13th Recipe [Ecruteak City, Video]

[cyan_maid]

[It's morning in Ecruteak after the tumultuous month of erratic weather and nonstop roaring, and Jane is quiet. She's all set up with a small breakfast at a local cafe, quietly watching soft, misty rain pitter-patter as she sips at a cup of, what the cardboard holder totes, is a "Pumpkaboo Spiced Latte". Yeah, it seems to be that time of year again, doesn't it? Sitting next to her, Dinah is sleepily nibbling on what looks like toast, crusts cut off, with just a little bit of Cheri berry jam spread on top, and there's a bag on the table next to her, presumably filled with more breakfast goodies, but - well, it's not really practical to release one's whole team on an unsuspecting cafe to have a big sit-down breakfast, so...it makes sense in context.

Jane tsks, glances at the 'gear, then looks back out the window. In her other hand, a shiny new Fog Badge tap-tap-taps on the table.]

...It's so strange. I...was here in this city over a year ago, last time I passed through, and...I remember the festival here, and the ghosts that showed up during and afterwards that caused us so much trouble. And Dinah here, she's been sour about ghosts ever since.

Auh...

[Jane chuckles and rubs the Audino affectionately behind the ears.] It took you a while, but you finally got to fight some ghosts, and though it didn't go so well, I doubt August could've beaten that darned Gengar without you lasting as long as you did. [And hey, Jane got Shadow Ball out of it. And guess which pink Normal type learned that move for the future.] But so much has changed just in that time. People have come and gone, crazy things have happened - darned impossible things, I'd say, if I hadn't seen them. And it's nearly autumn again, like, a normal season, and there's things I used to take for granted and then missed that are back, like the seasonal constants, and - Halloween is coming soon, it'll definitely be here before we know it. That's...that's so weird. But do you want to know the weirdest thing?

[She looks directly at the 'gear and grins.]

I love it. Despite all the craziness, I...I know I'm thriving. And it just sort of hit me this morning how much I appreciate that. So...what do you guys appreciate about this place? Let's get a nice dialogue going, a nice rapport, and think beyond all the really hectic stuff that's been going on recently. What do you say?

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[soulcomet]

[Jane's enthusiasm is infectious; Madoka can't help but mirror her smile, despite herself.]

Well ... I think what I appreciate most is that even though it's really, really different from home, it still kind of feels familiar, you know? It's comforting.

At least, Goldenrod seems that way! It's a lot like the city I've lived in all my life.

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

[I mean it'd be better if it were a sunny day, but after what happened? Jane will gladly take any normal weather she can.]

Really? That's great! I'll admit that this place is...pretty different from where I grew up, even the normal parts, but it's still really nice. And it's not hard to get used to, either! What's the part that most reminds you of home in Goldenrod?

[Video]

[soulcomet]

The streets, maybe? The stores, the people...

[she laughs a little, sheepish.]

Sorry, it's sort of hard to describe. It's more of a feeling, I think — like I could walk down any street here, and if I closed my eyes it wouldn't feel any different than a street from back home. It's nice.

Um ... you don't need to answer if you don't want to, but what would you consider the normal parts here? Compared to your home, I mean.

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

Oh, I don't mind! The normal parts...I suppose...those mostly lie in how lively this world is. Seeing people go about their day-to-day and all that. People are still people.

[video]

[charcoalfeather]

[Rakka's also outside, though the immediate surroundings Jane will be able to make out are of Goldenrod. Based underneath a awning and watching the rain fall, she too has a cup of something in her other hand, probably tea, knowing Rakka.]

I remember that festival. We were coming back from the beach in Olivine City, and there was so much going on...

[And there were so many people here too. Friends that came and went. Rakka sipped her tea thoughtfully.]

Right now, it's so... peaceful. Things have been happening for so long that I kind of forgot about that. I think that's one of the things I really like about this place. There's always something happening.

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

There's always something that can happen, but it's not...constant. Or super overwhelming. I like that, too.

[Jane sits back a little.] How are you and Penny doing after all that hullabaloo on the mountain? Alright?

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

Yeah, it's really... nice. [Nothing happens so much that they can only freak out about it... most of the time.

Speaking of.]

Uh... me and Penny? Well, we're doing alright. There were, um, a few dangerous moments though. Why do you ask?

[did penny say something</small.]

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

[lol not yet]

I'm just checking. All I know was that there were fires, and a lot of scared wild Pokemon...I tried to watch for news updates whenever I got the chance.

[in4apounding]

Oh, I remember that festival.

[Jane might recognize the general decor behind Penny as one of the rooms in the house they've been renting in Goldenrod. Penny herself has a smudge of Steel-Type Polish on her face, and there's a very content, fresh-shined Aggron dozing behind her.]

