victory_road | [closed]

[Jean being Jean, he's already preparing his ~~troops~~ Pokemon before they even hunt down their first mark. His Mega Pidgeot, Penny, and his Corviknight, Chess, and his main concerns, since they're gonna be the first wave, responsible for bringing the Braviary down to the ground so their non-flying Pokemon could join in the fight.]

Watch your distance. [His manner with them is as straightforward as he is with people.] It's gonna be big, so you're going to have to take an extended reach into account. Not to mention possible Psychic assaults. Chess, you're gonna have to take the brunt so Penny can get in. With your typing, you should be able to take more hits before your health gets low.

[His two birds regard him with rapt attention as he explains the situation. They seem eager to fight, bristling with excitement to show off their skills. They've definitely had meetings like this before.]

Make sure you're aware of what's going on below too. Other Pokemon might be assisting with cover fire...

[Angel is a bit more fidgety than usual. Though her team has agreed to her (arguably silly) plan to capture and rehabilitate one of the creatures, she can't help but feel a touch self-conscious over it all. Hence why she's standing nearby, waiting for Jean to finish his speech. Skagbait stands at the ready behind her, posture rigid and ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. Mari and Bailey flank her, both equally as ready to take off in their own respective maneuvers.]

Jean? [She gives his shoulder a tap, then takes a step back.] I wished to thank you for assisting with this. Regardless of what happens, I appreciate what you and your team are doing for us.

Hm? [Jean glanced over his shoulder once prompted-- he hadn't heard her come up on him, as focused as he was with orienting his Pokemon on the battle ahead.] Oh hey, Angel.

[He quickly ran his hand through his hair to get it to be just the right amount of tousled. It was pretty obvious what he was doing, even if it was fast, and just once.]

It's no problem. I would have been out after the bounty either way. Actually catching one of them sounds more fun, tho'. I want to trying riding it if you're able to get it tamed.

[Penny the Pidgeot puffed up her chest in indignation at the idea, and stamped her feet on the ground to make her displeasure clear.]

Yeah, yeah, Penny. No need to get jealous. You know you're my only girl.

[Jean is adorable, and Angel can't help herself. She pushes up on her toes, attempting to untousle and smooth out his hair. He should look like a proper gentleman when going to meet potential bird death, she thinks! It's definitely not her needing to do something with her hands to keep from nervously fidgeting.]

I will be sure to keep that in mind. [She muffles a faint laugh behind her free hand.] Provided Miss Penny will allow it, of course. Rest assured, I will not allow you to spend too much time away from her.

[She holds out a hand for the Pidgeot, then reaches to pat her on the head.]

[Jean instinctively leans over a bit when she reaches up to mess with his hair. It's not the first time she's tried to make him look presentable. Sure, it's all gonna get blown back by the wind in a minute, but it's the principle of the matter.]

You always know just what to say. [Penny seemed quite satisfied with that answer, and let Angel touch her without complaint.] She's pretty covetous. Doesn't like me riding any of my other Pokemon, no matter how much I tell her she's my best flier.

[Despite the gravity of the situation, Angel can't help but offer a gentle but pleased smile. She wouldn't claim (to his face, at least) that she has the man wrapped around her finger. But she'd hazard a guess to say that it's pretty close.

Really, she thinks it's sweet.]

Years of being a Guardian Angel had to leave me with some sort of skill. [She keeps the scritches up, all but cooing at the Pidgeot.] But sometimes words are never enough on their own. Repetition helps, as does action.

But he keeps coming back to you, right, Penny? You have nothing to worry about.

[She absolutely has him in the palm of her hand. But, to be fair, it's not that hard to accomplish. Especially when you're as cute as Angel is.]

What was that like? I don't know a whole lot about your world.

[She didn't talk about it that often.]

[She stiffens for just a moment. It's not an easy story to tell, especially when it's one she's told him before, in a manner of speaking. While she's long since stopped drawing comparisons between this Jean and the one who had come before him, it's easy to forget that he doesn't know everything about her.]

It was... [Her expression wavers, just a little.] I met a great many people. And I had a wealth of knowledge at my fingertips. There are those who could not ask for more.

[None of that really answers the question, she doesn't thing. but it's also a question that she doesn't want to answer, not here at least. The last thing they need is to be distracted by a traumatic story from worlds away.]

Do you need any assistance getting ready?

[Even someone like Jean could immediately see that that was the whitewashed version of the explanation. But he wasn't about to needle anything more out of her either. People had pasts, and they were allowed to keep that as close to their chests as they wanted. He would hate to have to explain all the horrible things he's done to her. She probably wouldn't want to be around him anymore.]

Sure. [He tried his best to keep things rolling without bringing her short answer to the forefront.] Do you have any Pokemon you think'd do good in this kind of battle?

