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tabularasa_memes2020-05-30 04:11 pm
tabularasa_mods) wrote in tabularasa_memes2020-05-30 04:11 pm
Entry tags:
May Test Drive Meme
Test Drive Meme #1
New Locations ▲ New Species ▼ Scenarios ▲ CommentsPlease note that none of the locations and changes described below will be included in the game when it opens. To help create an accurate impression of the game, we have included several imprints suggested by prospective players from the TDM Imprints Submissions. These prompts and locations are only for the TDM. A new arrangement of imprints will be picked when the game opens, which will likely look completely different from the TDM. Please keep this in mind when applying to the game in the future.
Threads from the TDM may be used as samples on your application. TDM samples must be 2 threads with different characters, each with at least 5 comments from your character. Responding to other players on the TDM will also be part of an AC bonus, so we encourage anyone who plans to app to tag out to other players as well.
Full Navigation
Premise ▲ FAQ ▼ State of The World ▲ Locations
Pre-Launch Feedback
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New Location: The Lakeside
Currently the largest defined area within the world, the lakeside is characterized by gray stone cliffs, bright purple trees, and the large body of water situated next to it. Scattered in the clearings between the foliage are the ruins of industrial buildings, though most of them are completely empty on the inside. Fresh graffiti decorates the walls both inside and out, as well as some of the larger cliff faces near to the buildings. Empty dumpsters, metal barrels and broken scaffolding can be found laying around. Barbed fences in various states of disrepair surround most of the buildings, though the gates are all unlocked and open freely to intruders.
On a small island in the middle of the lake is a lighthouse. The lighthouse looks to be in much better shape than the rest of the lakeside's buildings. There's a small dock on the island, but no boats, so you'll need to swim if you want to reach it.
The inside of the lighthouse is packed with Japanese arcade machines. Some of them are stacked on top of each other against the walls, but many more have simply been left in the middle of the entrance and even on the stairs, making it a bit difficult to navigate the building. Colorful banners for popular games and game companies hang from the stairs and ceiling. At the center of the spiral staircase is a giant metal crane, not unlike the kind you'd seen in an arcade crane game. The lamp at the very top of the lighthouse has been replaced by two large TV screens.
Unfortunately, none of the machines in the building seem to have power, so for now they don't do anything.
New Location: The Heart Of Paris
At the edge of the cliffs surrounding the lakeside is a large red tower. From a distance, some newcomers may immediately recognize its shape as the Eiffel Tower, but upon closer inspection it's not like the iron structure one would be familiar with. Instead of iron, the whole tower is made of lengths of solid bone held together with lumps of warm, squishy flesh. The entire structure pulses as if it were alive. The stairs are still in place, allowing visitors to climb the structure, though the sticky fluid coating every surface and the slight swaying of the tower's pulse might make it more difficult.
Hanging from the very center of the tower is a massive blue heart, strung up by a large number of connected veins that weave into the various muscles of the tower. If any of the flesh is cut, it bleeds, and the entire area seems to sway slightly in response.
New Location: The Unforeseen Simulation Joint
On the opposite end of the lakeside area is a large dome-shaped building. The inside of the dome is mostly barren, and a realistic image of a beautiful starry sky filled with constellations decorates the ceiling. There's a small plaza area at the very center, featuring a decorative fountain and some more of the purple trees and plants from the outside. There are dirt pathways that seem like they should be leading to somewhere, but most of them lead to completely empty areas. Two of the paths lead to smaller domes within the main dome, though at this time only one of them contains anything.
The first area of the USJ contains a mountainous environment, featuring gray stone cliffs and luscious green plants. Stairs have been carved into part of the mountainside, leading down to a small spring area at the very bottom. The entire mountain area is set slightly below ground level, however, and what may have once been a small spring is now a large flooded pool with the mountain's peak barely poking up to the surface. A large spiraling water slide has been constructed above the peak, and a second spout of the slide pours a waterfall down to where the base of the spring should be. The water is ice-cold, but calming.
