Hello there and welcome to Wintown. I'm Elizabeth Lewis, Leader of the Ranger Base here, though I'm better known as Elita. Some call me Wintown's Warden due to my harsh nature, but I assure you, your eyes can be extremely deceiving. ((RP blog for Elita. Associated with Trick Master's RP))
春(Trick Masters Event) // "Petals defrost in the Spring"【Kanna x】
Floaroma was a far cry from what Kanna was accustomed to, growing up in the tropical southern region of the Sevii Isles. On Floe Island, the young girl became familiar with the salty sea breezes moderating the hot, humid spring-time temperatures. Here, the mostly-inland climate was still and tranquil; nothing but a light draft could penetrate through the forested borders of this Sinnoh community, where nothing but the sweet smells of honey and wild berries lingered amidst the crowds attending its Spring Festival.
Kanna strolled along the gravely paths, head turning ever so slightly to peer through the mass of tourists. She’d spent the early afternoon ducking in and out of booths, already having snagged a few deals on Pokedoll collectibles and stashing them in her room at the town’s inn. Now that the sun had passed its peak in the sky, she was wracking her mind for something to indulge in.
Stopping by a stand to order an adult beverage, Kanna sipped the watered-down sake, gazing casually up and down the streets.
Spring was the season Elizabeth looked forward to most and she had eagerly anticipating this one more than any past she could remember. With how icy cold it had been in Fiore this past winter, her patience had finally been rewarded with the sight and smell of fresh flowers blooming. Of course, she was far from home to celebrate the coming of spring, but she really didn't mind.
Floaroma Town was quite a sight to behold and the warmth of the sun defrosted Elizabeth's heart some as was evident from the small smile that graced her lips. Then again, it was hard to not smile when Elena was prancing around happily, having regained some of her old cheeriness. The Sylveon was absolutely elated to see spring again and Elizabeth couldn't blame her in the least.
However, Elizabeth's attempts to blend in with the crowd was met with quite some difficulty as Emery walked beside her. The Skarmory refused to leave her side, but she completely understood why; he was wild by the standards of the region she was currently visiting and any skilled trainer would be able to tell he was a powerful opponent. With the crowds that had gathered, attempts on capturing him were likely to be made by those that wanted a powerful teammate should he leave.
Elizabeth blinked, taken out of her thoughts by a gentle touch to her face from Elena's ribbons, though her gentle smile returned. The Sylveon nodded over to a stand and Elizabeth nodded, buying a water bottle before the Pokemon snatched it. She crossed her arms and sighed, closing her eyes. Crowds this size were exhausting even for the Base Leader since she was so used to the backwater region of Fiore...
Partner. Giovanni had forgotten all about that idiotic designation Rangers gave to the Pokémon that followed them around. And of course, that they were only accompanied by one at a time, rather than six. She’d also named the little thing, a practice Giovanni thought to be juvenile at best.
But—oh? She looked almost as though she was about to cry. What had she said? “My brother’s former Partner.” The Sylveon had belonged to her brother, once, and now accompanied her despite Giovanni’s impression that it would be next to useless in any sort of confrontation. An object of sentimental value, then. Which meant her brother was most likely dead. Giovanni found it funny that he’d managed to stumble upon such a sensitive subject without even trying. Pushing her to emote hadn’t been that difficult after all.
Then the Skarmory nuzzled her affectionately, the Sylveon following in another gesture of comfort, so that Elizabeth’s saddened demeanor was replaced with a slight smile. The interaction had Giovanni barely concealing his contempt, and just like that all of his worries dissolved. Nothing made him feel more superior and in control than witnessing displays of affection between humans and their Pokémon. Whenever he was reminded so vividly of how most people treated their teams he felt a renewed sense of security. Love could make a Pokémon strong, he knew, but fear made them even stronger.
"Forgive me if I’ve conjured any unhappy memories," he said, controlling the sarcastic tone that threatened to encroach on his words in order to achieve a rough approximation of genuine repentance. "I can take my leave, if you’d like to be left alone."
Despite her forlorn, Elizabeth didn't miss the slight look of contempt that crossed his face. She managed to keep the fact she wanted to say something concealed masterfully. Of course he wouldn't like the affection the Pokemon were showing her since she knew that he saw Pokemon as only the ends to money, but she knew better. How anybody could think that Pokemon were simply to be profited from was well beyond her, but to each their own, she guessed.
