victory_road | 113rd moon [video]

...You know, I cannot quite recall who first completed the Johto Gym challenge. Remembering Kanto's is easy, but Johto's... It's completely slipped away from my memory.

[Today, brodcasting from an unrecognizable building, Cecil looks a touch delighted, a dash nostalgic... but their a strong undercurrent of pride in there.]

Back then, during the first year of our presence in this world, there was a rumor. Defeat the Elite Four, and the path home will be revealed. Many believed it, and put all their efforts in earning all eight badges, hoping to be recognized as worthy challengers. Those efforts continued and doubled, along with the number of badges we could win. Of course, they were in vain, as we were only recognized as serious contenders a year ago and only three among us have prevailed since. Most of those hopeful trainers are long gone now, without ever reaching the goal they strived for.

[There's a point to this beyond the sneaky announcement, and he's getting there. Promise.]

So. Whoever you were, wherever you are, know this: the Elite Four have no way home to reveal, no explanation to share, and whoever invented that rumor had far too much imagination to share. My apologies for the wasted time and the dashed hopes.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh? Then your world must be rather fortunate.

*or Sion's is just a special kind of shithole*

It's a shame yours is not. Kingdoms bloom so beautifully, when they help water each other.

*is that a flicker of sadness in his expression for a moment there? maybe you were just imagining things...*

Perhaps someday we can improve matters, but it seems a rather long time off at the moment.

Long time necessary or not, try to aim for it. My world proves it is possible, after all.

That's always been my intent, yes.

*even if circumstances have occasionally forced his hand despite his best efforts*

It's nice to have a strong and well-defined yet challenging goal.

"Challenging" would be quite the understatement.

That would depend on who else rules your world's kingdoms, would it not?

[Cecil.]

*raiiising an eyebrow at that*

Generally speaking, it's rather difficult to control who's in charge of other nations.

*unless you mean taking over them himself, in which case, well, uh, actually he's kind of already doing that for reasons......*

Making friends with everyone else can help control how they treat with your country, however.

[So does killing the ones that are replaced with monsters, for that matter.]

Well, yes. Presuming they're willing to foster such friendship, as well.

*easier said than done, given Menoris's history*

Having a common goal and enemy helps a lot with that.

It can, yes. Provided everyone is reasonable about the matter.

My world was lucky. Not only were we all reasonable, we were also all motivated and actively helping.

I imagine that would make things rather easier, yes.

That's not the case with your world's leaders in general, then?

Menoris has a long history of war. The nations that exist today do so because they defended against or conquered their opponents, not because they settled matters peaceably. Overcoming that isn't a simple nor quick task.

...Baron has often fought wars, too. I'm hoping that collaborating with the rest of the world to defeat external threats will someday become our new legacy instead.

To the extent that even an internal coup followed by a few years of peace is not nearly enough to assuage the worries of neighboring nations?

*because that's what happened in Roland, and its neighbors STILL were terribly paranoid....*

...It has assuaged worries that should not have been assuaged, while not completely clearer our old reputation.

[A monster and a possessed monarch one after the other makes things very confusing.]

It sounds as though people are far more reasonable about matters in your world.

*that, or Cecil doesn't have to worry about goddesses mucking around with things and influencing people*

Perhaps that makes my world an exception among all, rather than the rule, but I cannot find it in me to regret it.

[Nope, he just has to worry about mind control.]

Who can say? I certainly haven't experienced any worlds besides Menoris and this one, myself.

I've made friends from other worlds, years and years ago, but we had little time to discuss politics. The amnesia did not help, either.

Amnesia?

...Eenie-meenie-miney-mo?

paladinlost - 2017-07-13 00:10 (UTC) - Expand

113rd moon [video]

Of course! It wouldn't be very fun if it were easy, would it?

It'd be boring, and surely they're both too busy for boredom.

Not to mention, it'd hardly be worth doing at all in that case

A waste of time for everyone involved. How sad.

Terribly so. And they have no need for more sad things.

Too much sad, not enough awesome battles.

Exactly~ Clearly Cecil should help remedy this

He'll do his best! ...Once he figures out what kind of gym he wants.

Clearly a 2 stage fight, first against Dark types then against Fairy ;p

...He should not have to compensate for Johto/Kanto's missing types by himself.

But it would be so symbolically fitting for him!

Fitting perhaps, but it encourages the lack of mainstream Dark-type Gyms!

Fine, fine, do something else then...

Inverse battles! Rotation battles! Normal battles, but on top of a mountain!

A mountian that requires a plethora of HM moves to scale?

...Maybe the Mt. Moon Clefairies could clear a spot for him instead.

Why not go all out and hermit it up on Mt Silver? Red could use some company!

Sure, but then he'd need a Hail team. He doesn't have a Hail team.

He could make one! And then give away Icy Rocks as the prize

...True, and it's not as if the Choice items would be useful with larger movesets...

They'd probably see much less use than soem items, yes

Leftovers have potential, though.

They definitely do. Or the Shell Bell, for that matter...

So many options, so few Gyms!

Indeed! How will he ever choose?

...Eenie-meenie-miney-mo?