Despite everything that's going on, being alive is heckin' swell.
4
likes
7 yrs ago
To the rps that I was in, thank you for welcoming me and giving me a chance to become a part of your world. All of you are wonderful and creative people who deserve the best in life. Godspeed.
5
likes
7 yrs ago
I was not... in the right place emotionally and mentally. Words cannot express how deeply sorry I am for unintentionally ghosting the rps I'm in. I'm working a lot to become a better person now.
Archie was Bravos' cheerleader throughout their whole training, which was just fighting multiple Pokémon as best as his Chespin could, but the experience his Pokémon gained was definitely more than enough to make it stronger. Not only did its level was in the double digits now, Bravos was also able to learn a new move. Now it wasn't limited to just one attacking move anymore.
Despite most of the Pokémon Bravos faced were low-levelled, that didn't mean luck would always be at its side. Its last opponent, a Yamper, managed to paralyze it with a Nuzzle and take advantage of the Spiny Nut Pokémon's status condition. Luckily enough, Bravos managed to power through and come out victorious in the end.
Once the defeated Yamper scurried away, Archie ran and approached his partner. "You were so awesome, Bravos! You were like, 'Hah!', 'Yah!', and 'Rah!'! I always knew you could do it!" He excitedly said while doing action poses. Meanwhile, his Chespin laid on the ground, teary eyed in a comical way as yellow sparks would sometimes appear on its body causing it to jerk.
"Che-Che-Ches-PIIIN!" It would weakly say before getting jolted by its lingering paralysis. Despite its weakened state, Bravos could still manage to give its Trainer a weak smile. Archie's wide smile faltered, the gravity of his partner's situation just settling in on him. He picked up his Chespin and held it like a baby in his arms.
"Thank you, buddy. You've done more than enough. Let's find you some place you can rest in, yeah?" He said in a calmer tone. The easier thing he could do was to bring Bravos back in his Pokéball but he saw how much effort his partner poured in to those fights despite it being meek and easily scared. Its time to put in his own effort too.
"Okay, let's see here... Hm, doesn't look like there are any Centers..." Archie looked around and indeed, there wasn't any Pokémon Centers nearby. He could go back to Grand Glory City but it would be such a waste of time and he wanted his Chespin to feel better ASAP. He then turned his sights to the farms nearby and wondered if they could do anything about their situation.
"Welp, it's worth a shot. Let's go, Buddy!" He's now carrying Bravos on his back as he walked towards the farms and ranches, hoping someone would help them.
[Go to the ranches/farms and interact with whoever's there]
"Oh wow..." Archie said, looking in awe at the amount of open area, grass, trees, people, and Pokémon milling about. He lived in cities most of his life so he was also surprised when he could breathe in the rich, cool air. He's also surprised by the huge amount of activity going on in Route 1 even when they're outside the citiy. He always thought those that lived in countrysides or near nature were laid-back, but apparently not!
"Don't worry, Audrey! Me and Bravos are gonna be fine. We'll take a look around a bit and then decide on what we're gonna do. We'll be waiting for you to catch your Pokémon too so take your time!" The green-haired lad excitedly waved at her as she went to look for a mon to catch while he happily skipped along the route.
"First thing's first. Come on out, Bravos!" He threw the Pokéball up in the air and let his Chespin out so it could look around the area as well. The Chespin looked around in wonder too, though it's obviously feeling a little skittish seeing Trainers and other Pokémon.
"Ches?" "I was wondering what you'd wanna do, Bravos. Let's see... There are farms, ranches, wild Pokémon... It also looks like those Trainers over there are doing something fun! Then there's the woods..." Archie didn't continue to speak when he and Bravos looked at the woods' direction. They could sense something really weird about it even from where they were standing. Judging from the way the Trainers and even the Pokémon steer clear away from it, it must be one really spooky forest.
