Hi! Italian anon here. The Italian sky sport team is super close to the Ferrari garage, they watch them close and they always have insight on the team. Right now before quali they were saying how Lewis is barely seen outside his own office/room in the paddock, only Angela goes back and forth to bring him food etc… They said he’s keeping his head down a lot and were speculating that maybe he feels the pressure (this last part ofc it’s their speculation).
So yeah since you were commenting on the lack of content from these weekends I think this might be why 🥲 hope he doesn’t pressure himself much. Also I saw Nico Rosberg is in the paddock and I hope he will join the Italian commentary tomorrow (he often does various races during the year) ‘cause he’s always unhinged when talking about drivers and cheers Lewis a lot lol
Hiyaaa! It's interesting because before quali I wanted to make a separate post about the lack of Lewis content as well (besides the tag yapping I did).
But this is 🥺🥺🥲 It's makes me sad in a kind of way, but also takes my thoughts away on why we haven't seen much of him so far. And that it indeed has a reason and he does it kinda on purpose.
I can imagine him locking himself up in his little room, studying, analyzing his laps and Charles's then I'm sure. Thinking about strategy's etc non stop. 🥺🥺😭
I truly hope he doesn't forget he is HIM. He is the GOAT. He is the best ever on and off track. He changed the sport.
This combined with his P9 and those post race interviews. Excuse me while I sob a little.
Thank you for letting me know btw anon! ♥️ Interesting read.
Yeah Nico is hilarious when he's on the English Sky as well. Sometimes annoying, but also VERY honest haha.
My chingling's become interested in performing in contests after we attended one in Slateport City, but I have no idea where to begin. I've heard your editor is a contest vet, so I was hoping she might have some advice.
LH: The biggest thing you should probably know to get started is that contests are slightly different in each region. Oh, the format is usually very similar, but every region has its own culture, which means what judges focus on can differ from circuit to circuit. Since you’ve mentioned Slateport, I’ll assume you’re still in Hoenn, but if you’ve actually traveled to any other region with a contest circuit, I’d highly recommend taking a look at contest footage before signing up for your first contest. You can usually find a lot of footage online; contests are highly broadcasted.
That said, Hoenn contests focus a lot on moves than anything else. While every pokémon and coordinator needs to be presentable before they go up on stage, Hoenn is the region most likely to let someone enter a muk and not bat an eye so long as that muk can do something striking with its moves. So before you get to the contest hall, plan out your routine. Take a look at what moves your pokémon know and figure out different methods to combine them in clever or creative ways—ways that would make your pokémon stand out or otherwise shine. Remember that contest moves are meant to highlight a pokémon, so always focus making sure your combinations make your pokémon look amazing and never obscure them from view unless you mean to do that. All too often, new coordinators overdo it with their moves, which results in either their pokémon looking ridiculous or a combination so flashy the pokémon itself can’t be seen.
Also, remember that if you’re entering the general circuit, you’ll need to battle too. The secret is that the stage round (where your pokémon show off their moves for the judges) and the battling round are basically the same; it’s just that you’re using your moves in a practical manner against another pokémon. Even then, the moves you choose still have to highlight your pokémon in some way—that is, they have to be just flashy enough to make your pokémon look great, even as they fight. So the strategy is similar, but preparing for this round also requires you to maintain a clear head at all times. What helped me back then was sparring as often as I could with other trainers or coordinators. The more you and your pokémon practice outside of the contest hall, the calmer you’ll be on stage.
Another thing: I would recommend entering the themed circuit instead of the general circuit. Sure, the prizes aren’t quite as impressive as the ones you get from the general circuit, but the themed circuit is often easier. Not a lot of new coordinators realize this, but it’s true. In the general circuit, you’re given no theme, and you’re often pitted against veteran coordinators. The themed circuit, meanwhile, always gives you a theme (cute, beauty, smart, tough, or cool), which makes it easier to plan and train for the next contest you enter. Moreover, themed contests are always divided into skill levels, so if you’re not confident with your skills as a coordinator, it’s okay because you’ll be competing against coordinators who also aren’t ready for higher ranks.
As for preparation for a themed contest, just remember that different moves are favored in different contests. Take Ice Beam, for instance. It’s a gorgeous move that sparkles with a rainbow of colors if you use it right, so it’s favored in beauty contests. On the other hand, it’s not favored in tough contests because the judges aren’t looking for something that’s gorgeous so much as something that shows off a pokémon’s muscles and physical strength. It’s pretty easy to figure out which moves would do best in which contest just based on the way they look, but if you need help, there are definitely a lot of databases online made by coordinators who kept track of how the audience or judges responded to different moves. Feebas.net, for example. They not only have an entire part of the site dedicated to indexing every move and how well they’re received, but you can also find videos of contests from practically every circuit.
