In which Aurora has a talk with a friend from Before.
because apparently? we did one Mistralton thing (that was mostly supposed to happen in another city) and then the other two went “welp, we’re done here” without. considering. that I had stuff to do. I had things for bonding between characters that would’ve really helped but hey oh well.
here we are
also no one called me out on Bells blatantly being Winry from FMA. like. I don’t know if I could’ve been more obvious. She had a golurk hanging around called Al. Multiple references to Ed. At least one to Roy, I think? maybe that was when Ed turned up. idk.
~
It had taken two folds to get from the bunker back to the old gym. Slipping out was easy, had always been easy, when Aurora could muffle any sound she made as easy as blinking.
She wished she could pull off that trick that Mewtwo had helped her with. Folding straight lines was all well and good, but the ability to portal anywhere would be... something else.
She’d been going to head straight for the hanger, but the gym still had lights on inside, so she stopped there. Hohen was sleeping in the tree, head under his wing
“I was wondering when you’d turn up,” Bells said, not looking up from the array of wires that spilled from the bottom of a metal dish in front of her.
Aurora shrugged and walked in, picking her way around the dismantled machines towards where Bells was sat, cross-legged on the front of a truck. “Should’ve figured you’d still be awake.”
“There’s coffee just made.” Bells pointed at the pot. “If you need another excuse to still be awake.”
Aurora laughed and scrambled up through the missing passenger side door and through the empty windshield to sit beside Bells. “I’m good, thanks.”
Bells nodded and continued with her work, soldering wires and splitting others, twisting them to new settings.
Aurora leant back against the edge of the truck’s shell and gazed up into the tree above them.
“Nightmares again?” Bells asked, pausing to take a drink.
“No.” Aurora laughed. “No, not for a while.”
“You found some Cresselia wings?”
“Yeah. And – uh, the ginger skeleton travelling with us?”
“Yeah?”
“That’s the Darkrai blessed that was sending them.”
“What?” Bells swivelled around to face her, voice rising into a shriek that she hushed only at the last minute.
“Yeah.”
“How?”
“Well, we found him in Hoenn and the others insisted on helping him.” Aurora wrinkled her nose. “And then when Pink woke him up from his coma, he said he wanted to come with us.”
“Shit.” Bells set down her tools and swivelled to face Aurora, taking her coffee with her. “That fucking sucks.”
“Like I said; history.” She shrugged, avoiding looking at Bells.
“D’you want to tell me about it?”
“I... don’t know.” Aurora sighed. “It’s just – ever since Rin died, this has seemed... fucking pointless. I can close the portals, sure, but if I can’t kill her then what’s the point? She’ll just do it all over again.”
“And you don’t think you can?”
“Oh, I think I can, I just don’t think this lot will let me.” Aurora snorted. “Some moral bullshit. Ginger’s probably just travelling with us so he can get back to her. Zlata probably thinks she’s redeemable. Ryun will go wherever Zlata and Ginger go, but feel bad about it.”
“And Pink?”
“I don’t know.” Aurora pressed her palms into her eyes. “I just... don’t know.”
“That’s ok.” Bells nudged her knees. “It’s a shitty place to be.”
“Yeah.”
Bells took a long drink and looked around. “So I hate to bring up another sore subject-”
“She mentioned that you were looking for them ‘desperately’?”
“Fuck knows where she got that idea from.” Aurora slid down the truck to lie on her back. “If I ever find the new Guardian I’m gonna punch them. Hard. And then they can take over.”
“Guess it must be hard knowing there’s a replacement out there.”
“And that they haven’t come looking.” Aurora stretched a hand up in front of her. “I felt them once, back in Ilex. Nothing since then, except-” She clenched her fist.
Bells waited for Aurora to continue speaking.
Aurora dropped her arm across her face and spoke into the crook of her elbow. “I’ve been having dreams.”
“The ginger skeleton?”
Aurora shook her head. “If it was him, I’d’ve done something about it.” She sighed. “I think it’s the Time Guardian. I think I’m getting flashes of what they’re doing.”
