StarfrostedFox

Pokémon: Battles of the ascendant League

With each reaction Liam gave, another chip of Maeve's own armor fell away, another tight muscle relaxed. He was so... comfortable with his life, so sure of who he was and what he thought, she couldn't help but feel a small stirring of envy. With a blink, she just managed to avoid getting completely stuck in that line of thinking. Liam was pleasant and kind, but most people would be when meeting a stranger. And although the positive quality shon through, she didn't know all the ins and outs of what made him him. There was no place for jealousy. She hoped she could remind herself of that.

The smile she gave to him after a moment was warmer than she had done up until that point though. He had been kind to her Pokémon after all, especially Bridget. And her experience thus far with most people was that they had been annoyed by Bridget to some degree or another. He had simply been happy. It was... refreshing.

Seeing Atlas give Liam a nod and the ghost of a smile, Maeve felt comfortable turning her gaze towards Whisper, especially when Bridget slipped one of her front paws into her hand and contentedly leaned against her leg.

Whisper had smiled encouragingly, rather outwardly happy to be shown trust so quickly. The fox like Pokémon didn't inspire trust often with her antics, but that was beside the point. Reaching up, she stuck her paw into her thick mane, rummaged around for a moment, and then withdrew what was unmistakably a small Clefairy doll. Where she had gotten it and how it had stayed concealed for so long was yet to be determined, but she politely offered it to Boo, making the little floppy arms wiggle.

Bridget was delighted by the surprise, crooning over the cute toy, but the sound was interrupted by an unexpectedly huge yawn from the Ampharos. Apparently, all the recent excitement and exploration had completely worn her out.

"It looks like a few of my Pokémon are ready for some quiet time in their balls, but would you mind finishing the walk first," Maeve asked. "After everything you said about appreciating the journey, it seems only fair that I make an honest attempt at it." Her smile lingered. "Then we can head into Jubilife together. We’re both curious, and from the sound of it, neither of us knows much more then the other."

Bridget Yawned once more and Maeve let out a small laugh.

"all right Bridge, I got your point," she chuckled, retrieving a yellow and black pokéball from her belt and pressing the button on the sphere. The Ampharos gave Liam one last grin and wave before her body was engulfed in a glowing red and she was returned.

Maeve jumped slightly as a second pokéball was activated at her back and she glanced behind her just in time to see Harbor returning himself with a gentle smile. She wished she could figure out how he kept doing that... Tempest met her gaze with a shrug, still looking slightly annoyed, before he too tipped his head towards his own ball, and the fiery bird disappeared as well with her help.

...

The gentleman listened without interruption, his smile widening by the smallest of margins as Tide introduced his philosophy. His attention wandered naturally from one Pokémon to the next, lingering just long enough to appreciate each of their individual temperaments without ever staring.

"Hmm."

It was a thoughtful hum more than a response.

"A trainer who keeps his partners close enough to forget they’re carrying PokéBalls." His eyes crinkled pleasantly. "That tells me rather a great deal before you’ve said another word."

Chatot hopped once atop the brim of his hat, mimicking the hum. "Hmm."

The gentleman chuckled softly. "It is a rare thing to see such trust. Not unheard of, of course, but rare."
His gaze settled briefly on Mightyena, watching the Dark-type linger behind Tide while never quite taking its eyes off him. Rather than meeting the Pokémon’s anxious stare, the gentleman deliberately looked elsewhere, granting it the courtesy of not feeling cornered.

"And rarer still," he continued quietly, "to earn the trust of those who struggle to give it."

Then came the unmistakable scrape of claws against stone. His eyes drifted toward Altaria. The Dragon-type’s posture spoke volumes, and Chatot noticed a heartbeat later. The little bird puffed itself up instinctively before emitting an indignant trill.

"Oh?" The gentleman raised a gloved finger. Chatot immediately settled, though it continued watching Altaria from the corner of one eye.

"It seems your Altaria has decided my poor companion is an acceptable target."

"Brave," Chatot announced proudly.

"Perhaps a touch overconfident," the gentleman corrected with an amused smile. "Though I appreciate the sentiment."

He looked back to Altaria, giving the Dragon-type a respectful nod.

"I’ve no doubt she’d make good on the challenge if given the opportunity. She has conviction, and conviction wins more battles than many realize." He paused. "...Though I suspect she would find considerably less enjoyment in meeting the rest of my partners." There was no arrogance in the statement—only calm certainty born of long experience.

"Chatot has long since retired from serious battling. The others..." His smile became knowingly wistful. "Well, they have not."

He took another spoonful of ice cream before continuing.

"One reaches a certain age where one either stops training Pokémon or spends a lifetime surrounded by exceptional ones. I confess I chose the latter."

The gentleman regarded Tide with warm eyes. "It is, in fact, one of the reasons I accepted a position on this year’s Ascendant League Committee."

He let the words hang for a moment, almost as though he’d forgotten they might carry any significance.

"I am Sir Henry Morgan." He inclined his head politely, introducing himself no differently than any ordinary traveler. "I’ve had the privilege of helping oversee the tournament’s organization. We spend quite a lot of time evaluating prospective trainers before they ever step onto the field." His smile softened. "Though I must admit, I much prefer meeting them like this."

