STATUS:
To those I RP with, I haven't dropped off of the face of the earth, just had a mental health crash but am recovering. Now to catch up on posting.
7 mos ago
Current
To those I RP with, I haven't dropped off of the face of the earth, just had a mental health crash but am recovering. Now to catch up on posting.
7
likes
7 mos ago
The worst thing about mental illness is you have to look after yourself a disgusting amount. I know it's the only way to actually be in a fit state to look out for others, but it still feels wrong.
4
likes
8 mos ago
Emeth: Then I'll be that friend who's the opposite kind of annoying, whispering "Do it, you know you want to..."
5
likes
8 mos ago
Judging by the Internet's definitions of introversion and extraversion, you'd think everyone's either an extreme hermit or a party animal with no in between.
6
likes
8 mos ago
Krystal: All part and parcel of the job.
4
likes
Bio
A frazzled British thirtysomething cat mum with something of a tea addiction.
I like a wide range of RP genres, but have two absolute favourites: Pokemon and magical girls. (If someone manages to combine the two, I'll be VERY happy!) I post fairly regularly, but sometimes shit mental health days crop up - if that causes any delays, I'll try to resume posting ASAP.
All through the morning, customers arrived and left. As Roxy had mentioned the other day, they weren't exactly the chatty type, but at least they didn't give Jess as much trouble as she'd feared - except one biker who yelled at her to "hurry the fuck up" as she leafed through the notes. Gritting her teeth from the waves of tension he gave off as he stormed from the desk after paying, Jess tried to focus on sorting the rest of the papers.
So Roxy hadn't trained her. What should it matter? She'd just have to train herself. Didn't she want to reduce the burden she put on the anchor, instead of adding to it? Thankfully, her other duties turned out less difficult than talking to customers. The computer system, like Roc had said, was pretty straightforward, and the mound of paper didn't take long to organise into neat, separate stacks. Jess hoped she'd done so to Roxy's liking. It would be easier to keep everything tidy with folders, but this was a start.
She picked up one of the stacks - only to drop it in shock at a sudden spike of fear. The man who'd just entered the building was nothing like the other customers. It wasn't just how out of place he looked here, in his expensive suit. It was the way he terrified Roxy.
As the purple-haired woman gestured for him to talk in private and followed him, Jess felt the shield grow thinner, a mix of emotions from outside starting to leak in. Her thoughts as jumbled as the papers all over the floor, the empath moved away from the desk, closer to the stairs before it could get any worse. There, she stayed. This was as near as she'd get without intruding.
This had to be the man who'd spoken to Roxy yesterday, who'd caused her that exact same feeling - but what did he want?
Even after dusk fell, the town remained just as busy as ever - well, the centre of town, anyway. From what Florence had heard about Zephyr Strip, the hustle and bustle of the shopping district contrasted sharply with the eerie quiet of the surrounding areas. The areas the group would be heading to next.
As if drawn out by all the noise, Chay emerged from his Pokeball and zipped around, staring in wonder at his new surroundings. "Eheh... Hey there." Reaching up, Florence petted the tiny, fluffy little bug, a sick feeling of worry growing in the pit of her stomach. Pokemon raised from eggs developed quickly, and Chay had already shot up in level over a matter of days, but that didn't necessarily prepare the young Pokemon for what lay ahead.
With the Cutiefly perched on her shoulder, Florence shuffled behind Ella and Leisy as they entered the brightly-lit Pokemart. While Leisy purchased a Moon Ball, the nursing graduate read the description next to an identical capsule. With the extra levels it gave Pokemon, it would be a way for her to help them grow without pushing them past their limits.
"Uh... I'll have the same please," she said to the till worker, "as well as a Revive and a Rare Candy."
As she got out her Pokedex, a thought occured to her. She took an anxious glance at Chay, who'd started buzzing around a potted plant in the corner. Cutieflies could see the auras of living things. He might be able to help track down those Pokemon... especially Grass types. But no. He was so young, so overly curious. What if something happened to him? It didn't bear thinking about, especially given the way the poachers had panicked those other Cutieflies.
Chay, who had likely sensed the sudden spike of emotion, fluttered over and settled back on her shoulder, nuzzling her. "Chay..." Once Florence had put away her new items, she took a Pokeball from her belt. "I'll be ok. It'll all be ok. But... It might be best for you to come back for now."
With a squeak of protest, Chay flew away from the Pokeball, his eyes on his trainer as he hovered. Right now, her aura appeared as thick, thorned vines, wrapping around and digging into her. The person who'd raised him from birth was suffering, and he had to help.
"No... Please listen, Chay," Florence begged, holding out the capsule and pressing the button, but the pixie just flitted to the other side of the room before the beam of light could pull him in. "You've got to come back. You've got to stay safe."
She couldn't let him get involved... but how could she let any of her Pokemon get involved?
The clock on Ella's Pokedex reminded her of the precious time ticking by as she hurriedly paid for her three new items. Once she'd done so, she crouched down, letting out her Nidoran and unwrapping two Rare Candies.