“I guess that explains why you’re out here not sleeping.”
Aurora nodded. “Maybe I will take some of that coffee.”
Bells snorted and slid off the truck. “I’ll heat it up.”
“Thanks.”
Bells tapped the side of her cafetière and threw the lukewarm coffee out before boiling the kettle. “What sort of dreams?”
“They’re by the coast. It’s rocky. They’re just... fishing. Waiting. Watching.” Aurora rolled onto her side, watching Bells.
“Sounds boring.”
“Yeah. But it’s vivid.” Aurora pushed herself upright. “And I don’t get anything more than just that. No thoughts, no words, just the sea. The smell of it, the sound of it. Sometimes I can taste it.”
“Ew.” Bells wrinkled her nose. “Sea, first thing in the morning. No one needs that.”
“Right?” Aurora laughed and slid down the truck to stand, stretching. “Tell me something good, Bells.”
“Your aunt was here a week ago. She looked well.”
Aurora’s breath hitched.
“Will you go and see them?” Bells poured out the coffee and walked back over.
“With this lot in tow? No fear.” Aurora made light of it, forcing a grin as she took a mug.
“I’m sure we could find an excuse for you to go off on your own.” Bells shrugged. “Or you could sneak off again. I assume they don’t know you’re here.”
“They were all sleeping.” Aurora took a drink. “I left a note.”
“So, if you wanted to...?”
“I can’t.” Aurora tightened her hands about her mug. “I just- if I went home, I’d never leave.”
“Aw man, Dawn.” Bells let out a sigh. “C’mere.” She put her mug down and wrapped Aurora in a hug.
Aurora buried her face in Bells shoulder and choked back a sob.
“No one’s here to see their badass leader break down,” Bells murmured.
“Shut up,” Aurora said, sniffing.
“How about we start on that leg?” Bells asked.
Aurora nodded and slowly let go.
“Drink your coffee. I’ll get my tape measure.” Bells stepped back. “Alright?”
Aurora scrubbed at her eye and sniffed again. “Sure-” She laughed, choking back a sob.
Bells reached for the nearest shelf, which held a variety of tools and a small tape measure. She grabbed a pen as well, and gave Aurora a pointed look.
Aurora wrapped her hands about her mug and took a drink, slurping at it. “Satisfied?”
“It’s a start.” Bells shrugged and knelt. “Now, let’s see...” She started to take measurements around Aurora’s legs. “Thanks for wearing shorts.”
“My legs are my best feature,” Aurora said. “Be a shame not to show them off, y’know?”
“Mhm. Showing them off for anyone in particular?” Bells wrote numbers on the back of her hand.
“You, Bells, obviously. Since Ed’s clearly not around right now.”
Bells snorted and wrote something on Aurora’s skin. “Sure.”
“Hey, what was that?” Aurora craned to look down.
“No you don’t.” Bells hit at her waist. “You’ll throw off my measurements.”
Aurora straightened up. “Guess I’ll find out later.”
“Maybe. Where’d you pick up Ashes?”
“I- what?” Aurora blinked and shook her head, looking down at the top of Bells’ head.
“You haven’t been to Kalos yet, have you?”
“No. No, he was just the other side of Chargestone.”
Bells hummed. “And you let him join up?”
“Thought he was the time blessed at first, didn’t I say?”
“Did you hit him?”
“No.” Aurora tilted her head back. “I wasn’t very nice, but I didn’t hit him.”
“Ah, so it’s him you’re showing your legs off for.” Bells ducked away, laughing, as Aurora raised her leg as if to knee her in the face.
Aurora stepped back and didn’t answer.
“Ah, see, anyone else might take that as proof.” Bells stood, studying all the numbers on her hand.
“Drink your own damn coffee,” Aurora replied from around her mug.
“Alright.” Bells laughed. “I’ll pry no more.”
“Yeah, just… just make my damn leg. Isn’t that what I’m paying you for?”