Chatot gave a cheerful whistle. "Before the battles!"

"Quite right," Sir Henry agreed. "Battles reveal strength. Conversations reveal character. The League needs both."

His eyes flicked once more to Tide’s assembled Pokémon. "And from what I’ve seen today... I believe your team possesses the latter in abundance."

Pokémon: Battles of the ascendant League

@Birdboy You're welcome to start working on your post. Azure is aware of his turn and he can take the time he needs. No worries.

Between Lessons & Lies

Ronan remained exactly where he had placed himself near the back of the room, hands loosely clasped behind his back, his posture relaxed enough to avoid looking intimidating while still allowing him an unobstructed view of every desk, every window, and the hallway beyond the classroom door whenever it opened. His gaze swept over the children with practiced rhythm, cataloguing faces without lingering long enough to make any of them uncomfortable. The chorus of teasing earned only a slow blink.

"Is he your boyfriend?"

It took him an embarrassingly long moment to realize they were talking about him. His eyes shifted briefly toward Giselle as she answered for them both before returning to the room. He offered no explanation of his own, nor did he attempt to acknowledge the curious stares directed his way. The attention sat awkwardly on his shoulders, and he had neither the desire nor the experience to respond to it.

A few snickers lingered before notebooks and pencils began appearing from backpacks with the familiar clatter of binders and desk lids. Ronan found himself quietly grateful that the moment had passed without further incident.

Children were... uncomplicated. They said exactly what they were thinking. Adults rarely afforded him that luxury.

As Giselle began her lesson, he subtly shifted his weight, careful not to draw attention away from her. His eyes drifted across the room once more, lingering briefly on the windows before returning to the students. Thirty-one people, if he counted Giselle. Every backpack beside a desk. Every pair of hands. Every face. A habit, one he couldn’t stop even if he wanted to.

His attention paused briefly on the boy near the back—the same one Giselle had helped earlier. Kyle, if he’d remembered correctly. The boy stole another curious glance toward him before hastily looking back down at his notebook when their eyes nearly met. Ronan looked away first.
Good. He preferred it that way.

The room settled into the comfortable rhythm of a classroom once more: pencils scratching across paper, pages turning, the occasional whisper before being silenced by a glance from Giselle. It was… peaceful. Unexpectedly so. He found himself watching her more than the students now—not as an admirer, but as someone studying routine. She moved naturally between desks, pausing beside one student to answer a question before crossing to another without hesitation. There was confidence in the way she taught, a quiet patience that hadn’t been there when she’d been standing in the principal’s office with her father. It struck him that this was where she belonged. Not campaign dinners. Not surrounded by men in suits. Here.

His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.

The thought was inconvenient. Without consciously meaning to, his gaze drifted toward the classroom door. Still closed. The hallway beyond remained quiet. Good. For now, at least, the only danger in the room seemed to be thirty curious fifth-graders far more interested in the stranger standing at the back of their classroom than the lesson in front of them. Ronan ignored the occasional sideways glance in his direction, content to remain exactly what he preferred to be.

Background.

Pokémon: Battles of the ascendant League

I do! It's super neglected. I really should play an older game just for the nostalgia. Who are you running with in Ultra Moon? I don't remember who I had in my ultra version, but I remember having Primarina, Mudsdayle, Lycanrock, and Salazzle in Sun. I can't quite remember the other two and I'm probably spelling things wrong, but I'm too lazy to go look up the names at the moment. Haha! Orocorio might have been one of the other ones, but I know I had a fire version that I liked and I usually don't overlap types when doing a play through. Decidueye? Ribbonbee was that generation, right? I think I tried using one of those. Yeesh, it's been too long.

Pokémon: Battles of the ascendant League

@Azure Bubbles Togekiss is adorable! I had one that I used at one point that I got from my husband. Their cry is one of my favorites.

I personally like that they have leaned into cute with fairy type Pokémon. It suits the typing. And the idea of an adorable Pokémon facing down a tough dragon and not breaking a sweat makes me laugh.

Charizard is alright with me personally. As a kid, I liked the idea of having a dragon. I think that's what made him so attractive to a lot of people. And like Frostecs has mentioned, Dragonite has an... unfortunate final evolution. I was genuinely upset when I found out about this. But there are a few designs that feel disconnected when you get to the final stage of some Pokémon.

@Birdboy It was more of an in general question, but it's sparked conversation, which was part of the point. :3

Primeape scared me when I was younger, but I feel a little more neutral towards him now. I've never genuinely used one before. I just got leaf green on my switch, maybe I'll give him a chance. Oddish is adorable though.

Kitsi is adorable! Well done Frostecs! I'm glad Bridget can make you smile. She's one that surprised me when she wriggled her way onto the team. Originally, I was thinking of using Pokémon that would be more suited to an analytical trainer. Some of Maeve's alternate Pokémon lean heavily into this, but similar to@Lord Frostecs, I couldn't help but insert my personality into her team. That's part of the fun of it though. I don't think I would've enjoyed playing a character as much if I didn't enjoy her Pokémon.

