paladinlost | Voicemail/Inbox

Gym duties do tend to put a crimp on our ability to travel spontaneously, do they not?

[It may or may not have wrecked havoc on his initial coping strategies.]

Take all the time you need. It's not as if I'll be going anywhere.

They rather do, at that, though I suppose it's not so different from my duties back in Roland, in that sense.

*being king also limits one's spontaneity at times, after all*

I'll make sure to warn you once we know when we'll arrive.

*and true to his word, he does, giving Cecil a brief call a few days later that he and Ryner will be there on the following day. He doesn't show up empty-handed, either: Sion's picked out a selection of wines the three of them can share as they talk!*

I trust you've been well since we last spoke?

((Ryner's player will jump in after another tag from Cecil--let us know if you'd rather keep all three in one thread or split into individual threads for Sion and Ryner!))

Very well. I'll be sure to prepare for your arrival.

[And prepare he does. By the time Sion calls, he's already purchased the ingredients he needs. By the time Sion and Ryner do arrive, Cecil is perfectly made up, perfectly dressed and perfectly ready to face other people. From the kitchen, a variety of smells both sweet and savory are spreading throughout the house.]

I have, thank you. Going back to my usual routine has helped chase away whatever might remain of that rather unpleasant evening.

[[Go with whatever works best for you guys! I'll adjust as necessary.]]

That's good to hear.

[Ryner is here, a little behind Sion but helping to carry the wine. ...Between them, there is maybe a bit more wine here than one might reasonably assume would be needed for three people, but it's fine.

(He would have asked Marian if she'd make cookies or something to bring as well, but figured that might be in poor taste.)]

[[Unhelpfully, I am also good with whatever works ^^;]]

Indeed. Though I hope you didn't put yourself out for our sakes.

*Sion's noted those smells wafting about, yes*

Of course not. Cooking for others is always a pleasure.

[The fact that he didn't manage to get advice on preparing proper rainbow pudding during the party is a disappointment, but that one he can live with. Smiling, he opens the door fully and moves aside to allow them in.]

As for the less pleasant chores, I had plenty of mostly willing help. Please, make yourselves at home.

Mostly willing, huh? Maybe I should ask what you bribe them with.

[His tone is light and friendly, and knowing what trouble troublemakers can get up to when not sufficiently appeased or distracted.

He'll come in, though. Probably after Sion, so as to not push in front, but.]

Well, in that case I hope you don't mind that we brought a few refreshments.

*"few" for Sion, at least! though in any case, he doesn't hesitate to step inside at Cecil's invitation*

Why, the leftovers, of course. And perhaps the possibility of a new TM, or a visit to a move tutor, before their next breeding frenzy.

[As he speaks, he leads them inside towards the living room. On one of the couches, a Ledian is snoozing.]

More refreshments are always welcome! I have the feeling they'll be both needed and appreciated.

I see, I see. Maybe I should try that some time... though new moves can be dangerous...

[Ryner can't help but smile a little at the sleeping Ledian, though. Seems someone has the right idea.]

There's always simply training them to behave themselves in the first place, you know.

*Sion not everyone has your sheer charisma....*

It's a practical form of danger, at least, as long as you choose them well. It also works on the lost cases that no training can convince.

[Does Cecil have any of those? Very possibly! But he also has hors d'oeuvres ready to be taken out of the oven, and that's obviously more relevant at the moment.]

I have attracted a couple of those. Hmm...

[Whether Arius and Strato-Viper's issues in particular make up for Ryner's notoriously lax training methods is another question entirely, but it's fine.]

*hors d'oeuvres do sound tasty, though the current conversation is admittedly rather entertaining to Sion, too*

While I suppose there's merit in that, I don't know that there's necessarily any truly 'lost causes' so much as ones who happen to be best served by alternative regimens.

*though really, give Sion enough time and he'd probably win just about anyone over*

Yet what is bribery, if not an alternative regimen? Every Pokémon has its price.

[His oven mitts are moon-patterned. The canapés he's bringing are crescent-shaped. Not even dealing with possession again can ruin his theme.]

I dunno, does Strato-Viper have a price that isn't just Cobra showing back up and taking him back, do you think?

[He mostly ignores the inherited Skarmory's attempts to be a nuisance, but they are noticed...

But anyway, now that it's coming outis when Ryner will finally comment on the food---]

Mmm, those smell great!

I refuse to believe that there are any that are truly incorrigible. Merely extremely difficult.

*he thinks the same thing about people. Whether or not he's right, well, probably depends on one's point of view. But yes, the food does indeed catch his attention!*

They do indeed. And you say you prepared everything yourself?

To be fair, retraining a Pokémon initially raised by that man is very possibly beyond the capacities of most people.

[He still remembers good old Cobra Commander. He wishes he didn't.]

Why, thank you very much. But I can hardly claim all the credit. Noelle and Lightbringer helped greatly, while Rosie kept the others out of the kitchen.

[The most important task of all!]

Ahh, well, when you put it that way, seeing as I'm only average at best when it comes to raising Pokemon, maybe he is a lost cause for me after all...

[This is him trying to give himself a tiny bit of credit and not call himself bad at it. An attempt was made?]

That's good, that they were able to help out like that.

Are you sure you aren't selling your own skills a bit short, there?

*he means both of them*

Knowing your limits is important. Stopping Kayne from torturing wild Pidgey is one thing, trying to undo the damage done over years by a particularly twisted individual is another.

[Has Kayne actually stopped torturing Pidgey? Perhaps, or perhaps not.]

Still, I find that introducing difficult Pokémon to new hobbies can help, in certain cases.

New hobbies, huh... Now there's an idea. I wonder how easy it'd be to convince a Skarmory that I'd find him helping out with chores annoying.

[You may have given him a direction to try.]

You could probably start by simply forbidding him from it whenever there's an opportunity.

*the trick would be being consistent about it, of course*

Exploiting his contrarian personality could lead to decent results, yes as long as you pick a chore a large metal bird could safely accomplish. I imagine the most difficult part would be never letting him find out your true intentions, and never allowing the rest of your team to spell it out.

I could probably get Rose on board with it, and she could probably help with keeping the others quiet about it...

[The real question is what sort of chore would work, but there's gotta be something, right?]

...I'm gonna have to think on this one.

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