“We haven’t even discussed payment.” Bells grinned.
“You know what I’m good for.” Aurora shrugged and sat down on the floor of the passenger side seat of the truck.
“Sure I do.” Bells wrote the numbers down onto the papers at her desk, where she’d been designing earlier. “Mind if I put on music?”
“No, go for it.” Aurora leant her head against the seat, and watched as Bells drifted back to the truck’s bed.
Soft music drifted out of speakers hidden about the room, and Bells sat back up on the hood of the truck, going back to her wires.
Aurora held the coffee mug, stared into middle distance, and allowed herself to drift off.
More of this storyline! It’s all being gathered under “The Birds” tag, if you specifically want it :3
Just a quiet moment, this one! Mostly it’s Jay and Brith (her lucario) having a chat. Bird Man in the distance. Brith having misgivings about Soise (a zorua, and new addition to the team)
[1] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
~
I hold my hand up to halt Soise in her run, and she freezes where she stands.
Vulp and Glace run circles about her, inviting her to play, but Soise doesn't join them. I can see her tail twitching; she wants to, certainly, but she won't.
"Well done." I throw her the treat and flick my other hand.
Soise coils and jumps to catch the treat, then races off after Vulp and Glace.
It's quiet under the trees here, beside the pond. We might have startled away any wildlife, and we can't be seen from the main paths, so it's secluded. There's a faint path, but it's not well trod.
I flip my collar up against the chill breeze and sit down on the mat we brought with us. Not really the best time of year for a picnic, but- well. That just meant we were bound to be alone for it.
Brith sighs and I don’t think I’m meant to hear it, but Sesser cheeps at her and fluffs up against my neck.
“Are you still having problems with Soise?” I ask, not looking back at her.
“Not in the way that you imagine.”
“Brith.”
“Blue.” There’s gentle mockery in her voice, in the way she says my name, that I know she isn’t serious.
I twist about on the mat to look up at her, the basket still closed at my side. “If there’s something that needs done, I- as your trainer- should know about it.”
She’s leaning up against a tree, ostensibly on the lookout for anyone coming this way. “I don’t... can’t trust anyone that lies so fluently.” Her paws are crossed under her chest spike.
“I thought you were getting on with her.” I frown. They had been. Soise had been the one being cautious; Brith had punched her, after all.
“Hm.”
I throw a toasted roll at her. “That says nothing.”
She tilts her head sideways to snap it out of the air. “I find it hard to trust someone who lies so fluently,” she says, after swallowing.
I open the bag of seeds for Sesser and set it to the side, so she flutters down from my shoulder and gives it her undivided attention.
“You mean the illusion thing?” I find the thermos and pour out some hot chocolate, wrapping my hands about the cup.
Brith nods and comes to sit on the mat, reaching into the basket for more food. “It’s another thing I should be able to sense. My tribe has stories of them, you know. A name for these illusionists.”
“Oh?” I try not to sound too eager. Brith doesn’t talk much of her family.
“Korrealis,” she replies, finding a wrapped sandwich still steaming in the cold air. “Light player.”
I take a sip of the hot chocolate, but mostly I’m just holding it to warm my hands.
“I will work with her for your sake, but do not expect us to get along.”
I nod. “I wouldn’t intentionally ask you to do anything you don’t agree with.” I hesitate. “Is... there a chance of that?”
“Of my having to do something I disagree with?”
“Of there being trouble with Soise.” I shrug. “If she’s being difficult, or you’re having difficulty, whatever, please- come to me? Don’t try and sort it yourself, or just ignore it.”
“Pot.” Brith barks laughter at me.
“Brith.” I know I’m being a hypocrite, but only inasmuch as I never tell my human friends the true extent of my trouble. Brith knows everything, my team knows everything.
“Captain. I swear, I will tell you the minute that it affects my ability as a member of your crew.” She holds a paw over her heart. “Upon my honour and my name as Brith Khar.” She’s as serious as I’ve ever seen her. More serious.