Reviewing other people’s contest performances is actually a really good idea, by the way, and I would recommend doing that before you enter your first contest, as well as whenever you have spare time. That way, you can pick up tips and incorporate them into your own preparations, or simply learn what to expect in your next contest.
Finally, contests are ultimately performances, but don’t let the pressure of an audience unnerve you. Take a deep breath as you go on stage and clear your head. I always felt that focusing your gaze on one judge helps ground me. It reminds you that you’re working for an audience but blocks out everything but that one judge.
I'm afraid this might be pestering but do you have the part 2 for that Log Horizon AU?
Okay okay my dear, I’m sorry it took me this long, but here it finally is! Part 2 of my Return to Earth au.
While Minori has always been Shiroe’s protégé in regards to being a strategist, Rudy is the one who inherits Shiroe’s magical talent. Rudy is the one that’s stayed up with Shiroe throughout the nights, studying magic, researching new spells, trying to find a link between the worlds.
When Rudy wakes up one day to find his entire family gone, to find himself the only adventurer left in the entire world, it just about breaks him.
He’d always suspected that he’d have to say goodbye one day, he’d always expected that he’d end up alone. But when Shiroe had come up with the idea to find a way to allow the adventurers to travel freely between their own world and Theldesia, he’d started hoping. He’d started hoping that he’d be able to keep these warm, laughter-filled days. He’d hoped that this would be his new forever. They’d been making good headway too, but now that his master, his much admired older brother is gone, Rudy just doesn’t have the faith in himself that he’ll be able to bring them back.
He wallows in his grief for a long time. Him and all the other People of the Land who’d made Akiba their home. The reason they’d all come to Akiba was because they’d been drawn to the adventurers, to their carefree ways, to their bright, colourful lives, to their fascinating culture. And now, with half their population gone, with their Round Table Council no longer upholding the peace, their town quickly crumbles, becoming merely a shell of the beautiful place it had become with the arrival of the adventurers.
Lord Sergiatte orders his granddaughter to return to the Palace of Eternal Ice. Now that the adventurers are gone, there is no longer any reason to have an embassy at Akiba.
Lenessia reluctantly obeys, leaving behind the home she’d gradually grown attached to. It’s difficult, getting used to her own peoples’ class-based society once again, after having gotten used to the freedom of the adventurers.
In the end, it’s actually Regan who pulls Rudy out of his downward spiral. It’s no secret to anyone that Shiroe of Log Horizon, the strategist of the Round Table Council, had gained the favour of the Sage of Miral Lake. It had caused quite the stir among the nobles of Eastal - the Sage was a highly respected, if extremely elusive, figure, and it was nigh impossible to even enter into his acquaintance let alone become close with him.
Regan had come to admire Shiroe greatly in the time they’d known each other, so when he learns that the adventurers have all been spirited back to their own home, he immediately sets to finding a way to bring them back. Regan hadn’t had a chance to tell Shiroe yet that he’d been considering taking him on as his successor, the next in line to inherit the title of the Sage of Miral Lake. He’s getting on in years after all, and he already considers Shiroe his equal in terms of magic, if not even superior.
So he and Rudy work together to bring their friends and family back.
It takes them three years.
But finally. Finally, Rudy and Regan are sitting in Shiroe’s office at the Log Horizon guild hall (and it doesn’t matter that Rudy’s been using it for three years, longer now than Shiroe had ever used it - Rudy will always think of it as Shiroe’s) and they’ve got their hearts in their throats.
It’s the middle of the night.
Rudy opens his status screen, and Shiroe’s name is lit up on his friend’s list. It’s the only one so far, but it’s a start. With this one tentative connection, they’re closer than ever to achieving their goal.
Rudy selects his guild leader’s name and a telechat ringtone sounds in his mind, for the first time in three years. He waits with baited breath, and after what seems an eternity, there’s a click.
“Rudy?” asks a familiar voice, an incredulous voice.
And Rudy almost breaks down crying. There’s a lump in his throat, but before he can get even a word out, he hears the wail of an infant, and a quiet curse from Shiroe.
“Shit,” he whispers to himself. “Sorry Rudy, just a second. Let me put the baby down.”
Rudy is confused, and maybe a little heartbroken. Shiroe has a baby now. Had he and Naotsugu broken up then? It feels to Rudy almost like his parents had just separated.
