Open Log

[a_sin_for_him]

Who: Lust and OPEN

Where: Varying, covering Azalea to New Bark

When: May 30th - June 8th

Summary: Setting out to catch the ferry in New Bark! Catch-all log for the first leg!

Rating: PG-13 for possible language

Log:




It has been quite a difficult handful of months. Joker, Henry, Timothy...so many gone in such close succession, and all who'd meant so much to her. There's a sense of emptiness that's settled, but that's a large part of why Lust and Harry have decided to take a trip to Kanto. Get out of the house, see new sights, distract themselves and give themselves time to heal. Following the odd weekend seems the perfect time to strike out.

They're taking the trip slowly, starting with picking up a badge here and there on the way to New Bark and enjoying the sights. Warping makes it a quick jaunt, but there's no need to rush once they've arrived and plenty to do in and around the towns.

Azalea

The sleepy little town is Lust's most important stop, she intends to challenge the Gym. Which of course means getting in some solid training beforehand. Anyone passing through is likely to see her in a park near the Gym with her mismatched team - and dressed in a pair of pants, which is rather unusual for the former homunculus.

She's brought her Spheal, her Houndoom, a Munna that appears to be wearing battle armor, and her Oricorio. A Clefairy cheers from the sidelines.

Violet

Aside from encouraging Harry to tackle the Gym here, Lust mostly plans on dropping by the cottage to check in on it - and Edward, if he's still there. Though she does find herself lingering in front of the Trainer School this visit. She's never bothered to look at it before, but she's also never bothered to take traditional training seriously before. Perhaps a few pointers would be a wise idea.

And of course she has to drop by and visit the monks, she always does. And always leaves with at least a few bottles of their finest offerings. Or perhaps more, she and Harry are going to be in Kanto for a while....

Cherrygrove

It's the right sort of year to linger a bit in Cherrygrove. It's hot, and the town is right on the beach. Lust has no great love for the ocean - it's so large and powerful and she isn't a very good swimmer - but she still enjoys the beach and the tame waters around the shores here. Not to mention the spa, a mud soak does wonders on a hot day.

Really, of the little towns, it's probably her favorite outside of Violet. She really ought to spend more time here - but that's what this venture is about. Getting out and traveling more, living the life of a proper Trainer. She'll be spending most of her time in the little beachside town either around the spa or lounging on the beach in her swimsuit, or window shopping barefoot down main street in sundress and scarf tied over her hair to keep the sun off.

Comments

[a_sin_for_him]

Oh, don't mind Amoz. We're in the water, he won't come in the water. And you're a stranger, he can be very protective.

[The Houndoom would be glaring no matter who Lust was spending the afternoon with.]

He prefers beach bonfires and that game with the round disc you throw.

[thumbsdown]

Game with the round disc?

[Boone is unfamiliar with this game. His Magikarp swims close by, and he rubs a hand idly over its scales. The Magikarp wriggles happily.]

So you leave your other pokemon at home? How do you choose who to take with you?

[a_sin_for_him]

Er...it's that beach and park game? You throw the disc? Firby? Fisby? Something like that.

[Lust knows volleyball, but that's about it as far as beach and summer sporting games go. She's clinging to a Spheal less than twenty feet from the shore, where her feet can still touch bottom, she is clearly not much of a beach person.]

It depends. For this trip, I intend to be catching Pokemon and challenging Gyms, so I brought my battling Pokemon. And Esther because I'm taking her to Mt. Moon, to see her kinfolk. And I left a slot empty for a specific Pokemon I'm hoping to catch in Kanto.

[thumbsdown]

I'm not sure.

[But now he'll be calling it firby when he sees someone doing it, so thanks Lust.]

Haven't fought any Gyms yet. Trying to get my Mareep to a higher level. Y'know, to take down the bird pokemon.

[Electric beats birds, right? He's learning!]

Which pokemon are you hoping to catch?

[a_sin_for_him]

I've only fought the one myself. I didn't bother until now - you'll want a full team, well trained, to start that. But you're smart taking an electric type, that gives an advantage.

[Lust had relied mainly on the high levels and skill of her team, not having electrics at her disposal.]

Oh, I'm hoping to catch a....

[Whatever Lust was about to say turns into an indignant squawk as Guttle is distracted by the flash of some movement in the sea. He rolls to the side, causing Lust to lose both her hold of him and her balance.]

[thumbsdown]

Yeah, I'm in the middle of training them. Pointy's getting pretty strong.

[Okay, so he hasn't even hit level 20 yet, but he was only level 5! And he's only been here two weeks.

He's watching Lust when the Spheal tips, and his first instinct is to reach out and grab her. Holding onto her to keep her above the water, one arm around her waist, it takes him a moment to feel awkward about it. Then he goes somewhat red, though he still keeps a grip on her.]

Uh, sorry.

[Dammit, Guttle.]

[a_sin_for_him]

What on earth are you apologizing for? I'd rather not go falling into the sea, thank you.