I nod, not breaking eye contact.
For a moment, we are quiet and contemplating.
Then Sesser cheeps, furious, and we look over to see a spearow trying to dart in and take some seeds, a pidgey behind it.
“What-” I stare at them, not quite comprehending. Neither of them are native birds, although this being the town of the flying gym, anything is possible.
Brith tries to shoo them away, first with the palm of her paw and then the spike on her knuckles.
“Don’t do anything too much to them, the last we need is their trainers coming down on us.” I grab a handful of the seed and scatter it away amongst the trees. “Go on, bugger off.”
The spearow pecks at my fingers, and I allow the faintest crackle of electricity to gather around them, warning it back.
It hops away, but it’s still just as ready to attack. The pidgey seems almost ready to back it up, but also seems to be edging away towards the seeds I scattered, sensing an easier meal.
A two-toned whistle- one that seems almost familiar- sounds out across the pond, and both birds take to the air immediately.
I follow their flight back across the pond to where a man stands between the trees, hand raised to them. Or maybe in greeting.
We are sheltered amongst reeds and underneath the sweeping branches of a tree; he shouldn’t really be able to spot us.
I twitch a hand in a sort of wave and feel like an idiot if he doesn’t mean the wave for me. But he probably won’t see if he’s not looking. It’s fine.
“It’s fine,” Brith says, echoing my thoughts. “They can’t all be the thieving tricksters we were taught they were.”
“Yeah, see?” I drop my hand and glance over at her. “And if she is, we’ll learn her out of it.”
“Your grammar is atrocious.”
“I’m allowed to fuck it up, it’s my language.” I dig into the hamper to find something warming for myself besides the hot chocolate.
“Maybe,” I sing out, around a mouthful of toasted baguette.
On the other side of the pond, that man’s still standing with his birds. There are more of them now, mostly Unovan. Again, I didn’t see where they came from, just that they’re there now.
Maybe the quiet of this end of the park is as good for training birds as it is for picnics on the sly. We can exist in harmony without ever knowing the other is there.
Lot to cover, lot has happened, lot may happen again, or not at all. Needed to do some training, wild pokemon weren’t doing the job, went after the gym. Got some good experience for team, particularly Tornado and DeepC, accidentally found ourselves in front of Clay, the gym leader. My.... dunno what it is, but I couldn’t walk away once I got there, so challenge him we did! We were under-leveled. It mattered rather little in the end. The only pokemon that gave us trouble was the Excadrill. Faster thing, tough thing. Took a beating and gave it back worse. Killed Tornado, took a big chunk out of DeepC. Sent in PuriPrison to buy time to heal, PuriPrison went down in one hit. That was the part that really blew me away. Audino is a tank, overflowing with HP and focused on all manner of defense. One hit, even a crit? That’s scary. Hope came in the form of Zoroark, our lovely Zorua who evolved during the gym training. Evolved into a BEAST.
*Note: I tried, I checked, Zorua is unable to be given a nickname. Can’t be done.
His stats are higher than even DeepC’s, mostly Sp Atk and Speed and Attack. Snarl is rather helpful against a multitude of tough Defense pokemon, but really need to find some new moves for him to learn. All that really matters is that he was fast enough to hit Excadrill, tough enough to survive getting hit back, and strong enough to finish him on the second blow.
We made our way to Chargestone Cave, caught a Tynamo, unique in that it is the only pokemon to have 0 weaknesses. Electric-types are now only weak to Ground, not Ground and Rock anymore, and with Levitate, Tynamo is immune to Ground. But Emolga is cuter, so into the box he goes! Kept reaching a “bridge out” thing with Bianca and people, so kept going back into town to find stuff to do. A scientist gave me a “unique” Deerling with Serene Grace ability. It’s still not that great a pokemon though, so he’s been in & out of the party. Welcome, The Cure!