The second area is contained in the smaller red dome, housing the grounds and three-story mansion of a New England estate. The mansion is caught in a massive fiery blaze... although, nothing inside seems to be damaged, and anyone who enters will find that the flames are only uncomfortably warm at worst. Antique furniture, oil paintings and strange figurines can be found in abundance. A large library takes up the center of the building, though the books only seem to contain random nonsense words right now.
New Location: The Heavenly Blanc Bar & Cafe
Near the USJ is a slightly run-down building that's easily recognizable as a bar or restaurant. The large wooden sign over the entrance reads "The Heavenly Blanc Bar & Cafe" in mismatched letters, as if half the words were copied from a completely different source. There are some wooden tables and seating on the outside, as well as several thick pipes jutting in and out of the side of the building.
The inside is clean and cozy, with several conflicting menus on the wall above the counter. None of the lights work, but there's an odd mix of neon signs, classy lamps and plain hanging bulbs. Unlabelled bottles of what one can only assume is alcohol cover the shelves behind the counter, alongside jars of coffee beans and tea leaves. A jukebox, pinball machine and dartboard can also be found in the corner next to the bar, though only the dartboard is playable right now.
At the back of the building is a unisex washroom, as well as the stairs to the second floor attic. Oddly enough, the attic is decorated with thick metal pipes running out from the walls and a large section of metal grating on the floor. The room is stacked haphazardly with boxes and crates, a large TV in one corner, a punching bag, a single-sized bed, and a bench with a computer on it. Much like everything else, unfortunately, none of the electronics work. A large whiteboard takes up one of the walls, and a square table with wooden chairs rests on the grating at the center of the room.
New Species: Fireys
Fireys are lanky, furry humanoids with long ears and beak-like snouts. Fittingly, their pelts are a firey mix of bright reds and golds. Even more fittingly, they can combust their hands and bodies into actual flames. This fire doesn't seem to harm them, though, and they can often be found tossing it among themselves as a sort of game. They have loud, squawking voices and spend much of their time singing together in large groups.
Playful and hedonistic, the fireys are friendly creatures... however, they can be overly persistent in trying to rope others into their games. For whatever reason, the fireys have unusually weak necks and seem to enjoy tearing off each other's heads. This doesn't hurt them at all, though if another creature hangs around them long enough they might try the same thing on them. All in good, harmless fun, of course.
New Species: Jellyrabbits
Jellyrabbits are a jellyfish-like creature covered entirely in short, soft hairs that glow with a faint light. A pair of long ears rest at the top of the umbrella. They have sharp hearing, and their ears are often swiveling about to listen to everything around them. They float like balloons, undulating their bodies to gently drift through the air at a slow and leisurely pace.
Jellyrabbits are incredibly docile. However, they aren't completely defenseless. Touching the tentacles below the umbrella will deliver a painful sting. The fuzzy top is fine to touch, though, and they seem to enjoy a gentle pat or scratch behind the ears.
New Species: Ghowls
The ghowls' natural forms are monstrous creatures roughly the size and shape of a human. They have sharp avian beaks on their faces, vacant white eyes, sickly grey skin with only a handful of feathers still clinging to their bodies, and talon-like fingers and toes with razor-sharp tips. Known for being incredibly violent and relentless, these creatures will attack anything and anyone that isn't one of their own, clawing and biting their victims until they cease moving. There doesn't seem to be any purpose behind these attacks, and the lack of death means that their victims can't be "killed" anyway, but they cannot be reasoned with and will only stop if countered with force.
They have a unique talent, however, that makes them trickier to deal with. Ghowls have the uncanny ability to perfectly mimic any voice they hear. They cannot speak or form their own sentences, but they can copy words and sentences like a parrot. They can also shapeshift their bodies to a limited degree, allowing them to mimic the appearances of humans. While these disguises may not be able to fool someone up close, from a distance they can be easily mistaken for the person they're imitating - and once they're close enough that the disguise fails, they can launch their assault at dizzying speeds.
Scenario A: The Creation Of The World
At first, there is nothing. The endless white of the void stretches out in all directions. For a moment of time that lasts both a millisecond and an eternity, there is nothing but you and the strangers you've found yourself with in this empty, alien world.