It was pretty fun, until the ghosts showed up.

[Aside from coming almost immediately in the wake of Ruby's departure. Ha. Haaaaa?]

You're right, it is very nice here, though! It's peaceful. Usually. Relatively.

...There's no Grimm trying to kill everyone, anyway. And I've made so many friends here! And I can go wherever I want without having to worry about my father or Mr. Ironwood getting mad.

[cyan_maid]

[D'aw, that's adorable.]

Right? No one's here to tell us where we can and can't go, or even keeping us in the house. And if things do happen, we end up coming together to fix them, and they can be fixed!

...Sorry I haven't come home right away, uh. Just. Tossing that out there. I wanted to get the badge first. We're going to end up holed up in Goldenrod again soon anyway for winter, so I figured...might as well.

[in4apounding]

No, that's great! Rakka and I were going to join you, actually, if you were going to stay there a while longer. She still needs to challenge Morty.

[Penny, of course, will be there as distraction cheerleader. Speaking of-]

He didn't give you TOO much trouble, did he? His Gengar's pretty fast.

[cyan_maid]

I can stick around! It's no trouble - in fact, it'll be nice to get the girls back together.

[She smiles, and reaches over to pat Dinah gently on the head.] The trouble really came with wearing Gengar down. Dinah really couldn't get much in the way of substantial hits on it, but tiring it out? That made defeating it a lot easier.

Diiii... [The sound Dinah makes is in agreement, and then she resumes her nibbling. Omnomnom.]

Video

[anexcitableboy]

Man, I appreciate all of it! I mean...it's nice here! People are nice, nobody cares where you're from or what you look like or if you got money or nothing! Anybody can be somebody.

That's pretty great. It ain't like that where I came from.

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

It's not like that in a lot of places. But it's true - there really is opportunity for anyone to be someone in this world! And I like that, too.

[Though why people would choose to stay in Team Rocket when there are so many other options available is beyond her.]

You know what's really interesting, though? The amount of opportunity in jobs and such. I never would have thought I'd find myself assisting nurses back home, but here? I end up working with Dinah at Pokemon Centers in the towns I stay in, and it's a wonderful experience! I'm always learning new things.

[Video]

[anexcitableboy]

Yeah I couldn't get a job back home. Couldn't own property or anything either. Now I got a job and a house, and nobody gives me any shit for it or tells me I oughtta stay out sight 'cause I scare kids or whatever.

I work right out front where everybody can see.

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

...It rightly should be that way for everyone.

[But Jane's not enough of a fool to think it already is.]

I bet your family back home would be very proud to see all you've done here.

[Video]

[meteorman]

August twenty-third was the one-year mark for me. I almost didn't realize, considering how busy the last few weeks have been.

[Which isn't like him, but then... Lugia. He was distracted.]

It isn't often that I spend so long in one place. It's... refreshing.

[He was kind of hoping to settle in his own universe, with his family, where he belonged... but this is okay. He can deal with this. He'll find his way back eventually. In the meantime he's enjoying the utterly novel realization that he has... friends? He's been in one place long enough to have friends. Bizarre.]

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

It's alright. I came here in July of last year - the date came and went and I barely realized it myself.

[Basically: shit happens.]

It is incredibly nice to be able to settle down, huh? Even if it's more just "settling in this world" but still traveling around in it.

[meteorman]

Very much so, yes. Not having to adapt to different laws of physics every few months is a nice change. Aside from interference from Celebi, time has even flowed reliably forward at a set rate for that entire year.

[Text]

[timelesschampion]

It's a new place to explore. It doesn't have the sense of impending doom that home did. Does.

It's nice to be able to explore and relax.

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

[...Oh shit, it's pot guy.]

A lack of impending doom is definitely preferable to an abundance of it, I'll agree. There's...really not so much danger to be wary about besides the usual traveling pitfalls, but with strong Pokemon, it seems like you can go most anywhere...except if you try to climb a ledge.

[Text]

[timelesschampion]

[He's back.]

This place is a lot easier to get around in.

Though not being able to climb properly is a pain.



I might have fallen a few times.

[Video]

[tearsofademon]

If I had to pick the thing I appreciate the most about this world, it's that it's given me time to spend with my best friend. Time that, back where I'm from, I couldn't have.

[Video]

[cyan_maid]

...Aah, I see.

[Considering the weird nature of this world, and others, she can imagine why that'd be the case.]

I know I cherished the extra time I had with my friends at home, before they left.

[Video]

[tearsofademon]

Sorry to hear your friends left.

But it's nice, when the whims of this world are in your favor for once. People have what they need here, there's no war, the only real conflicts happen when Team Rocket's being dumb or something... There's a lot going in this world's favor.