"It's perfectly fine if you want to leave, but I'm better now." The small smile slipped back to her usual impassive mask though she continued to pet Elena's head. The Sylveon looked much happier now than she had earlier and it took everything in Elizabeth to not keep smiling. She was always glad when Elena smiled like that since these occurrences were few and far between after Peter's death. It still stung to know that she'd been unable to protect her brother but she knew that dwelling on it wouldn't bring him back either. She walked a fine line of staying in the present and clinging to the past...
Erma, Wintown—the names carried no significance to Giovanni, but again her explanation was interesting, if not surprising. A few months traveling the world free of charge would sound like heaven to most people. She had to be obsessed with her work if such an order had her rolling her eyes. But, that was something he could respect. Dedication was an admirable quality, even in those whose goals were contrary to his own.
He sipped his drink and shrugged at her disagreement. “I suppose it’s what you make of it, really. I’m not one for seeking out the company of others, so this,” he gestured between the two of them, “is a bit unusual for me. I do value Pokémon a great deal, though, and your Sylveon caught my eye. Did you come across it during your time in Kalos?”
It occurred to him that perhaps the reason she did not care to ask about where he was from was because she already knew. It was a paranoid thought, the result of too many years spent evading authorities, but once there it was difficult to stop considering it. She composed herself so well he would never know if she’d recognized him. Would a Ranger feel obligated to turn him in? The odds were not stacked in his favor on that one; Team Rocket was rather notorious for its less than respectful treatment of Pokémon.
He could see that he’d been foolish to engage in conversation with her. Even if she was entirely unaware who she was dealing with, nothing was worth the discomfort of not knowing for certain. This was exactly the reason he kept to himself. The question of how to deal with the situation weighed heavily on his mind; if only he had grunts, or his executives to resolve the issue for him. He was not content in Unova, but the idea of running was disagreeable to him. Things were about as good as could be expected the way they were, and he wanted more time to plan before instigating another revival.
That was that, then. He would not run. Rangers did not threaten him, and Elizabeth was no exception.
"I'm not one to really seek the company, either, aside from my friends. As for Elena..." Elizabeth looked down at the terrified Sylveon, rubbing her head gently. She really didn't like to leave the house, let alone the region, but she didn't feel comfortable with anybody but Elizabeth. Silent Chris as an exception due to his being, well, silent, although that silence led to a certain intensity that blew many people away. She knew that he could actually be chatty when he wanted to, but he preferred to be quiet and observe. It was one reason she enjoyed his company so much.
"My brother's former Partner." Her voice got noticeably quieter, her stoic mask slipping as she revealed the most major weakness in her armor. The reason she had become so cold was due to losing Peter. She feared becoming attached to anybody and losing them again. Fear was one of the driving factors in her life now and she knew it but could not escape it. She also kept her distance with her Rangers because she knew she could not protect them. The rockslide that had killed Peter had proven that, despite her best efforts, she was unable to protect those she cared about most and those she was tasked with leading.
She blinked and looked up when Emery rubbed his cheek against hers and Elena lightly touched her face with one of her ribbons. A small smile formed on her lips as she sat her now-empty cup on the table and put her hand on Emery's face. "Thank you," she said to the pair quietly, barely loud enough for them to hear. Elena gave a small "Vee" and flashed a smile before burying her face back in Elizabeth's chest and Emery just nodded, settling back down behind her. She depended on these two so much.
A dull city for a dull woman. “I see. That is rather atypical.” Giovanni wasn’t sure anymore what he’d expected to gain from engaging in conversation with a person he’d only needed seconds to peg as a disciplinarian. He imagined asking Elizabeth more questions, about being a Ranger or living in whatever backwoods region she hailed from, and could only conjure images of her extolling the virtues of environmentalism, perhaps admonishing cities for their contributions to pollution or something equally tedious.
Best to avoid all that and try for a topic more likely to provoke interesting discussion. It seemed fairly clear at this point that she was disinclined to engage with him an a conventional conversation, wherein one responds to the other’s question with an answer and then a question of their own. That was fine with Giovanni. He was rarely at a loss for things to say.
“Not a fan of cities, but visiting Unova regardless. Are you traveling around the world, then?” His tone was casual and curious, but he was aware that too many questions could easily come off as rude, and that would just not do. “Apologies if I am being too inquisitive. I am something of a world traveler as well, though our tastes appear to be quite different. The vastness of a city appeals greatly to me—most inhabitants are too concerned with their own lives to pry very far into anyone else’s. The anonymity is quite liberating.”