In the next moment, there is something. Entire landscapes lift up out of the ground, plants and trees grow to full size in a fraction of a second, water bubbles up from freshly-formed lakebeds, and even buildings spring up from seemingly nowhere to fill the growing space that has just now been defined. The world is suddenly alive, thriving, and expanding at a rapid pace.
The problem is, you're right in the middle of it.
You may have gotten lucky. Maybe you ended up safe and sound on the lakeside, standing under a tree and no worse for wear. Or perhaps a building decided to form itself around where you were standing, and now you're stuck in the middle of it. You might even find yourself at the very tip of the Heart of Paris, clinging to whatever you can grab a hold of to keep yourself from falling.
Wherever it is you are, you're not alone, and you might just need a hand getting your bearings.
Scenario B: Something In The Water
While there is little to eat, people soon find that there is plenty to drink. Every drop of clear, refreshing liquid, no matter whether it be part of the landscape or something found bottled in the bar or cafe, bears the slightest hint of alcoholic heat.
It soon becomes clear that this isn’t quite the alcoholic beverage that its subtle but distinct flavor suggests. No matter how much one drinks, they cannot become drunk. Their judgement remains unclouded and they never become disoriented in the slightest. However, that does not mean it has no effect on those who drink it.
Even under these circumstances, lost in a strange environment that does not know what to do with itself, a drink of water serves to lighten the mood and brighten the spirit. The full effect varies from person to person and from drink to drink - one might simply be more prone to smiling, while another will be filled with such good cheer they cannot help but share it with all who listen. In company, many people become more inclined to talk to their newfound companions, about any and all subjects that come to mind.
If nothing else, it gives people the chance to relax, and with people more inclined to be social it’s a good time to make new friends.
Scenario C: Playing With Fire
An endless blaze rages on within the inner dome of the USJ, and the fireys seem to have taken a liking to it. The furry creatures can be found frolicking within the dome's burning mansion, dancing in the flames and tossing anything they can get their hands on. Every room they touch ends up a mess - the fire may not be able to damage anything, but the fireys sure are making up for it.
They don't seem bothered by people. In fact, they seem quite friendly, though it may be startling at first to have a fireball hurled at your face. If you can keep up with their games, you might even find yourself learning a thing or two about handling fire, tossing it around and picking it up like a natural-born firey.
There isn't much need for the light or warmth of fire right now, but it makes for a fun party trick if you want to surprise someone.
Scenario D: Body Snatchers
The fireys can be a troublesome bunch, but they really don't mean any harm. The same can't be said for every creature here, however...
It might start with a friendly voice, or with a familiar figure waving in the distance. Is it someone you've run into before? But something seems off - didn't you just see them going somewhere else a moment ago? Or is that your own voice calling back, beckoning you to come closer?
Obeying the voice is a mistake, but they won't just stand around waiting, either. The ghowls are faster than they appear to be, and once the gig is up they'll charge forward on all fours, claws out and ready to tear apart anything they can reach. They're bloodthirsty, horrible creatures, and unfortunately for everyone else, they're stuck here too.
You can try to outrun them, or you can try to fight back. Whatever you decide on, you better hope you don't fail. Recovering from disembowelment will be a slow, agonizing process.
back to navigation
no subject
but lance is soon distracted by the view of the entire land, and he stops just a few inches short of the edge of the cliff. you sort of lose your fear of heights, when you train dragon-type pokemon, particularly the ones that fly. and he inhales deeply before exhaling slowly, as he takes in the sight properly.
he had headed directly to the usj because it was prominent, but seeing the full scope of the place they had been brought to was . . . humbling, to say the least. his eyes catch the bizarre meat tower in the distance, and his lips tug into a slight frown. it looked ominous, to say the least.
if he ignores that, and focuses on the lake, and the trees: ]
This part almost looks like home.
[ it's murmured to himself; like johto. if he squints. but he's soon distracted by the buildings, the tower, and he speaks a bit louder, to include blue in his train of thought. ]
It looks out of place, doesn't it?
[ and lance lifts a hand to gesture toward the usj and bar, where they came from, and then toward the lake, and the . . . bizarre meat tower. ]
Look at the juxtaposition between the lake and whatever that tower is. And the buildings . . . the dome and the bar, and the tower, they all look completely different.