"Che-Chespin..." Bravos gulped nervously, grabbing Archie's leg as it looked at the woods then at its Trainer. They only met today but Bravos could already tell its Trainer had a knack for finding 'adventure' in the most unlikely of places.
Archie looked at his Chespin and gave it a reassuring smile and pats on the head. "Don't ya worry, Bravos. I want us to be strong enough first before we go to the woods. I know we can choose not to go there, but what if there's someone trapped and couldn't get out? Maybe someone in there needs our help and as future heroes, it's our duty to face our fears and save the day."
He hunched over so he's face was at the same level as Bravos. "Whaddya say we go and train first? We can help people better if we get stronger. You with me?" He grinned brightly and presented his fist to his partner Pokémon. His Chespin was a little nervous at first but it remembered their first battle, how Archie had complete faith for it despite it being so meek and cowardly.
Bravos breathed in deeply and smiled back at its Trainer with firm resolution while bumping its paw at his fist. "Chespin, Ches!"
"Dreams are heavy..." Archie repeated, taking those words to heart. It was true that his dream of becoming a hero like Adriane seemed a little far-fetched at the moment, but that didn't deter him from being so stoked about his future. If anything, it gave him more courage to pursue the path ahead of him, now knowing that he could eventually achieve his main goal by completing small goals along the way.
After taking almost a hundred selfies with Basil, Archie also took a quick selfie with his Darmanitan while it still carried the unconscious thief (even Bravos was too which, Archie wasn't going to lie, was a little funny) before Archie and Audrey waved good-bye to the Elite Four member.
Audrey then lead them towards the Pokémon Center which was filled with all kinds of people just chilling with their Pokémon. It was so wonderful to watch, humans and Pokémon living together in harmony. It made Archie's dream of being a hero more resolute. Like Adriane, he wanted to help protect the happiness of everyone.
As Nurse Joy returned their Pokémon to them, Audrey suggested- well, basically she chose their next destination for them. "Finally we're out of the city! I know it's only been a couple hours but it felt like weeks!" Archie excitedly said as he followed Audrey. His Rotom phone hovered beside him to show a map as they made their way out of Grand Glory. The map showed Route 1 connecting the city to something called-
"Illusive Woods? Sounds ominous... Let's check that out after we explore Route 1!"
"Chespin, Ches!" Bravos came out of its Pokéball as it didn't want to worry Archie too much. While it's still not fit to be in a battle, Bravos wanted to reassure its Trainer that it rested well enough to be able to walk alongside them.
The Grass starter Pokémon looked around in confusion, wondering why they stopped somewhere. That's when it noticed that its Trainer, Audrey, and Rift were talking to the old woman who's stuff was stolen, along with the stranger who helped them carry the thief.
Speaking of carry, Bravos slowly looked up at the Pokémon carrying the thief who was now looking down at it with a wide, toothy grin. "Che-Che-Che-Chespin!" It quickly jumped behind Archie's leg, its body quivering in fear as it looked nervously at the Darmanitan.
As for Archie, he could feel the gears in his mind clicking together. He hadn't really put too much thought into it since he was still basking in the afterglow of winning his first battle but upon closer inspection, the guy did seem really familiar. It wasn't until he said his name was Basil that everything fell into place.
"Oh!" Archie dropped his fist in his other palm as he remembered Basil. "You're part of the Elite Four, just beneath Miss Adriane. That means I have to work hard to beat you and be on her level!" He said, his eyes shining with newly realized purpose.
When Audrey shrieked and fangirled, Bravos yelped loudly in response too. Archie laughed and carried his Chespin under his armpits. "My name's Archie and I'm gonna be a hero just like Miss Adriane! This is my partner, Bravos, and we're gonna train lots to beat the Elite Four and be a hero-champion like her someday. Say hi, Bravos!" He proudly said with a wide, toothy grin, stretching his arms out to show Bravos to Cecil and Basil.
