islandshore | 24th - video/action for Olivine;

[When the feed starts up, it's upside-down, but there's a clear shot of a very angry Riku standing next to a large pile of exhausted Pokémon including a very large Charizard, Feraligatr, Nidoking, Scizor, Lucario, and a Rotom, which manages to float over to the Gear and slowly lift it up.

Riku, however, looks less than impressed.]

Get back up! You can't just sit there.

[The Pokémon groan and shift a little, but alas, they're just too exhausted to keep going.]

C'mon. You're going to keep fighting, you got that? I don't care how tired you are.

[There's a sad sounding vrrrrrm from Surge, who hovers over to Riku.]

See? If Surge can do it, so can--

[Aaaand then the Gear falls. Looks like even Surge didn't have the energy to keep going.]

Can't believe this...

[After a moment, he scoops up the Gear and shuts it off. Those in Olivine are free to see this unpleasant display. A little while after his defeat, Riku's going to be working his team incredibly hard, putting them up against each other.

Someone's a sore loser, to say the least.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If they are already at their full capacity, why are you pushing them?

Just because they can't gain any more levels doesn't mean they can't get stronger.

And how are they to do that when they can barely move? Hmn?

They just have to try harder.

[Translation: You have a point, but my pride gets in the way of accepting that point.]

Hard for your troops to try harder when they cannot stand.

[Damn you kids and your pride. ~~Get off my lawn~~]

[Darn it. This guy talking like he knows more than Riku... and probably does.

Ugh.]

So, suppose I do let them rest. That doesn't mean I won't work them hard later.

[The irony of it is that Riku probably knows a lot more about Pokemon than Ironhide. The old timer knows soldiering, though -- and combat training.]

Then allow them to rest, later. Push your squad past the breaking point too many times, you wind up with a poor team.

Fine. But I'm still not gonna go easy on them. They've got a lot of ground to cover after that match.

[At least this guy seems to know what he's talking about. Gah.]

Nothing wrong with working hard, so long as there is time to recover during training.

Guess I did get carried away. I just didn't think I'd lose. Not after winning so many battles without even trying.

You should have been better prepared.

[Consoling words from the old man? Nope. No such luck.]

When you start planning for victory, you get overconfident. Makes it easier to lose.

So you're saying I should expect defeat from the get-go and work around it?

No. Then you have a defeatist attitude. That helps nothing.

Stay in the moment. Do not plan too far ahead.

So go in without any expectations. Guess that makes sense.

Worked for me.

[There's a pause.]

... Expectations can be your downfall. You expect to trust someone... and then find out you were wrong? Ends badly.

You've got a point. Get too hyped up about something, and if it doesn't work out, it just makes things worse.

... Yeah. A lot worse.

You got experience with that?

[Riku's just guessing from his tone.]

... Maybe. Is it important?

If it's personal, I won't pry.

[He shrugs.]

Yeah. It is.

[Just a little.]

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