3rd Struggle [Video] Pokemon Center

[pinnedbangs]

Hey. ... You know, until this morning I thought I was still dreaming. This place is full of amazing things and so many different animals - pokémon!

[Yes, that's Rin, sitting inside of the pokemon center. If the tell-tale music wasn't enough of a giveaway, then certainly the decor was enough to tip off even the least observant of viewers. Rin doesn't seem too different than before. His hair is still unkempt, his clothes as clean as he could keep them, and even his smile was just as sunny. Despite appearances, he still looked far too tired. One could say he almost looked sad.]

I went to challenge that Falkner guy and he defeated my team pretty badly. [And there it was - that small flicker of something wrong -- ] Nurse Joy's taking care of them now. Falkner's looked so cool in flight! They were amazing! Poochy, Pidgey, and Blue did their best out there. Even before that we walked through that cave and saw so many other pokémon! I know Shi-- .. .. a friend of mine would have liked a few of them. [Rin becomes quiet for a moment. Bellsprout would be the sort of pokemon Shiemi would like, he thinks. He did look sad now, but he fought his frown with a smile.]

[Shit, he was stalling now, wasn't he? Rin shrugs his shoulders, suddenly unsure of what he wanted to ask in the first place.] ...These pokémon aren't just for fighting, are they? They're like animals. Hell, they're the closest things to animals Johto has. If I had to get a badge, why can't I fight that Falkner guy myself?

Comments

[seasaltkeys]

Pokemon are partners. Friends really. At least, that's what I think.

[pinnedbangs]

Friends and partners are almost the same to me. ...Do you battle with them?

[seasaltkeys]

Yeah, I do. They seem to like it.

[pinnedbangs]

[He has noticed that a few pokemon are energetic enough to love battling.]

What kind of Pokemon do you have? Some of mine like battles and some of them don't like it when I call them out.

[seasaltkeys]

I have a lot. I've been here a while.

Right now my team's a pikachu, luxray, arcanine, aggron, slowking and joltik.

Most of them like battles, but that's 'cause I train a lot.

video;

[ripped]

Guess they think that'd be too easy. [For him, it's not really a moral or ethical quandary; the pokemon like it, and he chalks it up to local culture. None of the humans here are trained combatants, besides possibly a few hobbyists.]

video;

[pinnedbangs]

Too easy to fight a gym leader? [He's still considering the pros and cons of challenging anyone to an actual brawl. Not that he has any illusions that he'd win it. He just wants the option to be able to fight for his pokemon when they can't.

Wait... WAIT A SECOND HE REMEMBERS THIS GUY.] You look like you get into fights all of the time!

video;

[ripped]

You talking about the bird guy? He's the size of a toothpick.

[Before he can continue, Rin's second comment draws out a snorting kind of laughter. Nero smirks, baring teeth.]

Guess I'll take that as a compliment.

video;

[pinnedbangs]

He wouldn't be much competition anyway. I mean all the gym leaders and those kids who ask for battles on the road look like they've never been in a fight. Or even an argument.

[He agrees wholeheartedly with that toothpick statement. Izumo was probably thicker than that guy! Nero's laughter puts him off guard, but he just presses forward with his questions.]

Wait, you have?

[Video]

[subtlecoruscate]

Probably because the gym leaders wouldn't appreciate being attacked by every challenger.

[Video]

[pinnedbangs]

[Hey, it's the un-gothic lolita!]

I wasn't going to attack him... [n-not that he hadn't considered the option NOPE NOT HIM]

Re: [Video]

[su6tlecoruscate]

[She has a name! Which I don't remember if she gave him]

How else were you intending to fight him?

[Video]

[pinnedbangs]

[forever a loli-model]

Well... uh... Look, I wasn't going to just pounce on him without letting him know! I-It should already be an option!

video;

[memorychains]

That's... why I thought too before. On why they had to fight for us. I didn't want my starter to fight before because she looked so weak. But even still, when it comes down to it, she ends up fighting my battles for me. Some of them want to fight for us.

video;

[pinnedbangs]

They want to... [That's an interesting point she's made. Rin considers how aggressive Poochy can be and how elated she seemed at the prospect of a battle. But - ]

Poochy does like to battle a lot, and I don't want to stop her from doing something she likes. She tends to lose more than she wins. [And he doesn't like to see her get hurt...] ...Who are you?

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[memorychains]

Oh, um, I'm sorry. Ah, my name is Namine.

... do you have any other pokemon?

video;

[pinnedbangs]

Why are you apologizing? It's not that big of a deal. ...I'm Rin Okumura. I've got three: a lapras, a pidgey, and a cyndaquil.

[video] ohi u

[shadowdive]

Not just for fighting, but several like to do it. Getting a badge is supposed to test the "bonds", the training you've done with your Pokemon.

[video] o o hiiiii

[pinnedbangs]

Bonds? ...What, are we tested on how well we get along with our pokemon? [Bro. Bro that sounds weird.]

[video] <3333

[shadowdive]

Yeah, something like that. How well you work together.

[video] -squishes-

[pinnedbangs]

...That doesn't sound bad. But why does a gym leader have to do that? What's so great about him?

[video]

[justicereigns]

You know I thought the same thing when I got here. [It's why he doesn't go after many of the badges. It doesn't strike him as sporting.]

But it's more like training troops. If they were out in the wild they'd have to fight even more, but this way they learn better techniques for it.

[video]

[pinnedbangs]

[He's glad to hear that he's had the same thought as someone else but besides that, only one thing sticks out to him.]

You've trained troops before?

[video]

[justicereigns]

Yes. I'm a marine vice admiral. Though I still prefer one on one fights.

[video]

[pinnedbangs]

Wow, a marine vice admiral... What's it like to be a marine?

[He's never met an army man. Would saluting be a good idea? Most likely]