He wondered if he was in any danger of giving himself away. What he’d said was true: anyone was free to participate in the Pokémon World Tournament, and no one had questioned him at all beyond his name and some simple registration information. The name “Giovanni” had very little significance in a region so far from Kanto and Johto as Unova. In all the time he’d lived there no one had recognized him beyond a frequent contestant at the PWT. Who knew what information reached the Rangers, though? He wasn’t threatened by Elizabeth, but he had truly been nothing short of an upstanding citizen since settling in Driftveil. Getting his hands dirty now would be… unpleasant, to say the least.
"Not at all; I don't mind sharing conversation with strangers." Even though she was still on high alert from how he had been eyeing Elena, she really didn't mind him asking questions so long as they didn't get too close to her past or psyche.
She did nod, though, at his observations and question. "The Union decided I needed a vacation so Erma told me to get out of Wintown for a bit and 'expand my horizons.' So they basically gave me an all-expenses paid trip for several months." She just rolled her eyes as she remembered the conversation she'd had with the Chairperson, having held her tongue while she wanted to yell at the old woman for forcing her away from her Rangers. It wasn't that she hated Erma; she just hated being away from her job. She knew she basically married to it and really didn't care; there was nobody that interested her romantically, so her Rangers had all of her attention. She trusted Silent Chris to be in charge of things, but she still didn't like it.
"I've been to Kalos and Sinnoh up to this point and the atmospheres among the different trainer regions is quite unique. I can't say I feel the same about the anonymity, though." Kalosians seemed to have their heads up their asses and Sinnohans were a bit cold times--reflective of where their region was--but they weren't unfriendly. But she hated that she was a tourist. There was nothing more she despised than feeling she wasn't in control of things and that was one reason she hated vacations: she had to give up what was familiar and trust that everything would be all right. She was a control freak and she knew it, but she knew when to stop being overbearing and just let her Rangers learn for themselves. She was so used to the routine of her life that any change tended to throw her off.
Giovanni very nearly let slip an amused chuckle at moniker she introduced herself with. Of course they do, he thought, noting again the rigidity with which she carried herself. Though he was aware of the Rangers’ existence and their methods, that was really all he cared to know. The intricacies of their internal structures were largely irrelevant to his interests and, therefore, beneath him. He could tell this Elita was somewhat above the standard Ranger fare from what basic information he knew about Styler variations, but her nickname, despite its apparent aptness, was entirely unfamiliar.
Her cold expression was a bit grating though, Giovanni decided. Thus far he’d done no harm; he hardly deserved such a stiff reception, and he found himself wondering what it would take to crack that cool exterior. Her Sylveon seemed to be an easy target—too easy, maybe. There was no fun in it if she stormed off at the slightest provocation. But, if her face wasn’t going to betray any information about herself, Giovanni would have to read into the only details she did provide.
“Only ‘interesting’?” he questioned. And she’d hesitated to even say that. It was certainly telling. Rural types were typically awed by the scale of such places, so to be at a loss for anything more enthusiastic than “interesting” spoke of indifference at very the least and discomfort if Giovanni was inclined to extrapolate. “Most visitors describe their experiences as ‘exciting’ or ‘glamorous.’ Of course, Driftveil is the Gateway to Unova, as they call it. If you’ve only just arrived and all you’ve seen of the region is this dreary city, I can understand your word choice.” He paused to sip his drink, enjoying the heat of it in his hands in contrast to the cool air. He set the cup back down, keeping his hand against its side as he continued. “I might recommend stopping in Nimbasa for a bit before visiting Castelia. Both are far more populous and a good deal larger than this place,” he said, in an attempt to see if he could prove his guesses correct. “Lots more to do and see than just a market and a tournament center.”
"I'm not exactly your typical visitor." Elizabeth picked her own cup up and took a sip from it, savoring the sweet taste. Normally, she didn't care for the extreme sweetness of hot chocolate and similar beverages, but she was extremely particular when it came to how things were prepared. She'd had tea a few times from these sorts of cafes and found their preparation of tea and coffee absolutely abysmal. Hot chocolate seemed to be the only thing they were any good at making and, even then, she still had to add cream to help water down the sweetness.
"I've been to Castelia and I can't say I cared for the hustle and bustle, so this far more fitting for me." A shiver went up her spine but she revealed none of it as she gazed out over the relatively empty streets. She'd only been in the region a couple of days but she'd already had her fill of the insanity that large cities brought. She had felt overwhelmed by Fall City as a child but had grown used to it the longer she lived until finally settling down in Wintown after being promoted to Base Leader.
While she was extremely good with people and used to crowds of a moderate size, the vast swarms that inhabited these cities made her feel like she was going to drown. She really didn't understand how anybody could keep their privacy in these places, much less enjoy them. Even with as much smaller as Driftveil was compared to Castelia, it was still far too large for her liking. She truly was at a loss for how people lived packed into these cities like sardines...