[Lust is entirely unbothered by this state of affairs. In her experience, it's the normal and courteous reaction to catch someone who's falling in front of you. She finds her footing on the oddly soft and malleable sand and pushes off of Boone, standing with a slight frown and calling Guttle back to resume his flotation device duties.]

As we were discussing before my Spheal got distracted...you'll want to be around level 30 for the first Gym. And I think that's a tentacool, over there, that caught his attention.

If you were curious to see one in the wild.

[thumbsdown]

[He lets go of her and fixes his expression, and is grateful to be distracted by the Tentacool.]

Level 30 is pretty high, but we can do it. And... woah. That's a funny looking thing.

[He squints at it, but doesn't try to go closer. They sting, right?]

Think I could catch it?

[Not... that he brought any pokeballs out here. Dammit.]

[a_sin_for_him]

They're rather low levels around here...you could train up your Magikarp some, and Guttle can help. But be careful, they're venomous. Don't touch it yourself.

[And it's a good Pokemon to have, the evolution chain is well worth it.]

They're a jellyfish sort of Pokemon. Their bodies are translucent, if you look closely, you can see the light passing through. Schools of them are oddly beautiful.

[thumbsdown]

Never seen a jellyfish before. But yeah, sounds good. Will you be okay if I go grab my pokeballs?

[He doesn't want to leave her out in the water alone if she's not comfortable with it.]

Or do you wanna come back with me?

[It's not like it's far.]

[a_sin_for_him]

I've seen pictures of them. They don't have visible eyes, they're like...glowing mushrooms with tentacles.

[Which surely gives Boone exactly the right mental image of a traditional jellyfish.]

Oh, just a moment, Esther will bring you one. She doesn't mind the water.

[Lust lurches forward on Guttle to whistle to her Clefairy, a series of short and long sounds. Because of course Lust has taught her Pokemon morse code, for easy communicating during battle. Without alerting opponents or wild Pokemon.]

[And as promised, the pink Pokemon immediately begins rummaging through Lust's bag on the shore.]

This way we don't disturb your wild new friend by drawing a great deal of attention to ourselves.

[thumbsdown]

[Boone squints as he tries to imagine a jellyfish. He's soon distracted by Lust whistling to her Clefairy though, and he blinks, impressed.]

Thanks.

[He waits for the pokemon to bring him the ball, automatically thanks it, then wonders if it even understood him. Oh well.]

Now I just gotta make sure Magikarp doesn't faint.

[That's gonna be tough.]

[a_sin_for_him]

Guttle can help. He's trying to get to his hundredth level anyway.

[Lust lets go of Guttle, transferring her hold to Esther instead. The Clefairy seems entirely un-bothered by it. She emits the same cheery 'Cleee!' she had when Boone thanked her for the Pokeball. Esther understands humans perfectly fine.]

I've never battled a Tentacool, but they're a dual type. Guttle has normal attacks, those should work... Does your Magikarp know Tackle yet?

[thumbsdown]

No, he only knows Splash.

[Hence his name, Splash. Which he tends to not call him by, since Magikarp will start attempting to use the move every time he hears the word. Like now. Boone raises his arms to shield him from the water. Goddammit, Magikarp.]

Good to know he'll learn something else, though.

[a_sin_for_him]

That's alright, as long as he does that, Guttle can actually weaken the Tentacool and he'll still gain strength from the battle.

[Even if he does nothing to help with it at all. She chuckles a bit at the Magikarp's reaction, then moves aside to let Boone initiate a battle with the water Pokemon.]

It shouldn't take long, either, Guttle's a very high level.

[thumbsdown]

[Boone turns to face the Tentacool and orders Magikarp to use Splash against it. As predicted, all it does is turn the Tentacool's attention onto the fish pokemon, and Boone glances at Guttle.]

What level is he?

[He really hopes Guttle gets an attack in before the wild pokemon attacks Magikarp.]

[a_sin_for_him]

Over seventy. There's nothing to worry about - he'll hold back, he won't make the tentacool faint. But he'll weaken it enough for you to catch it.

[And Splash would still gain from the battle. It works out rather well, really, for training up the Magikarp. At least until he can use other moves himself.]

[The spheal joins the battle happily and immediately, clapping his flippers and winking cheekily as he sends a gentle ice ball at the wild Pokemon.]

[thumbsdown]

[Boone watches as the ice ball hits the Tentacool, and the pokemon immediately seems disoriented and weak. Boone orders Magikarp to use Splash, which just causes the Tentacool to bob up and down on the little waves created, and then he throws the pokeball.

Luckily, it floats. It rocks on top of the water, the pokemon trying to free itself, before the ball clicks shut. Boone swims over and picks the ball back up, and gives Lust a little smile.]

Hey, we did it. Or, well, you did it, I guess. Thanks, Guttle.

[He still pats the Magikarp as it floats past him at least. It may only know Splash, but it tries very hard when it uses the move.]