islandshore | 48 - text/action for Celadon

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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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Just... wandering around town. I can head back if you want.

The people here are in a perpetual state of denial when it comes to stuff like that. You get your news broadcasts every now and then, but I think they're so used to living peaceful lives that they don't stop to consider the dangers of using Pokémon. In the wrong hands, though? They're some of the most powerful 'weapons' out there, and that's ignoring illegal weaponry.

And that's definitely my main motivator. A part of it's also so I feel... well, less reliant on my team. I can hold my own in a fight, but I usually only spar with my friend Sora and my Pokémon. I want to be able to handle even an unexpected attacker.

That's what loopholes are for.

Can't use an actual blade? Make something blunt. Getting hit with a large, metallic key isn't exactly safe, but the cops let it slide.

True. Did you guys at least knock him down a few pegs, though?

[Because, seriously. That creep had it coming.]

...And that's a fair point. I've kind of laid low for about a week, so I think I'm okay to get started again. Don't want to stay out of practice for too long, after all.

You can try, anyway. I don't want to be a bother.

Okay that sounds really really painful. I think I love your loopholes.

I'm just... Not good at doing things on the fly. It's never been my strong point.

[That was always Sora's strength, just going with the flow and following his heart.]

I guess part of it's that I've been here for so long, and I feel like I could've accomplished a whole lot more than I have.

I've done a lot... as a trainer. I've got powerful Pokémon, all the badges, a successful business... But I know there's more I could be doing.

And even with the sparring I have done, I feel like it's just not enough. This place is more dangerous than you'd think, and I want to be prepared for the worst.

You have to understand that they only told you to run because they were probably concerned about you. Every world has its own standards, and it's easy for adults to overlook someone's strength when they're younger.

You shouldn't beat yourself up over it. Just try to prove your strength in a way that won't get you nailed by some insane turtle freak.

I never really had t'train. I keep in shape just by doin' work on the farm. I've never needed more than that, but I reckon it couldn't hurt to learn more.

[There's a long pause after that before suddenly it's on voice. Not that it's very loud, he's almost mumbling and doesn't sound well at all.]

It would have been one thing if Lightning didn't know what we are. But she knows that we're ninja and that we're pretty much trained soldiers who are used to combat situations like that. She knows about my past. She has fought alongside me before... Though I guess she thought she was rescuing me then, too.

She still sees us as stupid and useless burdens, even knowing what she does... I think that's the worst part.

[Oddly enough, he feels a little lighter now that he's finally given it words and told them to someone. He knows Lightning is a friend of Riku's but... Maybe that's why it feels better; Riku would understand her better than he or any of the other nin could, and would still be at least willing to listen to his side of it.]

Edited 2013-03-26 14:36 (UTC)

Just depends on when we're in the same area again. My next stop's Olivine.

Talent's been bugging me to take a break and visit with friends.

*Some of Imogen's pokemon are such mother-hens.*

So my next stop is wherever the wind takes me.

I guess I just got so caught up in trying to become strong-- physically strong-- that I never stopped to think of it that way.

I just want to be able to protect what's important to me. Smarts definitely matter, and I'd be reckless to just throw myself into fights left and right, but... well, I do want to be able to hold my own against someone with enough brute force to send me flying.

Doing farm work's not a bad way to build strength, though. If you've got enough muscle, you can take that and apply it defensively pretty easily.

[He's got a nice mix of both, really. Muscle and fighting experience... to a degree.]

Hey, I think the no weapons clause is flat-out stupid. No way I'm just gonna sit still and take it.

[It takes him a few moments to respond. During that time, he takes in Sasuke's words, trying to whip up a reasonable reply. After all, Sasuke is prone to extreme pessimism and self-deprication. It's something he needs to approach cautiously.]

Have you... tried talking to her about this? Sometimes it's important to air out your feelings.

Gee, that's poetic.

[He snickers.]

But Flare's been trying to get me to do the same, so I know the feeling.

Maybe you shouldn't try to be something you're not.

Maybe you are a hitter. You act like one. But maybe you're not, and if you're not, then of course you're going to have problems because all you're really doing is pretending. That's the thing about hitters, is that it doesn't go both ways. You can be one and be a bunch of other things too, but if you're not one, you're never going to be one.

[He's quiet for a few seconds, thinking over how he wants to put it.]

You're the only one who knows about any of this from me.

Edited (I need to learn how to grammar) 2013-03-26 16:33 (UTC)

I'm not sure what you mean by 'hitter', but it's not like I'm weak. I've held my own in a three-to-one fight before and wiped the floor with them all.

I can fight just fine; I just know that there are people here with years more experience than anything I've got. I want to at least bridge some of those gaps. Get closer to their level.

See, you're doing it again.

Some people just aren't ruthless. You know? And maybe that's okay, because there should be good people and bad people, and good people shouldn't have to do bad things just to be safe from the bad people. I think that's what you meant when you said you wanted to protect people. You want to fight so some people don't have to, right?

There are some people who are made to fight. And then there are some people who think they're made to fight, or who want to fight because they think they have to. People are just...like that, some people are made for some things and just don't fit with other things even if they try really hard to do them. Or want to do them. Wanting isn't enough, sometimes.

Maybe you just need to figure out what you're made for, and be strong that way. Whether you think that's what being strong is or not.

And in protecting yourself and others. I guess Pokémon could be both a great help and threat, depending.

But if your point is less being the physically strongest, than being prepared for the unexpected, or any potential mode of attack

I would advise looking for someone to help you. Not just a mentor or trainer, but someone to work alongside, and learn with. No one can be prepared for everything, and one slip up is all it can take, in this sort of thing.

But working with others can cover blind spots and weaknesses.

Probably. He shouldn't be trying again for a while, at least.

[She hopes. What with one of his mons taking a knife to the eye and her own personal attack on him.]

Not for too long, but a slow start with this kind of thing never hurt. We probably have the time to do it properly.

you don't even need the whole package 
the strongest person i ever met was skinny as a rake and more used to sitting hunched over a keyboard than throwing a punch
it's about decisions, not muscle or skill




but i get you, i wanna be stronger too and it sure as hell feels better to be tough
what kinds of fighting do you already know about

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48 - text/action for Celadon

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