Giovanni watched the Sylveon jump into the woman’s lap, raising an eyebrow at the action. Skittish little thing, wasn’t it?
He smiled without showing his teeth as he sat down, placing his coffee on the table. The woman’s movements did not pass unnoticed, and he wondered for a moment if the discomfort she was conveying was intentional or not before his eyes fell upon the device on her wrist and he blinked in surprise.
She was a Ranger. Well, that was an unexpected turn of events. Giovanni knew enough about the organization to recognize a Styler when he saw one, and his opinion of their practices was not very positive. Capturing wild Pokémon through “friendship” was humorous enough, but to then simply release them back into the wild? The idea was laughable. A waste of time if he’d ever heard one.
Giovanni had desired something to break up his usual routine, and he’d certainly gotten it with this young woman. A Ranger in civilian clothes… he wasn’t sure if Rangers ever did undercover work, but they didn’t seem the type and she’d just revealed her Styler to him. On vacation then, like he’d initially guessed.
He extended a hand for her to shake. “My name is Giovanni. Are you new to Unova?” He could carry on a civil conversation… and if his presence made her uncomfortable, well—just a bit of fun to liven up his afternoon.
Giovanni. No wonder the hairs on the back of her neck had stood up. While she didn't really keep up with events in the trainer regions, the news of the Rocket incidents in Kanto and Johto had reached her ears. The leader of the Viridian City gym had turned out to be a traitor to the League and was the head of the crime syndicate, but the police had run out of leads after a while and the trail had run cold. How strange she should run into him while on vacation of all things, but this was far out of her jurisdiction; while the International Police and Leagues did recognise Union Rangers as officers, they were unable to act without authorization so she would just lay low for now. Luckily, she knew how to control herself so there was no sign of her thoughts on her face; her expression remained a cold, stony mask while she kept one hand on the back of Elena's head while she met the other in his shake.
"A pleasure, Giovanni. I'm Elizabeth Lewis, though many know me better as Elita." The way he looked at her Styler revealed he knew at least something about the Rangers, but she wasn't sure how much he knew. She was the feared Base Leader of Wintown, known for her harsh and unrelenting punishments, though she only used said punishments to teach her Rangers lessons they needed to learn. She was infamous in the Union for her cold, distant demeanor when most Rangers were quite warm and enthusiastic. The nickname had been one from Spenser during their Academy days...
"And yes, I am. This is my first foray into the region and it's...interesting." She really didn't care much for the hustle and bustle of the larger regions especially Unova, but she had decided to get out as much as possible while on her Union-mandated vacation. Very little was coming out of her pocket, so she was seeing as much as she could. She was so used to the small town feel of Fiore that she felt completely isolated in these larger regions. She couldn't wait to get back to Fiore...
Early spring in Driftveil City was the sort of unpredictable time of year in which the weather could be warm and pleasant one moment, and raining torrentially the next. This particular afternoon was sunny enough, but the winds were cold and threatened worse conditions to come. Giovanni had brought his umbrella along in the event that the breeze picked up a few storm clouds on its way.
He passed through the bustling streets of the city, making his way to one of the local cafes that he found adequately met his standards. Their coffee was good, and they carried copies of foreign newspapers, Kanto’s in particular. Driftveil itself was nothing spectacular. He could not say he enjoyed it—he loved no place so much as Kanto—but it had its merits. For one thing, its proximity to the Pokémon World Tournament made it an ideal place to live. The cargo ships that frequently exported Unova’s goods across the regions were part of its appeal as well: they made for a convenient getaway should things turn sour.
As he approached the cafe he noted a woman seated at one of the tables outside despite the windchill factor. She had the air of some kind of law enforcer, the type Giovanni normally avoided, but there was something interesting about her. She looked like a tourist, but tourists typically didn’t seat themselves outdoors on windy days like this. Someone from a colder region, then. Sinnoh perhaps? He noted the Sylveon by her side and automatically cataloged its worth. A rare Pokémon that appealed to many rich socialites and others who desired the cute fairy-type but were uninterested in the effort it took to evolve an Eevee into the correct form. Pokémon that evolved via such methods were often high in demand and easy to sell to the right buyer.
Giovanni stepped past her into the cafe and ordered himself a coffee, picking up a Kanto newspaper as well. Inside it was comfortably warm, and he nearly took a seat indoors before deciding it would make his morning much more interesting if he spoke to the woman about who she was and where she was from.