"Hey Pincushion! I got you a treat!" As the Poison type ate, Ella wished it truly was just a treat - but right now, she had to help him catch up with her other Pokemon. "And that's not the only part of it!" She held up a disc in a plastic case. "How would you like to learn a new move? Smart Strike. It's a Steel type move that never misses!"
The Nidoran's eyes gleamed as he gave a squeal of agreement. Ella grinned. "Ok then! Let's get started!" After a quick read of the instructions on the back of the case, the pink-haired trainer slotted the disc into the Pokeball. A second later, her Pokedex beeped. It had worked.
"Nido!" Pincushion proudly raised his head, his horn lighting up brilliant white as if he were preparing the move.
"Ehh, it might be best to try that out elsewhere," Ella said. "But it'll be awesome when you do!" He'd have an opportunity to use that move very soon, in a battle he was now hopefully better prepared for...
At the sound of pleading from Florence, Ella stood up. The medic held out a Pokeball, unsuccessfully urging her agitated Cutiefly to return. "Chay, try not to worry so much," the patchwork-clothed girl said, doing her best to soothe her friend's Pokemon. "We'll all make sure it's ok."
All the while, she knew the fears and doubts she hid from others must be plainly visible to the Cutiefly.
Shadows billowed through the cave as a horde of Ghost types advanced to back up the Cofagrigus. "Eheheh... I guess that's a few theories confirmed!" Amber commented, stepping further away.
The next moment, a brilliant flash of light drove away many of the would-be attackers. The ones who remained kept their distance, their once-menacing gazes now wary as one of the most utterly magnificent Pokemon Amber had ever seen towered over them and roared. "A Mega Tyranitar... Wow. An actual Mega Tyranitar," she breathed, craning her neck upwards. As the last of the ghosts fled and Rachel suggested the group should make their own hasty retreat, Amber rushed alongside the others.
"Well... On the bright side, I assume not many people get to see that many ghosts and their defense mechanisms in action, and live to tell the tale!" she said as she began to recover from the shock. "That must have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Uh, without the rather morbid other meaning. I mean, we'll have the chance to make that twice if we want! When we're much, much more experienced trainers, that is... Rachel! Look out!"
Amber watched, stunned, as instead of dodging to avoid the hurtling Minior, Rachel casually reached out with one hand and stopped it as if it weighed no more than a foam ball. "O...kay? I guess considering who your brother is, I shouldn't be surprised..." She trailed off as something else rather unexpected caught her attention. A familiar face.
"Vivie...?" Seeing her was like a twinge from an old wound. This was the last person she'd expected to meet here. After everything else had changed, hadn't the other researcher's plans? Hadn't she decided to make a fresh start in Hoenn? "Uh, Vivianne." She gave an awkward smile. "Nice to see you."
"Ahem." Vivianne turned a sharp, steely gaze towards the Rotom as it snuck towards the new boy's backpack. It spun around and drifted away from Rheese, letting out a moan, bolt-shaped appendages drooping. "Pokegears, laptops and phones are off-limits too. As are all other people's electronics." Catching a glimpse of red and blue by her side, she turned round. The Porygon Z, seemingly still rather hyper from earlier, recoiled in surprise, multicoloured squares briefly appearing all around its body. "Pixel, Shortout, that applies to both of you, and my belongings as well as everyone else's."
The research assistant faced Rheese. "I do apologise. These two rather like to find loopholes." She caught sight of another Pokemon, this time a little wild Ghost type, starting to bother Sophia. "Shortout, drive it away." Just as the Rotom prepared a Shadow Ball, the creature fled to avoid the combined efforts of the stronger ghost and Sophia's Pokemon. "Agreed," Vivianne replied to Rheese with a nod. "A place where we can study and train in peace might be better..."
Her stern eyes widened at the sound of terrified yet excited babbling echoing from further in the cave. She recognised that voice... and only one person she knew said things like that...
As the group of four emerged from the tunnel, Vivianne didn't even react to Rachel stopping the Minior with one hand. She and the travelling Rock leader had already crossed paths a few times, and she'd heard rumours that Rachel and her Tyranitar wrestled. Instead, her attention was on someone else. Someone she'd hoped she wouldn't run into, for both of their sakes.
"Amber... Hello there." The corners of her mouth quirked up into the slightest of smiles. "It's a small world, isn't it? There was a change of plan. A research opportunity."
She hoped her brief, formal explanation and neutral tone masked the guilt that welled up, guilt she'd tried to keep tamped down over the past two years. Amber still wanted to talk to her, even after that mess back then. A mess that had poisoned and withered a seemingly solid friendship. A mess that Vivianne had nobody but herself to blame for.
Sophia cringed at Rheese's words. "N-No! It's not that! I'm fine! I mean... Yeah, let's explore more caves while we're here. But... But not because this one's a problem for me! I'm telling you, it isn't!" It really didn't help that the Rotom who was meant to protecting them seemed more interested in pulling pranks than keeping guard.
Right on cue, Sophia felt the ghostly aura grow stronger as something approached. Letting out a yelp that ruined the already less than credible act, she whirled around, staring frantically from side to side as she tried to figure out exactly where it came from. The many spectral presences permeating the cave, as well as the ever-growing strain she put on herself, made doing so particularly difficult.
