[Game Thread] Pokerole: Mount Coronet Mystery

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

Lucas keeps it brief and to the point.  "Well, for starters, I can probably count the number of people who could probably reliably beat one of my pokemon on two hands.  So that definitely caught my attention, regardless of what others make of the situation.  And second, this might sound a little strange, but I saw potential in you and your pokemon.  I like to think I know a strong, reliable trainer when I see one."

"Oh, and I heard about some of those strange occurrences at Stark Mountain, too.  Had a gut feeling they might be connected, and I knew you'd been poking around there recently.  Buck gave me an update on what's been happening there when I checked in."

He pauses, sighs, and continues.  "Let me make one thing clear: before we visited Snowpoint Temple, Rowan, myself, and the League had no idea what the full extent of these dangers were.  Heck, even after the Temple, I still don't know.  If it had just been my decision at that point, I would have pulled all of you aside, thanked you for your help, and dealt with the issue myself if necessary.  But..."

He sighs again, then cracks a small smile.  "...I trust the Lake Trio's judgement, and they trusted you guys with a Red Chain.  They showed similar faith in me 8 years ago, in fact, though not in the same way.  Regardless, if they think we can do it, then we can.  Besides, seeing the sheer number of ridiculously powerful pokemon around, I think even I would be struggling if I had been traveling by myself.  So, thank you for your help, Randolph.  With everyone here working together, I'm confident we'll come out on top of this crisis, whatever it may be."

(As a reminder: whenever you're ready to move on to floor 3, Windos, we started Day 6, so I need you to do abilities and stuff before I can progress things)

The dwarven craftsman's face turned a bit sour when they did started to feed him lines about his prowess, but it smoothed out almost immediately when they mentioned his potential , and it grew pensive as they brought up his trips to Mt. Stark. His eyebrows were raised as they revealed how out of depth everyone in charge of handling this crises was and still is to an extent, and his stern but tired expression became bit shaken as they declared the Pixie's and their own faith and confidence in him. It was their gratitude to him that provoked the biggest reaction out of Randolph, as he looked more confused than ever upon receiving it , and underneath that.....frustrated?

For a short time, Ran said nothing after Lucas finished his explanations and justifications for their actions, looking so mixed up by it all. So old and lost. He did speak eventually, though, after slowly shaking his head to himself.

"....I understand ya, lad. Even if I can't begin to understand you. What you or the Pixies see in a man like myself I have no earthly clue, but whatever it is must be special or worthwhile enough to put up with me. *Sighs*.....But when has any of that kind of stuff that stopped me from working or getting along with others?" 
Randolph looked to the ceiling, his eyes searching the ceiling for answers that always seemed to elude him.

"...You know, I only became a Trainer a few years ago. Which was a funny thing for me, 'cause for most of my life, I didn't get along with most people, and had zero interest in Pokemon. Hell, I hated them critters for many years. Refused to work with them or have'm in my place of business, and hardly tolerated their lot when I had to. But as I got older, I found myself less....satisfied with the life I've made. Meanwhile, my old friends who owned Pokemon was hardly unhappy with how thing have went with them, and seemed....content with everything they have. As I realized that, I started to pay more attention to the younger generation of Trainers. *Snorts* Found a whole lot of fools and brats like I expected....but I also saw the same exact thing they had with their Pokemon, if rougher and less nuanced. "

"So based on these results, I decided to run a little experiment. Started letting Pokemon in my life for the first time.....ever, by putting up with others more than I ever did before. Tried to see if I could get the same feeling everyone else had for them beasts. And....it seemed to work a bit. Wasn't as much of a grumpy arse as I used to be, and things seemed....better for me and my relations with others. But for the life of me, I couldn't understand why. Couldn't understand why that was, or how people got along so well with their Pokemon. None of the idea I could come up with to explain that fit right to me. So after a long time of fruitless deliberating and some other deliberations.....I decided to take my experiment a step further. I'd become a damn Trainer myself, and get some first hand experience on what makes Pokemon so special and beneficial to people, beyond the labor or services they provide."

Now the bristly blacksmith looked down to his hands, and to the Pokeballs of all kinds hanging off his belt.

"In beginning, the whole Trainer experience was a disaster. 'Side from my Sableye Diam - who'd been hanging out and mooching off me for years while I mined Iron Island, long enough to form....some kind of bond between us - my Chatot Beethoven - who hit it off well with me - and my Mawile Puck - who I hadn't had any history with, but acted so much like Diam I knew how to get along with them anyway - no Pokemon I obtained got along with me, or vice versa, so I kept having to trade them away to get something out of them. It was just me and those three for the longest time.....until I meet you."

He looked to Lucas then, his expression still worn out, but a new investigative gleem was in his eyes now.

"After my battle against Sally and seeing how....causally ya handled her and that undine of yours, I decided to go look up any video I could of you battling with others or commanding your Pokemon. Wanted to figure out what you were doing to get such an ornery and cantakerous woman like Sally to not only follow your orders, but like and respect ya so much too, and use them methods for myself."