Outside once more, this time with a coffee in hand and the newspaper in his coat pocket, Giovanni approached the woman. “Good morning,” he said, “I was just admiring your Sylveon and I couldn’t help but be curious. It’s not a Pokémon often seen in this region. Is this seat taken?” He gestured to the spot across from her, glancing at the Skarmory by her side as he did so. A powerful species, though often too dangerous to be satisfactorily rehomed. Such a shame.
Elizabeth's head snapped up when she heard somebody speak to her and instantly examined him, gathering quite a lot of information about him in less than a second. A powerful trainer from the way he held himself and he knew it. A business type that knew how to get what he wanted. Quite wealthy from the tailor-made suit he wore. Black possibly used to intimidate others which was helped by his natural physical stature.
But something about the way the man spoke and the way looked at Elena made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. The Sylveon's eyes snapped open and she jumped into Elizabeth's lap, not even facing the man. Something about him was very wrong and she wasn't about to let him anywhere near Elena. Her brother's former Partner wasn't going anywhere so long as she could prevent it.
She wasn't about to be rude, though, so she gave a polite nod. "No, it's not." She sat her hot chocolate down as she put one hand on Elena's head and shifted her position a bit, the sleeve of her heavy jacket falling away slightly to reveal the Fine Styler on her arm. She refused to part with the thing even when on vacation in case something went awry near her; it also allowed her contact between her, her Base and the Union in case anything went wrong on their end of things. They weren't required to even bring their Stylers if on vacation, but she knew most Rangers kept them on their bodies due to habit. It was the only sign of her being a Ranger since she wore civilian garb as her uniform would bring unwanted attention but her Styler still brought glances when not covered.
Elizabeth sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair as she looked around the foreign city, feeling very out of place as she sipped on a cup of hot chocolate. It was a little bit nippy to be sitting out at the front of a cafe, but she really wasn’t one to sit inside when the weather was any sort of nice. The winter in Fiore had been extremely harsh and she’d heard that Wintown had gotten slammed with another unexpected snow storm that had left a good fifteen inches or so on the ground. Even when away from her Base, she kept her ear on the voicemails via her Styler. After her most recent psychological evaluation, Erma had told her that she was going on a vacation whether she liked it or not. She would have put up a fight if she knew she was the one in the right, but she knew that Erma had won the argument before it had even happened. The last vacation she’d had was two years or so after she became Base Leader and that had been…around ten years ago. Time really flew when one was constantly facing danger and criminal organizations… A Skarmory sat at her left hand behind the table, settled on one of the chairs while a Sylveon lay at her feet, dozing in the late afternoon sun.
Bianca felt an intimated stare form on her her face but couldn't seem to break it. This trainer seemed like royalty, surely she had never met anyone who acted more like a queen! And she couldn't believe that this strange trainer had stopped to talk to her.
"Uh no really, it means a lot!" Looking at the woman's bird like Pokemon she blushed. They sure were stronger than her mudkip... "But er- I really wish people would see mudkips strength! Because he might not win many fights, but he'll never gives up, he's a really warrior." Looking back at the queen-like figure, she gave an unsure grin.
"Maybe no one sees his potential but me, but I know its there. And one day we'll show everyone the strength that grows in love," flashing a peace sign her smile reappeared. After all if anyone would take her thoughts seriously, this kind woman must.
Elizabeth smiled as Emery laid his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes while she stroked his steely skin. It was somewhat cold to the touch, but the smoothness helped to keep her nerves in check. She really didn't like to intimidate people like that, but it was a necessary part of her life unfortunately.
"I can't say I know anything about raising Pokemon for battle, but I've studied trainers enough to know that ever Pokemon has the ability to be strong so long as their trainer believes in them." Her right sleeve fell away and revealed the Fine Styler on her arm, a sign of her Top Ranger position. She was in civilian clothes since she was on vacation, but she absolutely refused to part with her Styler. Plus, the Union still needed to know where she was, so she would've kept it with her anyway. Plus, she never knew if anything would pop up.
She gave a nod at Bianca's enthusiasm and determination. "Giving up on your Pokemon would be the greatest disservice a trainer could do. With time, patience and practice, he'll become great; I'm sure of it." She had met plenty of trainers over her years a ranger and had seen a number of scumbags that treated their Pokemon like dirt, but she'd seen far more that were loving and supportive of their companions. It always warmed her heart when trainers were willing to keep with Pokemon that others perceived as weak. As a Ranger, she knew wild Pokemon but not human-raised ones, so she couldn't offer any advice in his training, but she hoped that her words would help keep Bianca on the right path.
