009. [Text/Action for Goldenrod Rocket Base]

[twinsanity]

[TEXT]

So it seems that the running theme on the network this summer is "We're all terrible people and/or have no idea how to handle ourselves in groups." Good to know, I suppose.

Since I'm particularly bored but otherwise actually am having a very good day today (thank you very much), maybe all of you can regale me with some of that optimism you seem to like so much. Or you can be needlessly pessimistic, I don't really care. I just want to hear stories.

So why don't you talk about something you've accomplished since you've been here? I don't care how important it is in the scheme of things. Just something you've gotten done.

Since I'm sure somebody is going to ask for my reasoning in asking, I'm coming up on a year of being here, though I still have some time yet. I suppose this sort of thing is on my mind.


[ACTION]

[Alfred spends so much time in one of the training arenas in the base, just beating the living hell out of his Pokémon, that he might as well move in.

Today he has a couple of more recent additions to his team with him; the first and most obvious is the snarling shark he's got lunging in his general direction. For once, he doesn't seem to mind that the thing is having a go at him; rather to the contrary, he's laughing in a way that isn't exactly comforting, the sound alternating between strange high-pitched giggling and something that's decidedly less annoying but also decidedly less controlled. Fortunately Sharpedos are all speed and no angling maneuverability, so it's fairly easy to get out of the way of it once it charges him; it takes a while for the thing to correct, turn around and have at him again. It's like fighting an incredibly fast sunfish in that regard, really; sharp angles just leave it smacking its face into what's in front of it.

Of course, there comes the occasional moment where the thing corners him, because there are only so many places to go in this room before Alfred finds himself backed up against a sharp angle formed by the joins in the walls; that's when the second Pokémon he's got with him comes into play. He has a Remoraid that he's been keeping close by him, just kind of doing the usual water-type hoverdance by his side; once he finds himself needing it, it doesn't take long for him to...

...dear god, Alfred, what are you doing. Other than "grabbing the fish and bracing it up against you like a rifle, and promptly Aurora Beaming that Sharpedo in the face," that is, because that's exactly what he's doing.

In other words, he's got a gunfish and an irrationally pissed off shark, and he's having himself a grand time. Good lord.]

Comments

[ACTION]

[glaciates]

[...Well, that certainly is a thing, isn't it. Isaac normally comes in here to train - either himself, his Pokémon, or some awful combination of both that usually leaves him scratched up, not that he finds that to be a bad thing - but after seeing that this room is occupied, he was going to leave.

Then that happened and now he's convinced he's not the craziest bitch in the base.]

That's a unique way of training. I didn't realize Remoraids could be used as guns.

[Why this, Alfred.]

[twinsanity]

[..."unique" is probably the most diplomatic way you could have worded that, good sir.

That said, he just Aurora Beams the shark in the face again to get it to back off long enough to pull its Pokéball out; he recalls it before it can have another go at his organs, and he leans back against the wall for a moment, breathing hard before glancing over at Isaac.

His face is a bit flushed from the exertion, but he seems pleased, really.]

Someone gave me some advice on that one, actually.

[He looks him over for a moment; god, you're obscenely tall, aren't you.]

And you would be...?

[glaciates]

Really? That's some pretty uh... interesting advice.

[#triedsohard]

I'm Isaac McDougal. You?

[twinsanity]

Alfred Ashford.

[...............................................

ah, right.]

...It's a pleasure.

[...tried so hard, didn't even get anywhere, but that's more or less par for the course when it comes to dealing with Alfred, so don't feel bad about it.]

how did i not get this notif

[glaciates]

[The amount of "you tried" here is pretty spectacular...]

Do you do this sort of training often? It doesn't seem very... practical. Your Sharpedo's going to hate you if you keep that up.

it's fine, RL happened on my end

[twinsanity]

Really, most of my Pokémon hate me by now. There are a few that don't, of course, but they're more the exceptions than the rule.

[...that's totally how this works, right]

[glaciates]

[...um]

Isn't that something to be worried about? Most Pokémon probably won't turn on their trainer, but what if one of yours does? I mean, you've already trained that shark to attack you, it's just a matter of time before it actually manages to kill you.

[ALFRED WHY]

[twinsanity]

Oh, one of them's done that already, though in that one's case I actually don't believe it meant to.

[...why are you so concerned, he doesn't even know you]

[glaciates]

You've been killed by your Pokémon and you continue to treat them like that?

[WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU]

Why?

[twinsanity]

[...A LOT TBH...]

Well, it wasn't mine at the time that it hit me! I died some time after that.

[glaciates]

[HOW IS HE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THAT AT ALL]

Okay, so the Pokémon wasn't yours, but now it is?

[HELP]

[twinsanity]

I caught it after that, and he's become much better behaved, thank you.

[...does that help.]

[glaciates]

Oh, okay, I see.

[Yikes, why would you catch a Pokémon that tried to kill you?]

So what did it do? Did it gore you and you died of the injuries?

[ISAAC YOU DON'T JUST ASK PEOPLE THIS]

[twinsanity]

[...what, was that strange, because he doesn't see anything strange about the question - ]

No, no. It was one of those things covered in poisonous spines.

[glaciates]

So you were poisoned.

[...]

Well that's horrifying. I bet it was a pretty painful death.

[SOMEONE STOP HIM]

[twinsanity]

It wasn't anything I'd call my idea of a good time, no.

[both of them should probably stopped at this point, good goddamn]

[glaciates]

At least it's better behaved now. Still, if you've gone through that one, wouldn't it be better to get your Pokémon to like you so none of them try anything like that in the future?

[twinsanity]

Why bother? They have to obey me anyway.

[...somebody seems to have skipped out on Friendship 101, um.]

[glaciates]

If you've got a particularly nasty one it might turn on you. Besides, if you get a traded one and you don't have the right badge, it won't listen to you and that one could turn on you. I guess I don't really see the point in training this harshly.

[twinsanity]

And what would you suggest? They're tools, not pets.

[glaciates]

Even if you don't consider them pets you don't have to treat them horribly. I'm not saying you have to pamper them or anything, but there's no reason to set them against yourself. I find it's easiest to have them fight each other to gain experience. I think it's better to keep them at least neutral towards you rather than hating you.

[twinsanity]

Well, that one is a bit of an exception, but I suppose I can keep that in mind.

[He totally won't.]

[glaciates]

[You totally won't.]

It seems to work pretty well for everyone else. I haven't heard of anyone else getting killed by Pokémon, though considering just how many ways these creatures could kill us, that's pretty surprising.

[twinsanity]

I don't know if that's for want of trying, though - once in a while you see posts on the network regarding attacks or things generally going on some sort of rampage or another.

[glaciates]

That's true, yeah. It's just kind of strange that there isn't more violence in a place like this.