But then there’s the sound of a door opening, and the sound of a sleepy, disgruntled grumble.
“Keeeeiiiii. Make him stoooooppppp,” groans a voice that Rudy recognizes as Naotsugu’s.
Shiroe sounds breathless when he replies that, “I need you to put him back to sleep. I’ve just gotten a call from Rudy.”
“Mmh, fine...” replies Naotsugu sleepily. There’s silence for a moment, and Rudy can picture perfectly in his mind’s eye the moment Naotsugu really realizes what Shiroe had said, because the next moment he screeches, “WHAT?”
The baby’s wailing gets impossibly louder.
“A telechat. From Rudy,” Shiroe insists. “I need you to take the baby so I can talk to him and figure out what’s going on.”
Another moment of silence, and then Naotsugu’s voice, louder, as if he’s yelling right into Shiroe’s ear.
“I knew you could do it, Rudy!” he crows in delight. “You better bring us back home soon!”
There’s a few moments of grumbling from Shiroe then, and a grunt of pain from Naotsugu, and Rudy knows that Shiroe must’ve kicked him in the shin or something for yelling into his ear.
Then the sound of the baby’s wailing becomes more faint, and there’s the sound of a door closing.
“Rudy?” asks Shiroe, “You still there?”
“Shiroe-nii,” he whispers, still feeling all choked up. “You and Naotsugu-nii have a baby?” he asks.
And he can hear the smile in Shiroe’s voice when he replies that, “Yeah. We adopted him only a few months ago. He’s already got Akatsuki and everyone else wrapped around his tiny little pinky, you know?”
“I’d love to meet him one day,” Rudy whispers in response, and there’s a warm chuckle from Shiroe.
“I’m sure you will. Hopefully some day soon, if you can tell me just how you were able to get this telechat to connect,” Shiroe says, voice warm.
And with that, they’re back on topic.
They talk long into the night, working out logistics, with Rudy acting as the go-between so that Regan can participate in their conversation as well.
So far, Shiroe is the only one they can connect with via telechat, and there’s still no way to bring him to Theldesia. But with Shiroe’s input in the discussion, they know it’s only a matter of time before they get the problem solved.
An hour into their discussion, Naotsugu quietly comes back to the bedroom, having finally managed to get the baby to go back to sleep. He keeps quiet for the most part, not able to really contribute much to the topic of magic, what with being a guardian. But every once in a while he has an idea that opens new channels for them.
Eventually, when they’ve been talking for four hours already and the first light of dawn is beginning to creep over the horizon, they have to call their discussion to an end. Shiroe and Naotsugu need to get a few hours of sleep in before their son wakes them up again, and Rudy and Regan need to start testing out the things they’d discussed with Shiroe.
Both sides also agree that they need to bring others into the conversation as well.
The next day, Regan sends word to Maihama, to inform the Duke and his family that they are close to bringing the adventurers back to Theldesia. Lenessia arranges to return Akiba immediately, while the other noble families of Eastal argue and debate over the pros and cons of bringing the adventurers back. Regan finds it funny, that they seem to think their opinions mean anything to him - as if he’s asking their permission to bring the adventurers back, and not that he’s merely being decent enough to inform them ahead of time that he’s going to do it no matter what they say.
In the other world, Shiroe gathers together the other members of the Round Table Council. He tells them they’re close to finding a way back to Theldesia.
But before the other guild leaders can get too excited, he warns them. He warns them that this time will be different from the last time they were sent to Theldesia.
This time they’ll have the option of returning to their home world whenever they wanted. And while that has many pros, it also has its dangers - the Round Table Council will have just as many - if not MORE - responsibilities than last time. It’ll be difficult if the members plan on keeping their jobs and their lives in their own world. If they are planning on staying in the Council, he needs to know they’ll be willing to put in the extra time and the effort to continue running the city of Akiba.
“Isn’t it the same for you?” Crusty asks Shiroe, raising one delicate eyebrow. “It’s not like you can just pick up and move permanently to Theldesia. You have your son to think about.”
Shiroe nods, acknowledging his point. “Naotsugu and I have already begun discussing the logistics of it,” he tells them. “We’re willing to put in the extra effort. There’s no way I will ever quit the Round Table. But I don’t want you all to feel pressured into staying as well.”
The different guild leaders all look at each other exasperatedly. There’s really nothing to think about. The entire reason they’d all been sent to Theldesia in the first place, the reason they were STILL on the Round Table Council after all these years despite being back in their own world, was because in their hearts, they were all still MMO junkies. They’d become invested in Akiba, and they wanted to continue helping it grow.
In the end, they all decide to stay.
