[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Lord Windos]

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..."

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..."

*Flashback, as dictated by Iron!*


If Nathan assumed his daring and cunning tactic of grabbing hold of his mealy mouth words and wielding them to spur him forward to enlightenment would blindside the monkish man instead of just accepting them, then he was absolutely correct. His smile vanished as they boldly uttered their first statement, and as they continued his expression warped into what only could be described as baffled disbelief . By the end of their motivational call to action, the rugged wanderer's mouth was hanging ever so slightly agap as he stared at the boy, instinctually gawking at the boy as he didn't know what to think of them at that precise moment.

....Well, not quite.

'.....Ven was right. Nathan can be very......insistent about stuff he cares about. Didn't think my......intelligence was one of those thing, though. *Mentally Shakes Head*....I am dumb. Stupid. Making me smarter.....much too hard. Not good.....results, for those that try. Don't understand why he wants to.....'

'....But.'

'....But if he wants to try.....I accept it. ....Don't think it will work well. *M.S.H.* ...At all. But....I will not stop him. He is very smart. Very....determined. And.....very special. Maybe.....maybe he can do it. Maybe....'

...

'Nathan....he does not have to help me. Never asked for it. Tried to stop him too, from worrying about it. .....Still, he does.'

Several long minutes passed as Terra's train of thought meandered on and off into they grey, gooey abyss that was his brain, him unerringly staring at Nathan before and after his call with Dagny (Which he didn't really pay attention to, due to being zoned out from their speech)....

...Until at last he smiled, and gave them a nod, both gestures one hundred percent genuine.

"......Okay. With your help.....learning more can be done. *Shakes head* ...Not sure if I can tutor you stuff I know well, but if you want to know.....then I will try. *Chuckles* .....Never thought it possible. For me to teach someone anything. He he....guess I can now, thanks to you, Nathan..."

At that, Anubi (Who had been frowning thoughtfully/worriedly at his partner the whole time) let out a small *sigh* of relief, and turned towards the clever trainer to give him a half smile and a grateful nod. Angie, more or less oblivous to the deeper complexities of the prior conversation, never the less sensed the up swell in her papa's spirits, and let out a happy coo as she snuggled deeper into his arms, content all was well after all.

Hmm....what a pleasant turn of events, is it not?

(...)

"Ah. Hm.....sounds......unusual, but cool. Never heard of anything like it before, too. Hm...wonder if I have a.....hidden talent with a Type like you, and can learn how to use it. *Shakes head* ...Does not matter, though. Done good job caring of partners my way, so not big deal if I have one or not. Would be nice.....but not needed. *Beat, then chuckles* Ah, yes. Genie. He....she is her own master. Acts however she like, and only does stuff she wants to do. Can't tell her to behave or do what you want, unless she likes you, or prove your worth to her. Even then.....*Shrugs* She'll listen to me well, though, since she trusts, respects, and likes me. *Waves them off* So don't worry about her....much."

*Beat*

"*Looks thoughtful* ...Still, not a bad idea being careful. Genie always finds ways to cause mischief and trouble. Or make them, if their are none. *Shakes head* She is very.....creative. *Mutters to himself* More so now, with Shiva helping her. *Sighs.....*"

Meanwhile, Angie, as she listened to the clever trainer explain what affinity was and his talent with Dragon/Draconic Pokémon in general, it slowly dawned on her WHY she felt so connected to them. A thrill raced from the tip of her tail to right between her eyes as she grasped the concepts, and quickly set her sights on the boy with even MORE speculative and keen interest now. If what he says was true....does that mean she's part Dragon in some way? Is that why she feels so.....familiar with him? Hm.....

Concerning the wyrm whisper's tip, Terra and his youngsters quickly nodded (Well, more Serenely and Gracefully in the seraph to be's case) back to them, as even if he heavily doubted his own intellectual capacity, he did not with his ability to properly care for his partners. If raising a Baby Pokémon was similar in regards to that, he could handle the responsibility with full confidence! 

....Well, once he gets all the advice he can get. Can never be too safe or thorough when it comes to children!

(...)

The mountain of a man studies the boy for a moment, before shrug non-chalantly back at them.

"Always pay attention to surrounding, and everything happening in it. Try to, anyway. Never know if a Wild Pokémon will try to Ambush you, or your someone need help...."

Before he could continue extoling on the virtues of being ever vigilant and Alert, he suddenly paused as Nathan began to elaborate on what caused his earlier state of giddiness....

...and stiffened in shock as they made the big reveal.

TM: Stealth Rocks.

TM: Stealth Rocks.

The boy happened upon one of THE holy grails of all teachable Pokemon Moves, in a Berry Bush of places.

More over, he had not just found one copy, but two.

And one of them was up for grabs.

A few seconds passed, as the martial monk stared at them....

Before he was kicked into high gear, his entire being electrified by the opportunity of the lifetime held right out in front of him. Instinctively calling upon his parent's teachings, merchant's heritage AND his hard earned Fighting Discipline, Terra's posture seamlessly shifting to one of refinement , professionality , and hunter's patience, and his eyes turn sharp and keen as an hungry Loan Sharpedo's . He then spoke, his voice a low, smooth baritone that would cause a lesser person to shiver.

"You have extra copy of Stealth Rock available? Then perhaps we can come to an arrangement for it to come into my possession. In fact, I have one you would be most interested in......"

*Flashback End....?*

Orders: Finish up the Call to Education/Child Care Scene with Nathan, and then have Terra enter into Business Mode and make the offer of 6 Shiny Dwebble Shells, TM: Thief, 2 Persim Berries, 1 Sitrus Berry, and 2 Days of Training his Pokémon in exchange for TM: Stealth Rocks! After he gets it, he'll return to his normal self immediately, happy and completely oblivious of how he briefly turn into the sort of person that wouldn't be out of place on the bad side of Wall Street. I'll let Dragonstrike fill in the blanks on how the deal is conducted from between him first speaking and him receiving it, as I think it would be more fun that way!

Finally, this post is completed at long last!!! ....Now onto the next one! Hehehe....I'm a glutton for punishment, aren't I?