"Ch-Ch-Chesss...?" Bravos uttered in confusion before passing out from pure shock and fear, its soul escaping from its open mouth for comical purposes. It probably fainted after realizing its Trainer practically introduced themselves as potential rivals to an Elite Four member. The poor Chespin simply couldn't catch a break.
"Reaaaally?" Archie's eyes were practically glittering with awe from what the man said. "I got promise... I'll make sure to live up to that! I can't wait to see the look on Adriane's face when I become a hero like her too!" He excitedly said as they made their way out of the alleyway and back to the streets.
They met the old lady soon after. Archie beamed and bashfully scratched the back of his head once she complimented him and Audrey for bringing her purse back. She also gave them a Nugget, a shiny golden orb. The theatre group his parents belonged to used to make lots of fake Nuggets made of painted plastic balls as props so he was quite surprised to find out this one had some heft to it.
"T-Thank you, ma'am! We're just doing our best!" Archie beamed. While it's true that it felt nice being rewarded with physical means for doing good, nothing would beat the comforting prideful warmth Archie felt in his chest just seeing the old lady smile with gratitude after helping her. It never really occured to him that a hero would be rewarded for their good deeds, he just wanted to be a hero to inspire and help other people.
While he was thinking about that, the man they're with released his Darmanitan to help carry the thief. "Woah, you're a big guy!" Archie said in amazement as his and Audrey's Pokédexes flew out and scanned the Fire-type Pokémon.
When the guy named Basil asked his question, Archie also turned to him like Audrey. "How do you know the professor? Also why does your name sound familiar? Have we met before?"
Once Archie saw the thief lying unconscious on the ground and his defeated Cacnea go back to its Pokéball, his eyes widened and he pumped his fist in the air. "Awesome! Bravo! You guys are so incredible!" He ran towards Bravos and hugged him tightly while spinning around. His Pokédex chimed to inform him and Audrey that their Pokémon levelled up and they got a bit of money from the battle.
At that moment, Archie was more focused on his partner winning its first ever battle.
"Chespin! Chespin! Ches!" The Grass-type Pokémon called back in happiness. It was tired and in pain from all the damage it took, but it was still strong enough to greet its Trainer with a bright smile. "No worries, Bravos. Me and Audrey will take you two to a Pokémon Center to treat you properly. For now, you can rest up in your ball yeah?"
"Ches, Ches!" It nodded in understanding and happiness as it returned to its ball. Archie then turned to Audrey and ran up to her, practically bouncing in place from all the excitement and adrenaline rushing through his veins. "Audrey and Rift, you guys are awesome too! I'm glad that worked out somehow, I was thinking it would be too crazy of a plan!" He said, cheerfully giggling as he sheepishly scratched his head.
Just then, there was a man shouting and approaching them. He looked oddly familiar especially with all the tattoos on his arms and neck. Before Archie could fully think about where he'd recognize the man, he walked over to the thief and took out the purse he stole from the old lady.
"Oh uh, t-thank you!" Archie said as he took the purse. He was still a little apprehensive about the guy, even thinking that he might be another thief. His eyes widened in surprise when the tattooed guy lifted the thief over his shoulders like a sack and opted to go with them to return the stolen purse.
Thieves wouldn't usually help return the stuff they stole, so the guy offering a hand to them must've meant he was a genuinely good person. "Thank you, mister! How did you get so strong? Do you work out with Machokes?" Archie would curiously ask the tattooed stranger as they would return the purse together.
"Yahoo! You guys are so awesome! Archie cheered as the Hippopotas was finally defeated, leaving Bravos and Rift to level up and get stronger. The battle's not over though; even when the Hippopotas fainted, the Sandstorm was still raging on and their Pokémon will only keep getting chip damage the longer the battle kept going. Cacnea's Sandveil was also making it impossible to land a decent hit on it.
"Let's keep going, Bravos!" "Ches! Bravos called out in agreement, feeling pride in itself for defeating an opponent's Pokémon for the first time with the help of Rift. Still, the Spiny Nut Pokémon grunted when it got chip damage from the Sandstorm.