But even with all eleven of them, it would still be difficult to fulfill all their duties, now that they wouldn’t all be there 24/7. So they decide to bring more guilds and guild leaders into the Round Table Council.
The original seven would continue to be the main voices, the ones with the final say in decisions, but they start contacting other guild leaders, start looking for other people to help run the Council.
Of course, William of the Silver Sword Knights is one of the first people they contact. This time, he agrees to join without a second thought.
The Round Table puts out an announcement on their forum that they might’ve possibly found a way to let them return to Theldesia.
The forum explodes with the news, everyone ecstatic. Even people who’d slowly drifted away over the years return to the site with a vengeance.
It takes a few more weeks after that first telechat between Rudy and Shiroe, but finally, they have the status screens up, and all the adventurers who had gone to Theldesia the first time around find they have the option to “log in”.
It’s a brilliant summer afternoon, when the first of the adventurers materializes in Akiba in a flash of light. The people of the land who had been in the area are startled at the appearance, but the news spreads quickly around Akiba after that, like wildfire.
By the time night rolls around, the once deserted shell of Akihabara is once again alight with warmth and laughter. There’s a party that lasts well into the night.
Rudy really does cry, the first time he sees Shiroe again after all those years apart, and he runs full-tilt into his guild leader’s embrace.
He’s taller than Shiroe now. Shiroe laughs and pats his head. “You’ve grown quite a lot, haven’t you?” he asks, voice fond, and Rudy nods, bouncing on the balls of his feet like an excited puppy.
The parties last for several days afterwards.
There’s a lot of rebuilding to do, a lot of problems to fix and decisions to make, and relationships with the people of the land to rebuild.
It will take the adventurers a long time establish themselves properly in this world again.
But for now, they choose not to worry about that.
For now, they choose to bask in the joy of being with their friends and loved ones once again.
Dear LH, do you know anything about what an Absol is judged on in the Kennel Club shows or if i can even get my Absol into said Show as an Absol Aficionado? Also, I need some pointers on Ponyta/Rapidash Care and Biology to disabuse a niece of mine of her belief of some of the stuff she watches in My Little Ponyta. downside of living with pokemon: Cartoons are harder to prove as impossible.
Oh! Yes! Canine pokémon shows judge absol and all other participants on a list of criteria based on ideals of each species and breed. Generally speaking, that means things like the quality of the pelt, balance, height, weight, teeth and strength of bite, the way the tail arches, etc. Absol are judged on these too, as well as a few extra criteria: the quality/strength/curve of the horn and the thickness and sharpness of the claws. Also, there’s usually a second round where participants are tested for obedience and the strength of basic attacks. In all, canine shows are very much like pokémon contests, but they focus more on the natural qualities and capabilities of each pokémon, rather than advanced style or strength.
Also, for the most part, most shows will consider absol to be canine pokémon as well, but there are a few that think of them as too different to count. It’s worth it to look at the rules for each show you’re interested in, although the largest ones (including the Camphrier Kennel Club, probably the most famous) will accept absol entrants.
Well, the important thing to know about ponyta and rapidash is that they don’t live indoors, contrary to what the cartoon will have you believe. They’re field pokémon, so therefore, a trainer should give them plenty of space to roam and exercise. A field filled with wild grass would work best. Contrary to popular belief, neither ponyta nor rapidash would set a grassy field on fire so long as they’re calm; rather, that’s what they eat and relieve themselves in, so in all, a large, grassy field is just home for them.
Of course, they can also live in a stable for short periods of time, and it’s a good idea to have one ready for them during rainy or other inclement weather. These stables should have stalls large enough for a rapidash to move comfortably from side to side—rapidash, not ponyta, because you never know if you’ll have an evolution on your hands. These stalls should be cleaned daily and stocked with fresh water and food (fodder, or hay and oats—rarely carrots and apples and never sugar cubes because these are all loaded with sugar that can disrupt the bacterial ecosystem of their digestive tracts). Also, if the weather is cold, give your ponyta or rapidash a blanket to stay warm. So no, they don’t live in libraries or wear dresses either. They do wear shoes, of course, but not the sort you see in the cartoon. They’re simply those bands of metal that a human needs to fix onto a horse’s hoof. (They also require daily maintenance.)
Ponyta and rapidash don’t have wings, so they pegasus type of ponyta unfortunately don’t exist. As for the unicorn type, those do in a way, as rapidash technically has a horn, but it can’t simply perform any kind of magic. It’s more that they can shoot beams of concentrated light, and even then, only if you use the TM system. Their fire attacks, on the other hand, actually come from the mouth because the fire gland for ponyta and rapidash is located in the throat (as it is for most fire-types), not the horn. Really, the horn of a rapidash is used more for impaling or jabbing than channeling attacks, so it’s much less ... glittery than you would see in the show.