[ cities like celadon or viridian all look uniform, designed purposefully. this place looks like someone vomited up some ideas and that was that. ]
And there are no native-born people to speak of, at least not that I've seen. Just the Pokemon.
[ since wandering around a bit and running into blue, anyway. ]
no subject
[He can tell from the way Lance takes in the view that he hadn't seen it yet, so he gives it a moment of merciful quiet to just absorb the visual information before he speaks up again.]
In a fever dream, maybe.
[But he knows what Lance means.... It was natural, and vast, peacefully wild. It was more like the mountains and valleys of Johto than the developed seaside cities and forest-nestled caves of Kanto, but... when you looked past the pockmarks of civilization, it just looked like another large Pokémon habitat.]
[Blue grimaces at the motion towards the tower again, but fixes his eyes to the lonely lighthouse instead, pointing down towards it.] Oh yeah, I woke up in there... It's filled with all these junked arcade machines. Wild, right?
--Ah, wait, do you even know what an arcade is? I guess they don't have those in old caves. [And also he's old! Just a reminder! Dismissively,] Anyway, I haven't met anyone 'from' here yet, either. But I've seen another few species of Pokémon, I think. You can kinda see them floating around down on the lake, see? They're sort of like fuzzy Frillish.
[Indeed, dotted over the lake here and there were schools of Jellyrabbits, peacefully floating about. Blue had spent some time watching them already, but they seemed less interested in people than the Fireys.]
no subject
One day, I'll regale you with stories of my own journey to Champion. But I assure you that it didn't start living in a cave.
[ have you even been to blackthorn, blue. he had a house!!! and . . . brought a lot of baby pokemon home without permission. whoops. but his eyes follow blue's line of sight to see the floating pokemon, and he makes a noise of approval. ]
I see. . . [ at least the wildlife looks relatively healthy. but as lance digests all the new information . . . ] So we have a thriving wildlife, a tower that appears to be made out of meat, a defunct theme park, and no water source that isn't contaminated by liquor.
[ he pauses before his tone shifts from observational to dry. ]
I also hold the high score on the pinball machine on the Plateau.
[ it might be a joke, except it isn't. will has never forgiven him for wasting an entire afternoon crushing his high score. that was what he got for telling him he would lose. ]
no subject
Maybe we can find you a big easychair, [Blue retorts, but honestly, he ...wouldn't necessarily mind that, in the right situation. Sure, one could read the many interviews and articles about Lance and find out things like that. But there were always the important stories that the media couldn't tell quite the right way as the man himself; the things that mattered, along the way....]
[Blue was sure there were no interviews out there where he'd ever really told the truth about how things had... gone.]
Can we not talk about the tower, [Blue repeats with a huff, and shrugs his shoulders.] That seems right. None of those buildings out there, [He gestures out over the landscape, at the broken foundations and ruins of walls,] seem to have any actual signs of life, either. Like they've been abandoned for a long time, if anything...
--You guys have a pinball machine?? [His head swings towards Lance, because hold on, this is more important.]
no subject
he glances toward blue at the comment of the tower, but lets it go. it is disconcerting, to say the least. how on earth is it standing? where did they get the meat from? but those are questions lance can seek the answers to on his own.
instead, he exhales in a soft laugh, shaking his head slightly. ]
What do you think we do in our spare time, waiting for challengers?
[ it's a genuine question, as lance arches his eyebrows toward blue, amused. ]
Few people make it to the Indigo Plateau. And of those that do, even fewer make it to me. [ and lance shrugs a shoulder. ] We have to entertain ourselves in the midst of training and our other responsibilities.
[ he does pause, though, and (in something of a resigned, sheepish tone): ]
I will admit the pinball machine was not my contribution to the living space.
[ lance had been more focused on a giant pool for the water pokemon than, you know, a stupid pinball machine, but he supposes he does have a different set of priorities in terms of fun than most normal people. ]
no subject
[Maturity was another thing entirely.]
[Living on one's own- as the case of Red had made abundantly clear- meant the option to disconnect from society was as open as you wanted, and at times, tempting. Mentorship and steering was something you had to seek; there wasn't, guaranteed, a constant guiding hand, a constant example set to follow. And that meant that growth was stunted at some times, and misdirected at others.]
