(09-20-2018, 03:02 PM)Iron Wrote: "It was right there in Cress City, a dozen blocks from the man's own house. Something I find interesting is that he released no Pokemon - not while breaking in, not while cussing out the cops who arrested him. I bet I'll know within a few hours whether they found any Pokeballs on him while booking him, and their contents. You'll have to keep that knowledge secret, though, is that OK?"

(09-20-2018, 02:59 PM)PhantomUnderYourDesk Wrote: (Neat edit to Gregor Mendelcatty. Lolz!)

Huh, now that went much smoother than Shiva would have expected, but from the look of it Raphael's last Air Slash kinda did a fine job. Smilar like Cliff, she calls out for the archangel and guides him to softly land by her side, where he immediately receives a fond hug, a handful of dried berries to nom and some praise for his victory against the fierely falcon. She surely like feels like having learned something in this battle! That, and she's very relieved that neither Steel Wing has been displayed nor has the archangel suffered a horrible burn. "Very well done, Raphael... That was a good fight from your side, I liked how you first softened Talon's aggression and then made her fear you by your Air Slashes. Good job! <3 " 

With great carefulness she accepts the vile of the special pheromone, turns it a little in hands and holding it up to get a good impression of it. She's having very mixed and worried feelings still - but now also an unmistakably fascination. "Many many thanks. I... I will make sure to put it into good use! And yes, I'll take care to shelter the chosen Egg from rain. This one vile for exactly one Egg, right? And you said it takes longer for the Egg to hatch if left in the wild and protected with this pheromone, is that correct...?"

The simple thought of a cute shiny Cleffa~ waters Shiva's mouth and brings some sparkles into her eyes. She'd have great problems to abstain from hugging it if Cliff would have it with him now.

Ah... That the Egg Checker wouldn't be able to identify the species until halfway through gestation is something Shiva did not know. For certain though she has heard of Gregor Mendelcatty's theories and hypotheses on modern genetics, her father once gifted her a book about it as she got curious about that topic and seemed old enough to get it. But it was usually him who checked the Eggs with the Pokedex. She ends up blinking at Cliff in suprise upon him sharing that, curiosity now awakes. "Really....? How weird... But also quite something. I guess the same goes for more weird combinations, like trying to mate a Zangoose with a Seviper?" Why someone would want to do that, Shiva never understood.

"One that ensures rare moves... You mean a Greenleaf? Or is there one more for that? Can I....maybe even see the Shambles if you've got it with you, please? Just... just because I'm enjoying how many different Destiny Knots there are, and I never heard of that one!"

Ah, and very shyly, when it gets time to bid goodbye and move further down the path, Shiva would ask one more thing. "You're going to see Bill as well, will you? Have you visited him before, is he hospitable at all? Ah, and....uhm.... Shall we exchange numbers as well? I'd be happy to to hang out and chat more about Eggs and Breeding, maybe we can even battle again at some point!"

(09-20-2018, 03:09 PM)Dragonstrike Wrote:

(09-20-2018, 03:02 PM)Iron Wrote: "It was right there in Cress City, a dozen blocks from the man's own house. Something I find interesting is that he released no Pokemon - not while breaking in, not while cussing out the cops who arrested him. I bet I'll know within a few hours whether they found any Pokeballs on him while booking him, and their contents. You'll have to keep that knowledge secret, though, is that OK?"

"Not relying on pokemon...that sounds like a typical Scimitar thing to do, and the one who threatened me is most likely associated with the Water Scimitars in some regards...lower ranked members apparently don't even have gauntlets.  Well, another thing to look for would be items on his person.  If he has tons and tons of Potions, that might be another clue that he's the same guy.  I would have beaten that Mega-Pinsir if it hadn't had Potions used on it constantly, and the guy tried to intimidate me with the possibility that he had more pokemon and who knows how many Potions on his person.  And yes, I can keep whatever you find quiet for sure.  That's perfectly okay."

(09-20-2018, 03:11 PM)Iron Wrote: "Great, let me call you again in a few hours. Enjoy Route 12." *click*

assuming you wait

In 4.5 minutes, the door is opened by a brown-haired man in a polo shirt with an Eevee stitched over the pocket, which contains a notebook and pen.

