islandshore: (RIKU used LEER!)
Riku ([personal profile] islandshore) wrote2013-03-22 10:39 pm

48 - text/action for Celadon

[A pounding at his door jerks Riku out of his slumber. Though he presses his pillow to his ears, the bellows and growls that follow alert him that, sadly, he won't be catching any more Z's.

It's all just a part of the routine, really. Some overzealous Pokémon demanding attention. Quake, probably. While he blearily rubs his eyes and slides down off his bed, his trusty Charizard trails close behind...

As expected, one snarling Garchomp greets him, complete with putrid breath. More roars follow, and though Riku manages to squeeze past his ornery dragon, Quake stomps behind, continuing to growl, thrash, and flail...

Sigh. Even when Riku tells him to back down, that he's not up for training today, that he's still sore from last week (not to mention worn down), Quake continues his tantrum. He even charges himself straight at his Trainer in an Outrage attack.

It's by sheer dumb luck that he dodges the blow, leaving Flare to pin him down. Rather than stick around, Riku slips off, wandering the halls. He occasionally peers into the different arenas; he'd be stupid not to check up on the... fifty, sixty-some monsters that've made the TC their home. And of course there's no mistaking the shrieks and screeches coming from the lockdown chamber... Of course, he lacks the patience to deal with Terror today. He's already worn down as it is.

As he makes the rounds, the situation doesn't fare much better. One step into the ice arena, and he's greeted by a grumbling Dragonite. Having raised Draco from an egg, he recognizes his chest beating, wing flapping, and tail swishing as signs of impatience. Like Quake, he wants to train. When Riku says no, to go find Quake or Cleaver, a similar reaction follows. Roars, stomping, overall frustration... It's not like he needs to train with Riku every day, anyway. He's a high level dragon in a place full of others like himself... Sheesh.

By the time he makes it back into his room and scoops up his metal Keyblade, he's left feeling more drained than when he initially woke up. Drained and a little drenched; a Hydro Pump to the face tends to do that. And he gets their enthusiasm-- he trained them to love battles. And he loves them, too, but there's no denying that feeling of monotony that's crept up on him. He's got all the badges, he's got his business, but where does he go from there?

When was the last time he really sparred with an opponent that didn't breathe fire, spew water, or launch Aura Spheres? And in spending so much time focusing on his team, has he really become stronger himself? When Flare finally returns to his side, he shoots his Charizard a stiffened smile. His eyes soon drift back to his training weapon, though. If something were to happen and he needed to rely on himself and not his team, could he even do it...?

He sighs.]


Maybe you were right all along; I really have gone overboard.

[A text message appears in the early hours of the day:]

What does it mean to be strong?

I thought I had the answers, but I guess I got a little sidetracked along the way.

This place puts a huge focus on training powerful teams. Collecting badges, facing challenges, and I appreciate that. It's given me something to do, and it's hard to imagine life without those goofballs on my team to liven things up. But still, you can build a tough team without being strong on your own.


[There's a short pause before he continues his message. He has to search for the right words, try to piece together what he wants to say in a way that even he can understand...

Maybe he should get to the point.]


How many people here still fight? I've tried to keep up on my swordplay, but there's only so much I can teach myself. I know there are people out there better than me. Stronger than me... People with experience outside of play sword fights on an island day after day.

I guess what I'm really trying to ask is, well... Is there anyone out there who'd be willing to show someone else the ropes? I've done pretty much all I can with Pokémon battles, but I know I've got a long way to go with my own personal strength. And besides, I just... need something new to strive for. Something to break my routine.


[He ends his message there. It came out wordier than he intended... more like a rant than anything else. But with his thoughts out for all the see, he slips out into the city and proceeds to wander aimlessly with his 'Gear in hand.

Maybe he just needs a different outlook. He's got a much bigger world at his disposal now, and he's just barely scratched the surface...

But where does he start?]

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