[And for a child like Blue- already hungry for attention, fixated on the skewed goals that his young point of view had as important- some things had gone by the wayside. Things like coping with or internalizing negative emotions; things like working through fear and anger.]
[Ignoring problems became his default. And that's what he's doing, largely, with their current predicament; he ignores what's inconvenient or what he's incapable of processing, and fixating on the things that are familiar. Things like the Fireys and Jellyrabbits. Like the distraction of alcohol.]
[Like Lance.]
Oh, let me guess, that weirdo Will. [He certainly can't see that creepy granny or that meathead Bruno going for that; Lorelai was above that kind of immaturity; Karen would probably think it was stupid...]
[Did Koga even know what pinball was??]
I bet he cheats.
[Now if you want him to really answer the question of what he thinks you do all day...........]
no subject
he tries, anyway. some days he fails. but both red and blue have become exactly what lance envisioned of them, which is really all he can ask.
still: ]
Will does not cheat. [ mildly, uncrossing his arms to slide his hands into his pockets, entirely unbothered by the accusation. ] But he can be a sore loser, when it comes to pinball. And with chess.
[ anyways. ]
I’ve been busy, the last handful of years, but my score has remained the same. Not for lack of trying.
[ lance is nothing but competitive. ]
I’m sure that will change after my next stint of travel, though.
no subject
[Pursing his lips, Blue decides even he can't say anything about a sore loser without opening himself up to roasting, and makes a non-committal but doubtful noise.]
Look at you, a regular pinball wizard. Have you tried the machine in the bar? [He jerks a thumb back behind them, to the mishmoshed building where many of the other people had begun to gather.] Maybe we can battle on there, if we can't get our Pokémon out!
[...That wasn't something he was considering as a serious possibility, because he didn't really think he could handle if that was the case. Picking along the rocky detritus, Blue starts to lead the way back to the lakeside, stepping over scattered bits of cement blocks and metal building detritus, as if the entire area had been hit by a tornado and strewn the rest of the buildings' remains about the natural surroundings.]
Don't catch your cape.
no subject
but after that moment of pause, lance follows blue . . . though at lance's leisure, taking his time in navigating the debris, looking over what seemed to be there. it's a scattershot of mess, as far as lance can see, and still, all of it seems to be remarkably out of place. there is no real rhyme or reason, to the buildings . . . and the blast site (or whatever he can call it) doesn't seem to make much sense, either. he can't tell if this is natural or man-made chaos.
the walking, and blue's comment about the pokemon, causes a tug in his chest. concern, mostly, for his partners. lance hasn't been without access to his dragons (particularly his oldest dragonite) since he was a small child. he had found dragonite (then a tiny dratini) earlier than most traditional pokemon adventures, but then, the clan really didn't obey most of those rules. little though they were. and all the same, he felt a void, in not being able to call on his friend.
after being with dragonite for so long, it was like losing a limb. but it would be temporary, lance told himself, as he followed blue, mostly not listening to what he was prattling on about, allowing himself the few moments to get lost in thought. it wasn't as if the pokemon were taken from them; they were here. just unable to escape.
he also should probably not be entertaining blue's avoidance of the issue, but there really wasn't much else to be done. and this was technically exploring. besides, it was better to keep blue in his line of sight. he couldn't do much to protect him if blue decided to wander off on his own.
ah, right. blue was talking. ]
One game. [ one, blue. ] Until we can free our companions.
[ because lance, too, was not accepting that was a possibility. but as they move toward the bar, he decides to keep talking. mostly to fill space as lance thinks of ways to get out of the situation they're currently in, but: ]
You are welcome at the Plateau whenever you'd like. [ just in case blue isn't aware. lance truthfully has no idea how connected blue is to kanto anymore, but before blue can make some derisive remark, lance adds: ] If you'd ever like to lose at pinball there, too.
[ gauntlet has been fuckin thrown. ]
no subject
[Whether Blue realized he was being mostly ignored or not- he merrily makes his descent down the crag and the ground begins to even out, with the spurts of grass interrupted by more detritus here and there. As they walk into the valley of the lakebed, they pass more of the strangely abandoned buildings, and Blue stops to peek into a few of them- staring up at the bright graffiti that decorated their walls, but unable to glean any meaning from it.]