*Closes his eyes and sighs*

"And....I didn't find what I expect. You didn't employ any elaborate or strict training or disciplining regimen to get your Pokemon to like and obey ya from what I could see. You just....treated your partners as equals to ya, was patient with them, and.....found personal and unique ways to get along and work with them. *Shakes head* Couldn't understand why or how what you did worked, other than it did. But...I just decided to copy your methods anyway, as however they worked it was getting the kind or results I wasn't doing things my way. *Sighs* ....And needless to say, everything turned Sunny Days for me as a Trainer after I decided to do that. Got a whole bunch of Pokemon to like and care about me by doing things 'The Lucas Way' , and got farther and happier than I ever have as a Trainer. To this day, what I learned and copied by researching you has hardly failed me, and always served me well in the end. In a way....I guess you can say you were a mentor of sorts for me. Still are, even, as you got me changing my attitude around Sally to be like yours and see if that worked to make her less of a.....pain, and it did . "

Again, Randolph heaves another heavy *Sigh*  and closes his eyes, now looking the most confused, lost, and frustrated he's ever been.

"*Growls* And despite doing that, despite doing things your way, and despite all my years of being a Trainer, few as they are, I'm still no closer to understanding any of it. I still dont get what makes Pokemon so special and fulfilling, and what Pokemon see us humans special enough to want us as companions and partners, instead of competition, threats, or something to prey on or ignore with or without forcing them to be ours. None of it makes any sense to me, other that it just is and just happens if you find a way to get along with them, the method of which people use differs yet still works SOMEHOW. It's...it's like this whole thing is some big joke I'm not in on, and everyone's laughing, and I have no choice but be confused and laugh along if I want in on the fun. It's frustrating beyond belief, but....*Sighs* it like I said earlier: don't need to understand to still get along with everyone. *Tiredly chuckles* Heh heh....guess they're some mysterious I'll never be able solve, no matter how smart I am, or how much I learn, eh lad?"

Once more, the midget miner lets loose another *Sigh* and shakes his head, appearing so displeased and disappointed in himself.

"Don't know even why I told you all about that. It just....came out, I suppose. *Frowns at them* Sorry for bothering you about.....well, these past few days. I'll leave you and Sally alone now, and....get ready for tomorrow. Night..."

And that's that, I suppose. Ran would turn to leave and go to his own part of the cave to bed down for the....whatever time of day it was, and hopefully fully recompose himself for the trails no doubt awaiting him and the rest of the group tomorrow. Man, camp had be an awful moody affair for Randolph, huh?

(....And that should do it for all I had plan with Lucas, Dragonstrike. I leave it up to you if you want to continue this plot thread or not, now or later. )

----

The Next Day

Ran's 'morning' was thankfully uneventful as he woke up and felt more or less like his usual surely, grumpy old self. After having one of his MREs for breakfast, he'd contemplate what his Party for the next Floor will be for today will be, and settles on thus: Diam, Beethoven/Aerodactyl, Zorn, Amethyst, Paula, and Ditto. Diam because she's his ace, Beethoven/Aerodactyl because after rescuing Johnathan he realizes the need to have a Fly capable Pokemon on hand for sticky situations, Zorn because he wants to have his heaviest hitter with him, Amethyst partially because of Kee's recommendation, but also because he wants to work on improving his relationship with her too, Paula for much the same reasons he's bringing along Amethyst, and Ditto for the sheer versitility their Transformation capabilities bring to the table. It's not the most well rounded team Type Wise (~1/2 of the team is weak to Fairy, Electric, and Ice Moves, oh noes!), but in terms of pure firepower and utility it's not half bad!

As for his Pokemon's Abilities and Held Items for the Day (That Ran has the potential to use).....
Diam: Default for both
Beethoven: Keen Eye (Silk Scarf)
Puck: Intimidate (None)
Brigid: Drought (Fire Plate)
Stymph: Sturdy (None)
Zorn: Sheer Force (Assault Vest)
Sekmet: No Items
Belladona: Stench (Charcoal)
Catherine: Forewarn (Spell Tag)
Borreas: Snow Warning (None)
Amethyst: Super Luck (Life Orb)
Delta Wingull: Lightning Rod (None)
Excadrill: Sand Rush (None)
Paula: Cute Charm (Soothing Bell)
Aerodactyl: Pressure (None)
Ditto (Name is Omnia!) : Limber (Leftovers)

Regarding his reaction to morning activies, let's just say he doesn't pay attention to any of it unless somebody directs him to do so for simplicity's and time's shake as he's reading him, and let's get a move on to the next Floor! His mini-group will be himself, Rui, and Karen like last time, unless anyone objects to it! Now, it's finally time to go.

(Sorry for putting everyone through such a long wait. Just had to get all that out there when I had a reasonable in game chance to, as I think the in-game campaign is close to wrapping up and I'm unsure if Ran will be sticking around for Dragonstrike's main campaign of not, for one reason or another....)