"Chespin!" Bravos yelled in pain when it got hit by the Cacnea's Poison Sting. It's super effective!
"No!" Archie looked in fear at the situation they were in. Thankfully, Bravos wasn't poisoned by the attack but it still dealt super effective damage. Rift managed to land a clean hit but with Cacnea's ability to have a chance of evading their attacks plus the Sandstorm, the thief could still turn this back around if he played his cards right.
Archie gritted his teeth. What should he do? Bravos' only attacking move was Vine Whip which would deal not-effective damage on another Grass type. It was too late for a Growl. Its only move left was Wide Guard.
In order to win this battle, they had to be creative and think outside the box. Perhaps something... crazy?
"Bravos, listen to me!" He called out to his Chespin who looked back at him while pressing its paw on the part of its body where the Poison Sting hit. Archie hated seeing his Chespin like this but he had to do something quick. "Use Wide Guard and push it against the Cacnea!"
"Ches?" Bravos looked at him in confusion but seeing the determination in its Trainer's eyes made it believe in itself too. "Chespin, Ches!" It nodded in understanding and quickly jumped in front of Rift, taking the damage of Absorb for its teammate instead. It thankfully dealt non-effective damage.
Bravos then held its paws in front of him and a huge wall of yellow hexagons formed in front of him as wide as the alleyway they're in. "Ches... Pin! It started to push forwards, scooping up the sand in the process until the Wide Guard made contact with Cacnea.
Bravos grunted in effort, pushing back against the sand and the Cacnea who's surely not backing down without a fight. "You can do it, Bravos! Fighting!" Archie called out in support of his Chespin. Despite all the damage it received, it's still holding on strong, but for how long?
Serena tried not to show it through her warm, comforting smiles, but she was still creeped out by the vision she saw. It's bad enough that her father clearly had no love nor did he care for her and her mom, but to think that a malevolent pressence was behind his addiction to his vices was making her sick to her stomach.
Seeing that demonic spirit was appalling. Whoever or whatever being that showed her that really knew how to make a lasting impact on someone like Serena, attacking her belief to question her own faith. If only it was possible to use her own powers on her, she wouldn't be feeling like this anymore. Still, she knew she had to be strong to face the challenges that might come their way.
She took in a deep breath and listened to Cian explain the plan. He said their powers were going to come in handy sometime soon, and Serena was dreading about having to use her powers again. Not because it was tiring, but because of the speculation that one or more of them might get hurt or worse. What they saw today was only the beginning. What kind of horrors were they going to witness next?
"Y-Yeah, I mean..." Serena cleared her throat and steadied her breathing. "I'm not expected 'til dinner time anyway, plus what we saw basically confirmed our suspicions that something wasn't right. Better to learn as much as we could now so we could end this sooner before anyone else gets hurt." She better explained.
She waited with the others before walking to the place where Grace's cafe was. Now that there was truly something wicked going on in their town, Serena was anxious as they walked. Every shadow looked like an opportunity for a demon to jump through and attack them. She even found herself looking back every few minutes because of the anxiety that someone, or something, was watching them.
'Oh God, please protect us...' She thought to herself, clutching her rosary as she prayed silently until they found their way to the place Grace's Grotto was supposedly. It's so eerie how something as big as a cafe and its owner would just suddenly disappear and leave no trace of it behind. She wondered if her stepfather and the others at the church could even describe the phenomenon happening to the Grotto, to the town, to Serena, and to others like her.
"Um... Okay..." Serena nervously said, anxiously looking at their surroundings before focusing on their task. "Is there a way for us to get inside? I think we can find more things there than out here. Maybe... Maybe Grace left us a clue inside?" She further said in a hopeful tone. She knew it was a longshot and impossible, but far more impossible things had happened. At this point, they could really use a miracle.