Video - Backdated to the 26th

[a_sin_for_him]

[Lust is sitting at a cafe in Violet, her shiny Minccino draped over one shoulder. The little pink chinchilla Pokemon looks particularly happy.]

I was in Violet for the weekend and I thought, as I was here and hadn't anything else planned, I may as well see what all the fuss is about challenging the Gyms.

So I did.

And now I have my first badge.

[The Minccino shifts and scrambles a bit before proudly displaying the aforementioned badge. Lust isn't beaming quite so obviously, but she's rather pleased with herself.]

Madeleine here was instrumental in the battle. It was...more of a thrill than I'd anticipated.

Comments

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[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

[Harry is grinning. So proud.]

Congratulations on the badge! We'll have to celebrate when you get back.

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[a_sin_for_him]

Thank you. We certainly will.

Though I have to confess, it wasn't a very difficult victory. I only made the challenge as I had a few appropriate level Pokemon with me at the time.

So many of mine are upwards of fifty and sixty.

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[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

I'll see if I can make up a cake for when you get back.

[He's actually not bad. He's had more then a few years of practise making birthday cakes after all. And bribery cake.]

Still, a victory is a victory and you earned it fair and square. That reminds me. Congratulations Madeleine, it sounds like you did a really good job.

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[a_sin_for_him]

You don't have to go to that much trouble, a bakery cake is just fine. I'm very partial to rich chocolates.

[Because Lust never says 'no' to cake.]

Thank you.

[The fluffy pink Pokemon beams and chirps, ears swiveling happily. Lust reaches up to scratch her fur, clearly proud of her Minccino.]

I may have to try the next Gym, after this.

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[haveyouseenalittlegirl]

I'll keep that in mind.

[He'll make one anyway. It should be fun and he has the free time.]

If it was something you enjoyd, you should.

I've been meaning to train my team more...catch more in general really. Maybe I'll try for a badge in the future. With all of you I'll certainly have enough people to ask advice from.

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[a_sin_for_him]

I'll need to do a bit of research, first. The following Gyms won't be as easy as this one.

And I'll need more types. Did you have any specific sort of Pokemon in mind, you'd like to catch?

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[sassymaru]

Challenging a gym you say?

How does one go about such a thing?

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[a_sin_for_him]

Yes, each major town or city has at least one Gym, run by a master trainer. To earn badges and other rewards, trainers may challenge that master and their team of Pokemon with a battle trained team of their own.

The first Gym isn't recommended below levels of twenty.

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[sassymaru]

Rewards?

What sort of rewards are we given for allowing these monsters to fight?

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[a_sin_for_him]

Special items, discounts at the markets, that sort of thing.

And you aren't 'allowing' them to fight, battling is part of their nature.

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[sassymaru]

I see.

Not all of them seem to be entirely thrilled with the notion of battling, I've noticed.

[a_sin_for_him]

No, like any living thing with sentience, they have their own preferences and personalities, likes and dislikes. But overall, the majority enjoy it. It's part of why trainers have so many Pokemon, we don't battle those that don't like it. I have three Munna, only one of them enjoys battling - the one I took this Gym with. The other two would prefer not to, so they don't.

[frozenfractalsallaround]

Lust, that's wonderful!

[Working at Starmiebucks in Goldenrod means Elsa's seen Lust quite a few times by this point, so it's easy to consider her at least a friendly acquaintance by now, if not a friend- so of course she's proud that Lust was victorious in her battle!]

Did you have much trouble, or was it an easy battle?

[a_sin_for_him]

Oh no, I didn't have much trouble. Even without planning, my Pokemon...the lowest levels I have are in the high twenties. I mostly used my Minccino and one of my Munna.

But it was only the initial Gym.

[alltoblame]

Congratulations.

[He might be a little surprised she hasn't gotten one before now, but he's not going to let on to that. She's probably the only one besides Al that'd get a sincere congratulations from the older Elric on this venture.]

Planning on a second any time soon?

[He's so behind.]

[a_sin_for_him]

Thank you, Edward.

I just might. It was rather exhilarating. And there are bonuses to doing them.

[alltoblame]

So I've heard. Some of them don't mean much for me since I'm apparently a breeder.

[He can't imagine money's the biggest perk for someone that's been settled here so long.]

Anything specific you're looking forward to?

[a_sin_for_him]

Oh god, I could never be a breeder.

Some of the abilities that make traveling a bit easier are high on my list. And of course more badges means more respect from some of my...more strong willed inherited Pokemon.

[alltoblame]

It's not so bad when your Pokemon aren't doing the breeding behind your back.

[That seemed to be a common theme here, he didn't want to become victim to it.]

Traveling in this place is a unique experience. The warp pads are pretty convenient.

[Bright sides.]

[a_sin_for_him]

I've luckily only had that happen once, and neither of us are breeders. We had a perfectly manageable number of kittens.

It certainly is. When I first arrived, Envy came to get me. On a giant flying dinosaur.

I was not prepared for that.

The travel pads have been a god send.

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[dreamsofahero]

I suppose this means congratulations are in order.

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[a_sin_for_him]

That is generally traditional, though I imagine it's hardly that impressive to someone who's beaten them all long since.

Thank you. It was a more enjoyable experience than I thought it would be.

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[dreamsofahero]

*raises an eyebrow*

Oh? Does something have to be impressive now to be worth congratulating a person?

*he's joking*

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, though.

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[a_sin_for_him]

Isn't that why one offers them?

[Equally jesting.]

I did. I never was much for the battling aspect, purely for pleasure. But it's different, isn't it, challenging the Gym Leaders?

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[dreamsofahero]

Ah, have I been doing it wrong all along...?

*cue fake shock*

I think it is. Perhaps it's because you're battling someone who's been officially acknowledged as a strong trainer in some way?