Almost looks like some of the alleys in Celadon, [He observes, bright cartoon character seeming to grace some of the graffiti art, but much of it was crumbled away with the building's walls.] But out in the middle of a forest like this? Nothing makes sense, in this place...
[He hikes up his bag and continues on towards the lake.] Well! If we take a trip back home to Kanto when our contract runs out at the Tree, I'll think about it.
[...He had only briefly dipped home after graduating, between the PWT, between he and Red being noticed there and invited to Alola. Not with any real time to settle back into the region, and he hadn't made too many visits around when he did. Maybe he should pay a visit, when he next got back there....] Since you miss me so much.
no subject
[ these aren't ruins, necessarily . . . well, they are, but they aren't. they're certainly not ancient, but they definitely haven't been inhabited by anyone for some time. ]
There's evidence of people, with what's left of the machines. The arcade . . . which indicates some level of infrastructure. But whatever is happening here is clearly having an impact on whatever modern technologies we have.
[ like the pokeballs, and blue's pokedex, and lance's phone and pokegear and any other modern conveniences they have. . . lance is mostly talking to think out loud, but he soon shifts the conversation back to blue, amused. ]
I'll admit that I wasn't looking forward to being bored at the Plateau.
[ now that team rocket is gone, and giovanni is still deep in hiding and doesn't want to show his pathetic stupid face. ]
The normal chaos of new blood at the top is sorely missed.
[ the other chaos, of team rocket, and giovanni, and hunting down corrupting influences at the top . . . lance will be glad to have a break from that. for a little bit, anyway. until the next person attempts to encroach on the peace of johto and kanto. ]
no subject
[Sure, that's a likely explanation. But was it any less likely than any other weird stuff that was going on around here? The grass was purple!! Blue stoops over to pick a blade, twisting it in his fingers. The color of the vegetation gave even the ground under their feet a cool hue.]
Well, I'm hardly new, at this point.... Sorry, but you won't be able to trick me into taking over your spots! Ain't there any new kids making their way through the ranks these days?
...Maybe I should go back and start putting some of these squirts through some bootcamp...
no subject
I think you forget how long many of us have been there.
[ a bit dryly; lance has been champion of johto for . . . he doesn't even remember, really, how long. and being the leader of the kanto elite four was a newer appointment, but lance still thinks more new blood is needed. new ideas, new leadership.
lance doesn't foresee himself stepping down or being replaced anytime soon, in any real capacity -- kanto still needs him, and johto is his home. but red and blue returning to kanto would ensure the region remains protected, at minimum. but only when they're ready to return.
but: ]
Do any of the machines actually work?
[ this may be a fruitless effort!! ]
no subject
[Not that the League hadn't tried to recruit him for it...]
...Well, whenever Ethan gets deposed, finally, try and loop him into your club. He seems to like it more than any of us. [He and Red, he means. More restless, and more trouble.]
[Blue stops to pluck a purple leaf off a tree and examines it. Just how did these plants live without chlorophyll?? Was the purple pigmentation a strange variety of it...?]
...Too bad, but no... Just like all the other electronics, they were all bum. And kinda knocked up, too; like they'd been tossed in carelessly. Or dropped.
I woulda smoked you in Donkey Kong, heheh!
no subject
but he shelves that with a roll of his eyes, sliding his hands into his pockets as they walk. ]
I learned my lesson in attempting to force anyone to do anything they did not want to do. The League will change when the League is ready to change.
[ lance learned the hard way that when he asks someone to do something, they tend to just . . . do it. and while lance would never force anyone to do anything, lance also didn't really understand the power of his own suggestion. of course a bunch of impressionable young kids would go "yeah sure" when lance asked. and that backfired quickly, with red and blue.
and so -- ethan traveled. went to kanto, while still being champion of johto. explored to his heart's content, until he decided to return to the throne. and lance would look over johto in the interim. until ethan was ready.
it meant he was further away from retirement, but retirement sounded boring, anyway. ]
And I've never played Donkey Kong, so I'm sure that's accurate.