You're looking into a rather normal room, obviously decked out for a vacationer. Comfy chairs, log walls, a big brick fireplace that looks like it's never been used. Pictures of famous individual Pokemon, like Mewtwo or Team Rocket's Meowth. Photos of famous Pokemon trainers - Red as a child, Gold as a teen, Ash at who knows what age but the appearance of a ten year old. You count no less than four PCs in the room.

"Guests? Have you come to see my Pokemon collection? Great!"

An Alakazam appears from behind a glint of light. It drops the spoons it's holding (they float where it dropped them). It gives a lazy flick of one claw. A bubbling sound begins, and a brief harsh grinding from the east wall. The house vibrates, and the northern wall drops into the floor.

An area three times the size of the living space is revealed! This is Bill's lab, and it's full of life!

One entire wall is a computer screen, attended by a Porgyon2. There are five giant potted plants containing things like Ekans, Pidgey, a Treecko, and a Cocoran. Heart even glimpses a tiny fey Pokemon peering around a stem before it disappears.

Two Eevee chase each other around the lab in hamster balls. Togepi pursues.

A Chansey is monitoring a Machoke with electrodes all over it as it happily punches a punching bag. She makes little marks on a tablet she's carrying, apparently in some sort of custom Chansey language. Farfetch'd observes. A shiny bubblegum-pink Heracross brings equipment back and forth to the scientist-Chansey.

A Rockruff is sleeping on a pet bed in the corner; a screen above its head shows an EEG line. There's a Lileep on the ceiling. Five Electrode surround a vertical cylinder, crackling with light. They clack off of each other, bouncing back and forth in a track but not exploding. They seem to be having a grand old time, but they pause and glare at the guests when you enter. Apparently, they are guarding the tube.

In short, every Pokemon contained inside is either partying or doing science or both.

"Don't go near any of these sensitive electronics, and the Electrode are a little testy, but otherwise feel free to look around, then you can tell me which Pokemon is your favorite! I purchase rare Pokemon, by the way, especially Pokemon who remind me of Johto. Alakazam will bring you any refreshment you require. And I...I'm taking a break! My poor brain hurts. No, really, it's worn out! That Laurelin, I tell ya."

(09-20-2018, 07:04 AM)Dragonstrike Wrote:

Spoiler

Gallade is out, obviously, but Nathan doesn't need Gallade's confirmation to fire back with, "I'm gonna hold you to that.  Stick around with this group long enough, and you'll be learning things from me left and right, I tell ya!  Well, stuff that I know really well, anyways, which is mostly going to be stuff related to History and general Pokemon knowledge...and I think you definitely have me beat in the Commerce and Wilderness Survival areas...but hey, maybe I can learn a thing or two as well.  We just need to ask each other the right questions.  That's what learning is, really: asking questions and finding the answers to them.  Or just gaining experience and expertise in certain areas by practicing them."  It doesn't take rocket science to figure out that Terra's been calling himself 'dumb' for a long, long time...

...but why call him out on it right now when that would most likely serve to damage things more than fix them?  Nah, Nathan will play along for now...with enough encouragement, things might improve for Terra eventually...though Nathan might need a little help to do so later down the line...time to make some secret plans...(*dun dun duuuunnnn*)

And yes, Nathan is completely serious when he says he's going to hold Terra to what he just said.  Nathan takes learning very seriously.  And what better way to encourage that growth than to actively encourage and help with guiding it?

In short, it's probably going to be a response that Terra wasn't expecting at all.

"...oh, affinity is...I guess you could say a kind of talent for something.  I actually have some ancestry that's really, really well known for having a particular talent for raising Dragon types.  In this case, it's more of the more...natural liking definition of the word, I guess you could say.  It's just...something I happen to be good at...but only because I learned about it recently and was taught how to...properly use those talents.  Before I'd learned about my ancestry, well...I had no idea how to handle Dragons so easily.  But after?  Definitely a bit easier to raise Dragon types.  More unruly ones are definitely still a challenge, but simpler ones like, say...an Altaria?  No problem.  My Snivy and Charmeleon are definitely a little more respectful than before as well, but they're not actual Dragon types, so that's about all I get from them.  Genie...I'm not really sure if she'd hear me out or not, though, to be honest...she's very...unique.  Still a Dragon, but...definitely not like most others of her Type, that's for sure..."  Do note that Nathan doesn't mention that it's noble ancestry.

As for the pokechild care...