The next moment, something covered with a flowing black cloth burst from the shadows, grinning as its yellow-and-blue eyes glinted with mischief.
"N-Nice try!" The psychic stood tall, still attempting to save face. "But I think you'll find I'm not exactly easy to sneak up on!" The Bronzor remained in front of Sophia, protecting her with its metallic body. "Bron," it grumbled. The ragdoll-like creature simply giggled, slipping into the darkness again. As Sophia focused on the telltale presence, something moved over the cave wall. She jumped as the Pokemon's Shadow Sneak stretched out two giant hand silhouettes, which crossed into the shape of a bird, morphing at alarming speed into a winged, demonic monstrosity on the rocky surface. Reeling back, the trainer watched the image dissipate and the Pokemon reappear next to her, its laughter echoing.
"Purrrr..." came a growling noise by her feet. Grimalkin sprang up, claws outstretched - and passed right through the Ghost type. A fresh shiver of panic ran through Sophia. What level did a Purrloin have to be to learn a Dark type move? The cat ran out of the way as a jet of water from Arcturus knocked the puppet several paces back. As soon as Vivianne's Rotom joined the fray, the Shuppet slid through a wall, but Sophia could still feel it lurking.
"Heheh, good job," Sophia said - then looked over. This time it wasn't the Shuppet, or any other ghost, but shouts and hurried footsteps. The psychic shifted her focus as much as was safe. The group of people felt unharmed - as far as she could tell, anyway, given her tiredness and divided attention - but the tunnel they ran through was the one that radiated that otherworldly energy.
Four people rushed into the chamber - Amber, Aedre, Alex, and a dark-haired woman Sophia hadn't seen before. For a moment, she thought she picked up on the faintest trace of something unusual, but it was difficult to tell for sure.
Just as Sophia was about to brush it off as nothing, Rheese's Minior charged at the woman - who effortlessly blocked it with one hand. All the young psychic could do was gape at her. It was only when Amber spoke that Sophia realised who the brunette looked rather like...
Dammit, why did everyone with these abilities outshine her?
The bitterness that welled up disappeared just as fast as it had come on, leaving her completely calm. That was odd... Realisation hit, the flare of fear and annoyance it brought fading quickly. Unnaturally quickly.
She sent a thought towards the hidden being she could sense close by. So now I'm a food source, am I? She gritted her teeth as that irritation rekindled. A moment of calm would certainly be nice, if it wasn't caused by a ghostly stalker. Considering its earlier behaviour, this probably wasn't even about helping her. I bet you just love this, don't you?
Edging away, she looked back over at the group. "Are you ok?" she asked, eyes wide. "This isn't just any hangout spot for spooks. What... What exactly did you find in there?"
@Zanavy Cici's on her way to the Pokecentre (with an adorable kittycat), do you want Kelci to meet her seeing as they're both currently out and about, or do you want me to post a little more first?
@Balthazar007 Yep, those mission rewards look good. What I was worried about was that some people might be put off if they had to wait ages to be able to afford certain items, especially if, as Zarkun said, they couldn't post all that often.
Also, we now have more options for items as rewards, which will make the missions more varied.
@Balthazar007 So... About mission rewards. Because it's harder to get TP now, and many items are much more expensive, would it be possible to increase point values a little? I'm thinking a x1.5 multiplier or something along those lines.
How does that sound? It just seems like it'd be more fitting for the CP cost and the in-character effort.
"I'll, uh..." Jess took another look over the sheets of paper. "I'll talk with her about it." There was a note of reluctance in her voice, but she didn't imagine Roxy would react well if she made up a system for her, without her say. The empath had found that prices for certain jobs and vehicle components had already been written down, giving her some reference points, though she and Roxy would have to cooperate instead of working independently. Which would be far from an easy task for either of them.
"But... It shouldn't be a problem. It should be done fairly quickly." As she smiled, she knew she probably looked more strained than reassuring.
A customer shouldn't have to help her. Good customer service meant ensuring the best possible experience, not creating more problems for the client. At least this guy was being patient, but it was unlikely everyone would be.
"For now, uh, I'll make notes," she said, still trying - and undoubtedly failing - to sound positive as she jotted down the job currently being done, glancing over at Roxy every so often. Was she really helping out, or just getting in the anchor's way?
A frazzled British thirtysomething cat mum with something of a tea addiction.
I like a wide range of RP genres, but have two absolute favourites: Pokemon and magical girls. (If someone manages to combine the two, I'll be VERY happy!) I post fairly regularly, but sometimes shit mental health days crop up - if that causes any delays, I'll try to resume posting ASAP.
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">A frazzled British thirtysomething cat mum with something of a tea addiction. <br><br>I like a wide range of RP genres, but have two absolute favourites: Pokemon and magical girls. (If someone manages to combine the two, I'll be VERY happy!) I post fairly regularly, but sometimes shit mental health days crop up - if that causes any delays, I'll try to resume posting ASAP.</div>
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