"I-i don’t think so… I can handle this!" Clumsily whipping out a pokeball and calling back mudkip her face set with determination. "Maybe mudkip can’t fight against you all, but his friends sure can!" Tossing out a great ball, Bianca releases a glowing chandelure.
“Uh, so back off!” Glancing at the woman who spoke up before for reassurance, she pushed her hair back and made the most intimating face she could muster. A few trainers began trailing away shooting looks back at the older trainer as they left. A proud grin spread on the plump girls face as she saw them leave.
Snorting at Bianca the head trainer called over his shoulder, “Learn to fight your own battles,” then laughing he continues, “or can’t your mudkip splash for itself?”
Tossing her hair and trying not to look upset Bianca turned. “Hey, ah thanks…” tilting her head and grinning she closed her eyes. Maybe for once things where going to go her way.
"There's absolutely nothing wrong on relying on others," Elizabeth said, her gaze still icy as she glared after the offenders. She glanced at her Skarmory, a subtle action that was easy to miss, and the bird sent a nasty Air Cutter after the group that would've sent them flying. Normally she would have stopped Emery, but picking on a trainer simply because one of their companions was still in the beginning stages of being trained.
As she turned to face Bianca, Elizabeth's gaze softened and her posture relaxed. Being so confrontational was tiring even though she was used to it, but she did it because it was necessary. "It's no trouble," she replied as she put one hand on Emery's head. The Skarmory let out a soft cawing noise while the Sylveon slipped off his back and hid behind Elizabeth, just barely peeking out at Bianca. "Nobody should be picked on because they're perceived as weak. Strength and weakness are defined differently based on the individual; there are no true definitions for either." A small smile graced her lips as she thought about all the Rangers that had passed under her and had thought of themselves as weak but she had proved them otherwise.
Gritting her teeth, the girl pulled her hat down and stormed past the growing crowd of young trainers jeering and shouting insults. “Just ignore them. Don’t listen. Don’t listen.” But her inner mantra began to fade as her anger grew.
“Stop it! Just stop already! Why won’t you just leave Mudkip alone? He didn’t do anything to you!” Stopping and making a 180 turn to face her mockers Bianca’s face reddened.
“Why are you dragging around that toy? Am I supposed to take you seriously when you think you can train that?” A chorus of laughter followed the head trainers mocking questions.
“You’ll take me seriously all right! My mudkip will become stronger than all of your Pokemon, and he’ll do it because I love him, and don’t bully him like a child!” Raising her voice the chubby blonde flipped her hair definitely.
"Is there a problem here?" Like the crack of a whip, a cold, harsh voice rang above the crowd's laughter from an imposing woman who towered above all of them. She held herself tall as she folded her arms, her steely blue eyes narrowed as they pierced into the ones that were mocking the younger girl. She wore an air of unquestionable authority as her Skarmory landed next to her, a pale pink set of ears belonging to a Sylveon poking out over the bird's wing. If there was one thing Elizabeth couldn't stand to see, it was others being mocked simply because they were perceived as weaker than those around them.
Platina shifted her weight uncomfortably as her eyes scanned over the area once more. If she had realized how full her favorite cafe would be, she may have chosen a different location. Or, at least planned to do something other than reading. She let out a sigh, her book clutched up to her chest. She told herself to look around once more, and if she wasn’t able to find a seat, then she would simply have to find a cafe that wasn’t so busy.
And, she did just that. Navy hues scanned the cafe once more. A pout came to her lips, her shoulders dropping. Just when she was about ready to turn and leave, she met eyes with another woman. Platina blinked in surprise. A stranger was offering her a seat? While the offer was a bit surprising, Platina found no reason to refuse. While there were some who would say that a wealthy heir such as Platina shouldn’t bother dining with commoners, it wasn’t something Platina went by.
She made her way through the cafe, and towards the female that had offered her a seat. Despite that, Platina still felt the need to ask permission- just to be polite.
"May I join you, miss?" Platina asked, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face. She gave a small smile in greeting, clasping her hands together behind her back. If, by any reason at all, things got bad, she could simply leave. But what harm was there in eating with a stranger? Her grandfather had told her tales of how, sometimes, strangers had the best stories to share.
Elizabeth's gaze remained trained on the girl, picking up that the girl was uncomfortable in this place. The way she held herself spoke of a more privileged upbringing than those around her. Interesting to see someone wealthy in such a setting, but she passed no judgment since she knew little of Sinnoh's culture or how the classes mingled. Due to how small the Ranger regions were, there weren't huge gaps in how much people made.