[ video games weren't a thing in the dragon clan which probably explains a lot. ]
I have played cards, though.
[ lance "linefine" dragon master will smoke you in poker. ]
no subject
[But hey. It's easier to be a brat.]
Tch... Maybe those old gits should learn to do it now rather than later, before Kanto gets left in the dust by all these more modern Leagues, [Blue grumbles. A large part of why he'd been traveling so much was that- once he realized how big this world was, how much more there was to learn, how many other challenges lay outside the borders of Kanto- the region felt so small, so insignificant. It had become clear to him as he studied in Kalos, as he traveled to tournaments and to participate in battle facilities elsewhere- that Kanto's stubborn reliance on traditional battling styles would mean the region's stagnation, if no fresh new ideas were brought back into the region.]
[Blue had put his mind to it. Maybe he had complicated feelings for his home region, but for the sake of the Gyms and trainers there, he had become determined to push the bar ever higher for what made a Kanto trainer. If the Indigo League wouldn't adapt to the ever-changing world around them, Blue would force it to- from the inside, by returning from his travels and embarrassing them again and again until they caught up. Already there were glimpses of results; the Kanto Gym Leader contingent at the PWT hadn't done too poorly, but there was still much more to be done for the ideas to proliferate throughout the region.]
[....Lance had been the earliest proponent of that, one of the first in the ranks of the Indigo League to push the limits and travel far and wide to discover what else this world offered.... If only all in the League thought that way, he thought sourly.]
[As they approach the shoreline of the lake, Blue plops down at the bank and swings into his backpack, taking out a traveling canteen; this lake must be safe to drink from, he figures, if those Jellyrabbits don't have a problem with it.] Sheesh, yeah, I guess they didn't have videogames in the cave you grew up in, huh?
Well, fine with me! You won't get your hands on my money by battling, heheh! [Do you really think Blue Oak has a pokerface?]
no subject
[ it's said easily, with a shrug as he walks.
leaving blackthorn to truly test his limits had been a decision that wasn't exactly popular. at least, not leaving blackthorn so young. his family was steeped in ancient traditions and learning the art of pokemon training in a much different way, than the rest of the world. but in order to become a true master, you needed to experience different things. it was something that lance has always believed to be true, and after traveling, and conquering the johto league, and forging his own path, he knew he was correct.
ultimately, lance was pretty sure his appointment to lead the kanto elite four was a political one. he was young, and popular, and charismatic when he wanted to be. but lance pushes every single trainer and leader under his command to be the best they can be, and to find their place in the world. what are you going to do to make this place better, for people and pokemon? and so instead of treating the position like an easy check to make, lance made it his mission to eradicate corruption and remove team rocket from kanto. and when they fled kanto, lance chased them to johto. and now that that is over, lance . . . doesn't really know what to do now. but he does know that staying stagnant is out of the question.
so: ]
Kanto has to heal. It takes time, to rebuild trust. And I cannot inspire that level of trust on my own. Our priority has to be inward, for the time being. And one day, maybe, we can focus on being the best again. But for now, we need to figure out how to be.
[ giovanni has ruined faith, in a lot. and kanto won't mend from that overnight. in the three years since giovanni fled kanto, lance has been trying to figure out how to hold both johto and kanto together. and rebuilding that requires time -- time that will probably last far longer than the three years. ]
I think we are almost there, though. [ warmly enough. ] Maybe we can encourage more trainers to grow up in caves; it tends to work out well.
[ in his experience. ]
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If it's me, it'd be more education, [He thinks aloud, eyes directed into the lakewaters thoughtfully.] About the world. Not just honing your skills in battles all the time. Without knowing things about the Pokémon all around the world, and what they can do, there's not much else you can discover just by battling alone.
Ah, well after all, the Pokédex is a Pokégear app these days, so it's more accessible than ever. That should start moving things along.
[Because obviously the modern Pokégear is a smartphone!!
Someone's gotta compete with Rotomphone.][He glances up to Lance with pursed lips and skepticism at his worrywarting, and hands him a canteen lid full of the lake 'water'.] Take a sip and chill out, old man. You and Ethan, you fixed things up in no time. Kanto's doing peachy, these days.