Was really dreading having to do the World Tournament thing. These kind of Battle events are always high risk, no reward, but this one was apparently plot required to MOVE ON WITH THE FRIGGIN’ GAME. Won the whole thing, but each member of the party died at some point so it feels really hollow. I’m bending a rule here and calling it a pass because again, these dumb things are high risk and NO reward, thus serving no place in a Nuzlocke.
The cave underground, however, proved interesting. Encountered a Gurdurr, who was successfully caught! But is probably going into the box. Caught Krokorok in the next area, also probably staying in the box. Near the end, we encountered an event VOLCARONA. This is one of the most amazing and powerful pokemon in any game, but exceedingly rare. One must train a Larvesta to lvl 59 for it to evolve into Volcarona. No Nuzlocker has time for that. This thing did not want to go in the ball. Used up all but one Ultra Ball, most of the Timer Balls, and a more potions, full heals, and moomoo milks than I can count. For having Gust as its most powerful move, this thing was dangerous. Literally, its move set was Gust, String Shot, Fire Spin, and Leech Life. 4 of the weakest moves in the game and it nearly killed DeepC. Out-leveled us too. But now it is on our side! Welcome, ClownMastr! Welcome, QuickDraw! Welcome, FurryFire!
Good, because DeepC went down near the end of Chargestone Cave against, *sigh*, another Excadrill. Still way too friggin’ fast and tough and strong. Praise Arceus for Snarl. I want to change things up this time, but honestly I’m realizing the One Punch Man theme isn’t lending itself to much challenge, so have a new idea. The Max Revives I find, those are the number of revives I have. And there’s a very good chance I’ve already sold one. Well, the next one goes to DeepC because she’s a level away from evolving. The Cure has evolved however, so hopefully now will become useful. Also caught a Tranquil, so have a backup flyer. Welcome, SkyCaptain!
Also missed a chance at a catch. An Axew in that cave north of Driftveil. Took a little too much damage and refused the ball. Burned itself, passed out from injury. Bugger.
Catches:
Chargestone Cave: Tynamo, aka SparkPlug
Relic Passage: Gurdurr, aka ClownMastr
Relic Castle: Krokorok, aka QuickDraw
Relic Castle (Event): Volcarona, aka FurryFire
Route 6 (Event): Deerling, aka The Cure
Route 7: Tranquil, aka SkyCaptain
RIP
Tornado (Excadrill too strong)
DeepC King (Excadrill too strong)(waiting on Max Revive)
Skyla’s gym would likely be against your mortal laws in the real world. It consisted of cannons to launch trainers across the gym. It was bizarre. Her team, however, was easier, though she did fell two of my Pokemon, including precious Jane.
She said after she was happy to fight at her full strength. She also gave me a TM, and a tip on where I might find Plasma next. Clearly my reputation precedes me.
I do think Skyla has a crush on Thor of Nuvema. I am a little uncomfortable with this, though truly for Thor of Nuvema it is not so strange.
It seems while I have been away that some mortal, whose name and blog I shall not share, left complaints regarding the quality of my game blog.
I am new to this realm, and to this website. Had the complaints been left in a manner befitting the manners of your people, I might have been persuaded to tag my posts differently, since your primitive tagging systems are new to me.
Instead, my post was reblogged with a comment complaining of my choice to a tag a character mentioned in the post, and this tag:
#nobody cares about your shitty gameplay get the fuck out kid
Fortunately, none of this realm care for this sad child’s poor command of his chosen language, either.
I tag my posts for my own reference and that of my valued leaders, so that we might easily revisit my thoughts on any one character or place. That these tags are shared among tumblr’s many users in some sort of central index is not my problem, and may perhaps be why so many I do not recognize have followed my blog.
I have many followers and one complaint born of a sad man whose blog also bears criticism of the body of another, when I found no photos of the man himself.
Perhaps I shall have to think of #ghetsis more often as I play these games.
In any case, I have some morning tasks to do, but I hope to cover some of Mistralton City after. Expect another post within the hour!
((OOC Note: lol thor has as many followers as my main account but apparently not enough salt))