"...well, one piece of advice I'll give you right now, then: don't doubt your abilities.  If you start doubting yourself, your pokemon will start having doubts too.  You've done a good job with Shiranui, Genie, Melly, Lovely, and Basteele, so don't doubt your ability to raise a pokemon.  Sure, they might not have been babies when you got them, but you raised them well all the same, right?  I don't think there's any need for you two to worry, Anubi and Angie.  Though if Terra does need a little help, he's got plenty of people to ask for it.  BUt yeah, Terra, tonight should be an okay time for me to give ya a lesson or two, no problem."

At Terra's comment on Nathan's rooting around in the berry bushes, Nathan blinks in surprise again!

"...wow, uh...I didn't think you'd noticed, to be honest...I'm not sure Shiva and Heart did...but, uh, I'm glad you did because that reminded me that that's one of the reasons I came over here in the first place...so, uh...yeah.  Funny story, but I seem to have a tendency of finding stuff in berry bushes...particularly Lum Berry bushes...I just had this...really, really good feeling that I'd find something in there..."

Nathan holds up what looks to be one Rock Type TM.

"And I found...this!  Stealth Rock!  Cool, right?  Well, what's cooler is...this!"

And then the 'one' TM is revealed to be 2 as Nathan reveals the second one that was behind the first.

"Two Stealth Rock TMs!  Two!  Such a rare and valuable TM, and I just found two of them lying around, hidden in a Lum Berry bush!  I can think of one pokemon I definitely want to teach it too, but I'm still considering what to do with the second one, to be honest..."

(09-20-2018, 03:40 PM)Dragonstrike Wrote:

Spoiler

Nathan just stares at his pokedex for a moment after Dagny hangs up.  "...how'd she know I was on Route 12...?"

Welp, that aside...back to Terra we go!

"Sorry about that, Terra.  Had to take that call ASAP.  Very important...so, uh...yeah, back to what we were discussing previously, I guess?  If I'm correct, it looked like you were about to say something..."

Spoiler

(09-20-2018, 10:30 PM)Iron Wrote: Morning Sun: (6)(4)(1)(6) He made it to full health.

I think the rest of Terra + Nathan can be done in flashback form.

Cliff comes along with you, but he promises to let you ask your questions first since Shiva won the battle.

Bill's House

You come to the edge of the farmette, where rolling acres meets the tarn. The waterwheel takes up one entire side of the huge house (the east). Through the windows, you can see foreboding flashes of piercing blue light. When you push the doorbell, it opens a tiny transparent sluice in the doorframe. Water pours through the tube and disappears inside the walls, then you hear a series of high pitched dings - it's the same tune that plays when you log in to Bill's PC.

A loudspeaker says "Buzz again in five minutes, please. I'm almost done."

assuming you wait

In 4.5 minutes, the door is opened by a brown-haired man in a polo shirt with an Eevee stitched over the pocket, which contains a notebook and pen.

You're looking into a rather normal room, obviously decked out for a vacationer. Comfy chairs, log walls, a big brick fireplace that looks like it's never been used. Pictures of famous individual Pokemon, like Mewtwo or Team Rocket's Meowth. Photos of famous Pokemon trainers - Red as a child, Gold as a teen, Ash at who knows what age but the appearance of a ten year old. You count no less than four PCs in the room.

"Guests? Have you come to see my Pokemon collection? Great!"

An Alakazam appears from behind a glint of light. It drops the spoons it's holding (they float where it dropped them). It gives a lazy flick of one claw. A bubbling sound begins, and a brief harsh grinding from the east wall. The house vibrates, and the northern wall drops into the floor.

An area three times the size of the living space is revealed! This is Bill's lab, and it's full of life!

One entire wall is a computer screen, attended by a Porgyon2. There are five giant potted plants containing things like Ekans, Pidgey, a Treecko, and a Cocoran. Heart even glimpses a tiny fey Pokemon peering around a stem before it disappears.

Two Eevee chase each other around the lab in hamster balls. Togepi pursues.

A Chansey is monitoring a Machoke with electrodes all over it as it happily punches a punching bag. She makes little marks on a tablet she's carrying, apparently in some sort of custom Chansey language. Farfetch'd observes. A shiny bubblegum-pink Heracross brings equipment back and forth to the scientist-Chansey.