I enjoy a wide range of Pokémon myself, but I haven't truly seen a Pokémon since the release of diamond and pearl, I went blind before the next release, but I've played through the games up until Scarlet and Violet. I don't know about designs, but I know that descriptions of different Pokémon sound nice. And I've used a wide variety despite not being able to see them very well. We all have our own opinions though. There are things that I like that other people might not. I know there are definitely art styles I enjoyed more than others back when I could see. I have no idea about the last two Pokémon mentioned. Were those in Scarlet and Violet? I started the game recently, but it's difficult to navigate with the open world. I am planning on trying to sit down right next to my husband and play a little more. We'll see.

@Aisede I edited my post so that an NPC was talking to Tide, I hope that's OK. I really enjoyed your description of a contest. I remember doing those back in diamond and pearl and enjoying it, even if I didn't understand completely what I was doing at the time. Thinking back to diamond, it makes me want to go work on getting my team sorted out in brilliant diamond. I got distracted and didn't make much progress beyond beating the second gym. Oops. Do you still play the older Pokémon games? My 3DS still functions, even if the SD card decided to corrupt itself. I've had the idea of going back and playing through black-and-white again, I really enjoyed those.

Wellspring Tavern: The Lich War

@lostandfoundme Sounds great! I will send you a PM very soon!

Pokémon: Battles of the ascendant League

Thank you both! It's been fun. Maybe I'll have to try Gyaridos as I play through Sword. If I get back around to it. I got on my copy of Shield and started getting sucked back into trying to complete my Pokédex. My 3DS bit the dust and so we saved all my old Pokémon that had been transferred over the years onto my husband's switch and it's been a slow process to take moments to trade over a handful of Pokémon at a time.

Rambling over. I think I'm just happy to have fellow Pokémon fans to be able to talk to. Thanks everyone!

Question: who is everyone's favorite Pokémon? Or group of Pokémon? It can be hard to pick just one.

Wellspring Tavern: The Lich War

@lostandfoundme If you want, we can work on a post together that gets us through the evening through a p.m. or something. And then you can post it altogether. That way, we can get our characters caught up. Or I can work a time skip into my post. Which would you rather?

@Blue Wolf Theron being unexpectedly made a mentor made me laugh. I like the idea. And she'll probably be obsessed with his candy as well. He kind of put himself in that trap right there.

Wellspring Tavern: The Lich War

@lostandfoundme Aw! Thank you so much! That's so sweet of you! ^///^

Wellspring Tavern: The Lich War

Well. He had gestured for the goblin and somehow ended up with... a child. Theron blinked several times after the young girl settled into place, expecting her to start up a conversation, but she merely sat in silence. From the set of her shoulders, she looked tired or nervous. Perhaps it was a little of both.

Glancing towards the last place he had seen the goblin again, he saw that the little creature had not noticed him, but was occupied by talking to someone behind the counter. As he was tempted to sigh, a small face came into his line of vision and he almost shouted with surprise again. Luckily, he managed to keep it to a jump, though he did nearly drop his book once more. The fae was shockingly here, only inches from him. He was simultaneously excited and nervous about her proximity.

Luckily for him, while he was opening and closing his mouth, trying to decide what to say to even begin handling the unlikely situation he found himself in, Cinta returned to his table. The tavern made had a surprised expression on her own face, lifting her eyebrows at the wizard, but didn't hesitate as she put down a few plates with a fresh loaf of bread, several honey cakes, and some sliced apples. After a moment, Cinta reached into her pocket and withdrew a small pouch of sugared violets that she put down in front of Nyx, clearly having been tipped off about the child that had been purchasing sweets earlier. She gave them all a smile and a wave, before walking away.

"don't forget to eat Theron."

The half elf did sigh this time, though he kept it quiet. He had certainly earned himself a reputation already. But the sugared violets had given him an idea at least. Reaching for his staff, he gripped the carved wood in one hand and made a gesture with the other, several small slightly glowing white spheres appearing in his cupped hand that he put down on the table.

"My mother used to make me these when I was younger. She's one of the elves of the Silverwood. They make these moonflower drops from star flowers, sugar, and magic."

Theron quietly questioned the wisdom of giving a child he didn't know candy, but brushed the idea away. The drops were infused with a calming essence, so they shouldn't rile her up too much. Although he supposed if her parents came looking for her, he'd have a thing or two to explain.

He tried out a small smile before his gaze drifted back towards the fae, looking at her much more closely now. He felt a small stirring of uneasiness, but she couldn't be all bad if she was out among mortals, right? Those fangs though...

"He-hello. Might I, uh... might I ask you what type of fae you are? Why are you so far from your domain? What sort of magic do you have an affinity with? What..."

With a great effort, Theron stopped his flow of questions, though the effort made his hands fidget. They continued for a moment, setting down his staff, rummaging through his pockets, before settling on folding together. He cleared his throat and tried again.

"S-sorry. I just never thought I'd have an opportunity to meet a fae before. I should have started with, hello, my name is Theron. What might you both be called?"

Without consciously realizing it, his hands had started fidgeting again, absently tapping at the table and each other.