice if that also applied to, say, flying Bug-types. You'd think they'd use it to transport us better than any Pidgey.

[Rin doesn't want nor does he expect a compliment. He's mostly concerned about how Cecil seems ... forlorn.

But he hasn't really spoken to the guy long enough to just ask what's up. So he tries something else instead.]

Are there still badges out there for you to earn? [Oh, he should mention it, just in case.] ...Don't bother with the compliment thing.

Not in Johto or Kanto, unless there are some hidden underground Gyms in obscure caverns. It'd not be that surprising, mind you, but as far as I know I have all sixteen.

[As for the next part, screw that he wants to bother.]

Also, you've readapted quite quickly to your surroundings, even after all this time. Congratulations!

Maybe. With how this place it, I wouldn't doubt it.

[He has a long way to go before then. Rin was going to make "get all the badges" a goal. For now.]

Thanks, but it's not that big a deal... [ARGH HE SAID NO]

In fact, I'd say it's likely. None of the known Gyms cover the Ground- or Dark-types, after all.

[No matter what the Viridian Gym's badge says.]

It might not seem much, but it'll make your first few weeks more comfortable.

[PING PING PING!! He thinks he's got a great idea for Cecil!] Then why not open your own gym? You could compete for badges and everything!

[CECIL WHY. Gawrsh, that just makes Rin feel all sheepish.] I guess? I don't see how.

...You know, that could work. A Gym created by foreign trainers, open to all challengers... I wonder what paperwork and certifications would be needed?

[And if he must have a particular personality quirk to be accepted. Considering the current leader crop...]

You already know the way to the different towns, and you know why Magikarps must not be mistreated. That's a great advantage over most newcomers.

Why would you need paperwork? Can't you just buy a building and call it a gym? You're already plenty certified anyway!

[According to Rin's evaluation, Cecil has surpassed Gym leader status. UGH WHY was he still being complimented over here?]

...Thanks. [-- he's happy, really]

Ah, but the official badges have strange properties, such as the power to unlock certain HMs. To have that, I'd need to know where and how they are made, and I doubt they share that information freely.

[He wants a really cool badge of his own, not just a pretty piece of metal.]

You're welcome.

What, really? [What is this magical nonsense he is listening to? It sounds awesome -- OH WAIT. Wait, nevermind he knows this. He just never used it.] Like with Fly, right? And Surf and that other one! ...WHy do they get to chose who uses those things or not?

[Cecil should make an awesome looking dragon badge with an impossible to copy art style ala Square Enix]

That's an excellent question, considering that official breeders have no need for the badges as long as they have the disks. How can the HMs tell if someone is a trainer or not?

[With useless scarves and weird pattern and beads, of course.]

[Rin thinks about it for a good 15 seconds.]

Y'know how pokemon are saved like files on a computer in the pc box? What if the HMs worked the same way?

Edited 2013-10-02 23:17 (UTC)

...Why would you need to save files, unless there is a fire in your archive room?

[The lack of technological savvy strikes again!]

Because you could lose them...? I guess a fire would destroy a computer but as long you have a USB or an SD card then you'd have all of your information.

[Come to think of it, could a fire destroy a computer? Rin's not too sure about that.]

Why would you have an archive room?

To keep all of your files, paperwork and contracts, of course. Some of them might be needed after a few decades, so burning them is not an option, and paper takes a lot of room over the years.

[There is a slight possibility that they might not be thinking about the same type of files.]

But that's what a phone's for. ...Or the pokegear over here in Johto. Why would you even need to keep that much paper for?

[Generational gap for the win?]

I doubt signing a Pokégear would be legally valid. Besides, without a paper trail you open yourself to courtiers complaining that their families were swindled by an agreement fifty years after the fact.

Courtiers? You mean like some legal system? [He gets it but ... ]

The kingdom's oldest and richest families. They can be perfectly pleasant most of the time, but if they feel they've been slighted...

82nd moon [video]

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video - sorry this is so late. I lost a ton of tags in his inbox. /)(\

video - No problem♥

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