--And don't go telling anyone that! We don't need another Red holing up for half a decade.
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battling is just one method of knowledge. and sure, it is fun. lance absolutely loves it, and thrives on the rush of adrenaline that always occurs when he fights alongside his partner. but true mastery is gaining understanding, of knowing culture, of learning different ways of training, and always being open to the understanding that you will never be the best forever. and that is an okay thing. ]
Precisely.
[ approvingly, and lance even takes the canteen from blue, mulling over blue's next statement as he peers into the container. ]
And that much is hard to believe. [ that they fix things up in no time. it still stings, the failure (in lance's view) of giovanni running rampant through kanto, and that poison spreading to johto. ] But it's good to know that better days are on the horizon.
[ and, finally, lance looks into the canteen for a long moment, waffling between dumping it out and taking a sip as instructed before he decides to both have fun and be an adult and
he dumps it onto the ground, with a warm smile. ]
And I promise that Red will not return to Mount Silver for half a decade, so long as I am the leader of the Indigo Plateau.
[ :) ]
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[Well, it worked out, he supposes. As much as he resented it when he was younger.... If he hadn't had at least that lifeline, back then... Who knows where he'd be at now?]
Tch.... You think you can tie that guy down?
[Blue frowns, a little morosely. Who knows what Red might get it in his head to do after their contract at the Battle Tree was up? ...Of course he wanted to keep traveling with him; but the chances that Red wouldn't just disappear again, off wherever the wind took him, was....]
Well hey, don't let me stop you from overworking yourself... --Hey, what're you doing!? [Blue shrugs, and then makes a choked sound as perfectly good water is poured out.] At least pour it back into the lake!
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[ mildly, as lance hands the canteen back, completely ignoring blue's complaining concerning the liquor that was in a water canteen. you brat!!! ]
I only said I wasn't going to allow him to reside in Mount Silver for half a decade.
[ what red decides to do after that is his own journey. but lance won't allow him to isolate again. ]
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Sheesh, that's a pretty low bar, don't you think?
[Blue snatches the canteen back and just..... dips it back into the lake to refill it. It's all liquor, Lance!! He takes a slow, defiant sip.]
Whatever, not like I think he's gonna pull that again, but.... I know he's bound to get bored at the Tree eventually. Then again, we've still got plenty of Alola to explore.
--You ever been there? There's a valley on the island where we're stationed, this big canyon, full of strange Dragon types that use their scales to fight.
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[ lance does sound a little wistful, as he watches blue... refill his stupid canteen. what a mess. a valley full of weird dragons sounds incredible and right up his alley. ]
I have always wanted to go, and intended to do so... but the Elite Four needed me. So my personal training was put on hold in lieu of forging connections with other Champions.
[ and alola’s gym structure is ... unique, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but not something a young elite four leader could be sent to without some sort of purpose. ]
I’m not so sure I could spend a substantial amount of time there, but Dragonite would enjoy the beaches. It can be our next destination, once everything calms down at home.
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[He hadn't known Lance to travel until he himself had already left Kanto.... So that tracks. But he had managed to attend the PWT, and many of his fellow Champions had also taken to travel lately- once Ethan got settled in, Blue was sure Lance had started to venture out as well.]
I'll remember that when I get home, [He replies after a gulp of boozey lakewater.] And call you up to come visit us at the Tree. We've had a few visitors from outside of the region... Cynthia came by to battle us, you know! If she'll come see us, you have no excuse!
[Cynthia, who Blue respected probably more than any other challenger from outside the Indigo League; if there was anyone he'd team up with for a tournament, she'd be his pick! Sorry, Lance. Shouldn't have been a type specialist.]
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Ah, Cynthia is the type to seek that sort of adventure. Tales of the two of you have probably spread to at least Sinnoh, if not further. [ lance imagines she had fun, anyway. but: ] And I think I have some traveling of my own to do before I challenge your ranks.
[ lance has training to do, but most of it is going to be reflection. and then once he does that, he’ll come to the PWT — and the tree. ]
But I’ll visit, at minimum. As a spectator... or a tourist.
[ lance has accepted he can’t go anywhere, really, anonymously, but damn if he doesn’t try. ]
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