A Rockruff is sleeping on a pet bed in the corner; a screen above its head shows an EEG line. There's a Lileep on the ceiling. Five Electrode surround a vertical cylinder, crackling with light. They clack off of each other, bouncing back and forth in a track but not exploding. They seem to be having a grand old time, but they pause and glare at the guests when you enter. Apparently, they are guarding the tube.

In short, every Pokemon contained inside is either partying or doing science or both.

"Don't go near any of these sensitive electronics, and the Electrode are a little testy, but otherwise feel free to look around, then you can tell me which Pokemon is your favorite! I purchase rare Pokemon, by the way, especially Pokemon who remind me of Johto. Alakazam will bring you any refreshment you require. And I...I'm taking a break! My poor brain hurts. No, really, it's worn out! That Laurelin, I tell ya."

(09-20-2018, 01:51 PM)PhantomUnderYourDesk Wrote:

Spoiler

(…)

Speaking of him, the antics of Anubi do bring held-back chuckle to her, in silence she enjoys how he seems to enjoy being with Terra and lets out a pleased sigh all while smiling ALMOST mischievously at him. „Neat to see that you're doing good!~“ *reaching into her belongings, rummaging a bit in them and facing Anubi before drawing something from there* „Maybe a small sweet snack will make you feel even better ? If your Master allow you, that is...“ A questioning look is thrown to Terra, if he agrees a small PirsifBerry-Cookie from her stock is given to the aural dog to munch on.



Onwards to Dunsparce then, which now that she allowed receives a few careful and warm strokes over her head. Shiva much likes the smoothness of the scales and how soft they feel so shortly after hatching, she soon witdraws her hand to not overdo it. „Thank you for the granted trust, lil' one... So 'Angie's your name? What a fine choice. I hope you'll grow into a good and strong exemplar of a Dunsparce under your new father's care...“ Though Shiva's dear smile towards the young one is soon interrupted as Terra raises his sentiments of help towards her, earning some awkward seconds of silence from her as a first reaction as she only stares at him; he managed to catch her off-guard.

Inside her though, she realizes that she does appreciate him coming to her for help on this, much actually; it's a shy feeling of 'You've come to the right person' she's non-verbally sending to him. Eventually, she looks to the ground and runs a hand through her hair in faint embarrasment. „I, well, eh... I guess I can...indeed help you a little on that? Most what I know has been...thaught to me by Dad, so it should be...fine... Hehe.“

*more awkward sieconds before she coughs and tries to look and sound competent*


„What's important is getting the...young one used to one, to start off the right foot. Trying to set stone for a fruitful bond right from the beginning, you, ehm, see...? That's mostly achieved by handling the young Pokemon lovingly and respectfully, trying to provide a feeling of safety. Making it getting used to your touch and closure, Angie seems to be...comfortable to be held in your arms. That's a good sign!“ She gifts a slight smile to Terra. „Most young Pokemon do respond well to that, some earlier and some later, depends on the species and circumstances.“

„Spending time with the young one is always good, just playing if it is up for that, being in its presence or doing things that go after the innate nature of it. Whatever...it could like, encouraging it to some quality time is rarely wrong.“

Some silence follows where Shiva faces Terra a little more as a different thougth comes to her mind. Given how capable he wandering monk is when it comes to Pokemon Fights: „Ah, battles... I, ehm, have experienced that young Pokemon are usually fine with fighting against others upon birth, against opponents that match their skill level of course. Doing some...training of its moves, especially if it inherited an egg move, at first would do both Pokemon and owner well though. Like young Pokemon playfully train with their sisters, brothers and parents in the wild, you understand...? Species that naturally try to avoid fighting or express dislike for that do need some more careful approach, but I think that... uh, Angie should be fine. Wll you, smol one?“ A last soft pat on the head is given to the landsnake.

Upon having shared all of this, Shiva falls into some comfortable silence. She's feeling simultaneously weird and okay, hopes that Terra has gotten what she told him as she gives him a short glance from below before choosing to gaze at the surroundings again. „If you're...having more questions or concerns, don't be...uhm, shy to come to me, alright? Terra...?“ That's meant honest, but rather shortly after that Cliff came towards them all, introduced himself and therefor ends up being dragged away for a friendly Pokemon Battle by Shiva, but she'll hear it if Terra has anything to add or respond to her. She just won't respond herself!