I know. It’s not as exciting as multicolored emissaries of friendship and love, but ponyta and rapidash are easy-going pokémon in their own right. While I wouldn’t recommend getting her a ponyta if she’s only seen the cartoon, maybe having her learn more about them through children’s books or by seeing one in person on a farm or at a breeding center might help her understand what real ponies are like. One of the great things about cartoons like My Little Ponyta is that they’re often the first step for young girls to gain an interest in pokémon; it’s just that they need the right materials and experiences to take the next step of learning what those pokémon are really like.
But if it makes things any easier, you can tell her that ponyta and rapidash do make wonderful friends.
I still have my starter, who’s by now a swampert. He’s probably my foremost partner, in that he’s not only handy around the house (sometimes anyway), but he also helps with lifting heavy equipment for me. Then there’s my medicham, whom I sometimes confide in whenever Brigette’s not around. Then you have the two pokémon I’d kept from my time as a coordinator, a manectric and a glalie. I used to have a clefairy for the contest circuit too, but I gave him to Bill, as a sort of gift exchange because Bill was giving me an eevee (who is now a flareon and, strangely enough, my glalie’s best friend). You’ve ... probably heard of that clefairy, actually. I feel a little guilty about that, but I thought those two would be a perfect match when I made the trade. So that was more correct than I’d thought.
That’s about it, actually. Coordinators focus a lot on the development of a pokémon’s style, so even when I was traveling, I tried to keep my team small. I’m glad I did now, if I’m honest. The lab barely fits me, let alone more than a handful of pokémon, and even then, most of them spend their time outside unless I really need their help. Yes, even my glalie. I’m not sure why, but she adores warm weather.
Mind telling us about your coordinator days? What made you want to become a coordinator, how u started and such? ^^ thanks!
Well, I always thought it would be fun to be a coordinator. In Hoenn, or at least when I was younger, you would always see contests broadcasted practically every week. Watching all of that artistry in motion made me fall in love with pokémon in the first place—the choreography, the creativity, and everything else are just magical when you put them together.
So when I turned ten, I left my hometown (Lilycove City, for those curious) with my mudkip to travel across Hoenn and put together a contest team. As you probably already know, there are two types of contest circuits: themed and general. I wanted to take on both, but knowing how challenging the themed circuit is, I was careful to catch and raise one pokémon for each theme. (My swampert is the tough specialist, medicham the smart specialist, manectric the cool, glalie the beauty, and clefairy had been for cute contests.)
From then onward, I think my journey was pretty ordinary, to be honest. I traveled on my own, but I made a lot of friends along the way who taught me plenty about contests, including everything there is to know about berries, pokéblocks, and even poffins. As for the contests themselves, they were a struggle to get used to, certainly, because appeals are like battling but with more fireworks. Still, I got the hang of it pretty quickly, and after my third or fourth loss, I was able to earn my first ribbon—in a beauty contest with my then-snorunt, actually. Once I got the ball rolling, so to speak, I was able to earn ribbons for each of the themed contests right up to the master rank. It was the general circuit I never completed, and even then, it’s less because I lost and wasn’t able to enter the Grand Festival and more because I had burnt myself out on contests altogether. Eventually, I just sort of quit, one ribbon short of the five I needed to compete in the Grand Festival.
By then, Brigette was tired of gyms too, so we met up and decided to leave Hoenn to—not to put it dramatically or anything—find ourselves somewhere else. That’s how we wound up in Kanto, registered for classes with Professor Oak at Celadon University. And you probably know the rest.
ooooooo, sounds like Lanette might have a bit of a crush on a Certain Someone
Mirroring that other ask about Steven, to be fair, most people have a crush on that Certain Someone. Or most of us in the administrator circle, as well as half if not all his fans. It’s almost like a rite of passage at this point. At some point, you have a crush on our not-so-fearless leader, and you either get over it and realize he’s just really effortlessly charismatic, or you never really do.
Luckily, either way, he seems completely uninterested in even dealing with that sort of thing, so it’s pretty easy to operate around him without making things awkward. Unless you’re … like someone else who shall remain nameless but is very obvious about his ongoing crush.
As for me, maybe I’m in that group. But mostly, I just think it’s cute that this Certain Someone can make mistakes now and then, because it’s a nice reminder that he’s just as human as the rest of us, and fairies are a nice reminder of that.