Elizabeth gave a short nod at the girl's words as her mind ran through those thoughts in a split second. Years of being a Base Leader and Ranger had honed her observation skills. "Of course; I invited you since you were looking for a seat." Her voice was a bit curt, very polite, but not unkind. A small smile graced her lips as she took a sip of her tea.
This probably looks like a bunch of random numbers and doesn't make much sense, but I'll do my best to explain if you don't know what the MBTI is.
These are Elizabeth's results for the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator (or MBTI for short). The long-short of it is that it's a personality test that uses eight preferences to assign you one of sixteen personality types.
Introvert/Extrovert refers to how you get your energy. This is pretty obvious but I'll explain anyway. Introverts get their energy from being alone. Extroverts get their energy from being around others.
Sensing/iNtuition refers to how people process information. People with a high Sensing preference prefer to use their five senses and are focused on the present. Those with an iNuitive preference focus on possibilities while reading patterns impressions.
Thinking/Feeling refers to how people make decisions. Thinkers base their decisions more on hard logic. Feelers make their decisions based on their emotions while taking extenuating circumstances into consideration.
Judging/Perceiving is how their preference is displayed. Those with strong Judging preferences prefer having things orderly and are planners; they are not necessarily judgmental. Those with Perceiving preferences are flexible and think randomly while liking to keep things open.
All of these preferences are opposite, so for her to be so balanced between SN and TF is really quite unique.
Elizabeth's dominant type is the ISFJ, but because of how her mind works, she can also incorporate characteristics of the INFJ, INTJ and ISTJ.
From the ISFJ/INTJ/ISTJ:
Elizabeth is highly observant and can ascertain a great amount of information from studying a person for just a moment. She takes body language, clothes and other subtle clues to build an accurate profile of people in even a short span of time. As her interaction time with people increases, so does her knowledge of how they act. After she gets to know somebody well enough, she will often be able to guess how they will react to certain situations. This is helped by her nearly photographic memory. She can remember many of the most minute details people express. She can't recall what happened on Tuesday the 14th of March at 4:49pm three years ago due to the fact that her memory is people-and event focused, meaning she'll only recall relevant information.
She runs an extremely tight ship at the Base and is rather famous for her harsh and swift punishments if a Ranger messed up royally. She is the most feared of the Base Leaders because of this and she knows it...which she actually uses to her advantage.
She also has a zero-tolerance policy for any sort of drama or bad feelings at her Base. She knows not everyone will get along with one another, but she has absolutely no tolerance for people that are acting aggressively toward each other. She will grab the people in question and sit down with them, then sort through things no matter how long it takes.
She will know instantly if she gets anybody that is anxious or shy. When somebody like that comes to her Base, she'll sit down with them and have them outline what their weaknesses are and how she can accommodate their needs.
All of this plays into how she treats her Rangers. She's known in the Ranger regions for her stone-cold mask and her harsh punishments, but she's not a bad person. Some think of her as being completely unaware of how they feel, but the opposite is true. Due to how much she observes her Rangers, she will oftentimes know them better than they know themselves. Her punishments are harsh at times, but they're directly proportional to how badly the Ranger messed up. She gives punishments that will make the victim think about what they've done. Her cold mask and reputation also play into this. She is able to use silence and words to their greatest effect after knowing her Rangers for some time. She never reacts to an angry Ranger to let them get the satisfaction of knowing they've gotten under her skin. All of this really builds toward her ultimate goal of making her Rangers become better people. She holds them to high standards because she knows they can live up to them.
Due to her dedication to her Rangers, she will sometimes become burdened by their development. Despite her extremely domineering personality and how confrontational she can be. she intensely dislikes conflict and will do whatever she can to avoid it. Underneath that hard shell lies an extremely gentle, kind idealist that wants only to see people become the best they can be. In her desire to help, she often loses herself and forgets about her own needs and desires. Under these times of extreme duress, she will often break down in tears when at home because she's not attending to her own needs. She's also used to constant criticisms from others because of her attitude and can usually withstand them, but if all she gets for a long time is harsh feedback, she will become deeply upset because she feels like all of her efforts are for naught. She needs the support of her friends (Cameron, Joel, Spenser) to help stay sane.
Despite how confrontational she is known for being, she actually tends to stay in the background of her Base and run things from behind the scenes. She rarely ever goes into the field to lead her Rangers in action but that's the way she likes it. She prefers to lead her Rangers through indirect means which is why she uses the punishments she does; she prefers to see those she's tasked with caring for come to their own conclusions rather than directly hand it to them.
From the INFJ:
Even with her incredible observational skills, Elizabeth often knows things that she really shouldn't. She can usually pick up on someone's general character the moment she meets them and will act far more cautious or open depending on how she perceives the person. She knows to trust her instincts when it comes to intuitive insights into people because they almost always prove to be true.
She's also among the most distant, difficult to know people most will ever meet. She rarely ever lets people past knowing her beyond the surface even if she warms up a little depending on the situation. Her highly complex mind and way of interpreting the world makes no sense to most people. She's tried to explain it to others and they don't understand, so she learned to stop speaking about how she sees things and prefers to let her actions explain. Of course, this is extremely frustrating if people ever do want to be her friend as she will hold them at a distance unless they prove themselves to be consistent and she knows they won't hurt her.
She's never truly at peace with herself either. She knows she can always improve herself and does whatever she can to better herself. She thinks that pushing her Rangers is unfair if she can't push herself.
Elizabeth sighed and shook her head as she leaned against a tree, casting her icy gaze over the forest which was oddly silent. Her Skarmory stood at attention next to her while Elena, her brother's former Partner, huddled against her leg. She was still on her extended vacation at Chairperson Erma's--and even Hastings'--insistence and she really wasn't caring for it. While her life at the Base could be dull at times due to rarely seeing action in the field, she was always on her toes since things tended to get rather hellacious. She'd left Silent Chris in charge while she was gone.
She'd decided to part from the cities due to not caring for the hustle and bustle and try her hand at camping, but even that was proving dull. She itched to get back to her Base, but she was on indefinite vacation until they had decided she was relaxed enough. Only her respect for the elderly founders of the Union kept her from giving them a piece of her mind. She snapped out of her thoughts, though, when she heard a branch break and her head turned in a fraction of a second toward the source of the noise. That was no Pokemon.
"Who's there?" Her voice was rather harsh as she scanned the treeline, looking for whoever made the noise. Hopefully they didn't have any ill intent...
The sun shone high above Sandgem Town, a sight to see after such a long and drawn out winter. The air was no longer so cold that one would shiver upon leaving the house, providing Platina with the perfect time to take advantage of a nice day. She had the idea planned for a while, but never caught a day nice enough to put into action. The girl awoke just as the clock hit 7 AM, excitement bubbling up in her chest, She practically leaped out of bed, making her way to the washroom to get herself groomed for the day.
The process took a good chunk of her morning, though that was to be expected. Another chunk was spent decided on what she would wear. It had been so long since she was able to browse through her spring attire, something she had been looking forward to for a long while. She decided to go with a sundress, putting her hair up in pins that matched. Once finished, Platina exited her room, taking care to make sure everything was in her bag before leaving. She explained to a few of the maids what she was doing, and insisted it be done alone. After a few minutes of debating about the subject, Platina was finally let go. She scurried out the door, releasing her Rapidash from his Pokeball, and hopping onto his back.
"We’re going to the city!" she announced, "Jubilife City, to be more specific." that said, her and Rapidash had begun their trek to the nearby city. Along the way, Platina took notes on how some of the different Pokemon were reacting to the improved weather, smiling all along the way.
It didn’t take the duo too long to reach their designated location. The city was bustling with people, whom all seemed eager to take advantage of the nice day, as well. Platina hopped off of her Pokemon, recalling him into his Pokeball. Navigating a busy city on top her Rapidash was never the best idea. Besides, she knew exactly where she wanted to go. She made her way to the location of her favorite cafe in the city, meandering through various chunks of people. She arrived at the cafe, drawing a single book from her hand. To dine at the lovely little cafe while reading her favorite novel was something she had been waiting to do. To her dismay, she wasn’t the only person who planned to dine at the said cafe.
"Oh, dear." she sighed, nodding a ‘thanks’ to the stranger who had held the door open for her. She stood in the cafe, her brow furrowing as she attempted to locate a free table. The task was proving to be quite difficult.
Elizabeth sighed as she sat in a cafe in Jubilife, Elena curled up on the ground next to her. She really didn't like being away from her Rangers for extended periods of time, but Erma had insisted she take a vacation after not having had one for so long. The last she had had was when she'd gone to Kalos a few years after becoming the Leader of the Wintown Base when she'd given one chef a piece of her mind for how bad the food had been.
A smile came to her lips as she remembered how she'd basically beat the awful chef in a cook-off and they'd offered her a job right then and there on the spot but she'd turned them down. She'd worked hard to become a Top Ranger--putting up with Joel's shit was definitely a job on its own--and the promotion to Base Leader at the same time had been a pleasant but welcome surprise.
But her thoughts fell to the wayside as she saw a girl looking for a place to sit and met her eye, giving her a small tilt of the head to show that she could join if she wanted.