[She appreciates when her story goes unquestioned. It would only be fair to tell him the truth, sooner rather than later. If nothing else, he should know where the danger in this world happened to lay. But that would be a story for another time. For now, she glances over her shoulder, motioning to Mari.]

Electric seems to be the best bet, along with ice. [She pats her belt as well.] Nimbus should be well prepared for the coming challenge, especially with Frosmoth to back her up.

It will be nice to help out for a change, even if I am asking a lot of us all.

Electric's good, defensively too. Frosmoth is part bug, right? That resists Psychic, but is weak to Flying... Be careful with what attacks that one takes.

It's not a big deal. It's a big bird, but not Titan big. I don't start worrying until... about 15 meters.

You are correct. I anticipate her being a last resort. I imagine Mari and Nimbus will do most of the work.

[She doesn't really know what to anticipate with the coming fight. But with a team full of level 100s, she's at least relatively confident that they'll be able to hold their own.]

I will be sure to warn you if I have any requests over 15 meters in the future, then. Since you have proven so reliable in coming to my aid.

It might be a good idea to have them work in pairs. You can try to coordinate who's taking their brunt of attacks depending on their type, and their partner can always provide cover fire.

Heh. If I had my gear with me, size wouldn't matter much.

Ever the tactician, aren't you Mr. Kirstein.

[She pays him on the upper arm, because like hell is she going to try stretching to ruffle his hair. She does still give him a very playful wink, though!]

It's the thought that counts, at least. I know that if you had a choice, I wouldn't have to lift a finger against the Braviary.

Your boyfriend's the real brains in the operation. His cockeyed plans have saved my hide more than once. I'm just a practical thinker, that's all.

Nah, I respect a strong woman. I know you can do it. Asking for help is just the smart thing to do.

[Obviously, as a member of the Aurora League and a local gym leader, Armin has to get involved in this. What good is a position like his if he cannot help out when people are in need?

So, just a few minutes after the broadcast, Armin is rushing upstairs into the living area of the gym, intending to change his clothes into something a little more appropriate for battle, getting some supplies together, and checking with the others to see if they'll be helping out too. And-- lord, he can't forget to warn his employees. The gym will be closed until this is over with, and maybe it is for the best they stay home until things are handled.

So caught up in thinking of all the things he needs to do, Armin very nearly bumps into Angel, just barely averting the collision at the last moment by catching Angel's shoulder.]

Crap, sorry, I was-- Did you see the news?

[As Armin is rushing up, Angel is on the verge of rushing out. She might not relish fighting, but she has fully trained team that occasionally wants for a scrap or two. Moreover, there's something about the ferocity of the birds that settles strangely with her. She knows that the Pokemon League won't go out of its way to hurt the birds, but with so many being detained, it's hard not to wonder if they might lack a delicate touch in their efforts.

And so, she'd already resolved herself to take to the field. Truthfully, she'd expected Armin would already be out there, that she wouldn't have to explain her idea until the bird was caught and at least mildly calmed down. She's... pretty sure she can manage that one.

The fact that he's in front of her waylays those plans. She's quick to shake her head, offering a feeble smile to reassure him -- a little bump would hardly hurt her. Nevertheless, the conflict is evident on her face. She stares up at Armin, biting at her lip for a moment as she searches for the right words, then gives a nod.]

I was on my way to help. [It's not untrue. She was going to help something along the way, right?]

Edited 2022-03-15 04:27 (UTC)

[Armin catches sight of her biting her lip, the conflict on her face, but misinterprets the cause. He strokes his thumb in a small arc over her shoulder, his brows furrowing slightly in concern as he looks at her.]

You-- I know you're not a big battler. If you'd rather stay home, no one will fault you.

[Armin certainly won't!]

[Though the comfort is appreciated all the same, Angel can't help but feel guilty for misleading him. She's quick to shake her head, stepping out of his grip for the time being. At least let him understand her intentions before he goes about trying to help her.]

I want to be there. They need help. [This time, she won't let her words be misunderstood.] Those Braviary need help, I mean. I don't --

[She draws a breath.]

With a monetary prize on the line, Lance and the League will have plenty of creatures to observe and monitor. [And she doesn't begrudge them that. Whatever was causing this strange behavior, it needed to be addressed. People could get hurt. But...] Whatever answers they seek, they will find them. So... what's one less creature under their thumb to be poked and prodded at?

Edited 2022-03-22 18:27 (UTC)

[Between her choice of words and knowing what he does of, not just Angel's history, but also Krieg's, it's not hard to understand why this situation doesn't sit well with her. Not that Armin thinks the Pokemon League will be conducting those types of experiments on these pokemon, and he suspects Angel knows it too, but there are times when just knowing something is not enough.]

I get why it makes you uncomfortable, but... someone does need to stop them right now before people get hurt. What do you suggest doing instead?

[There is no accusation in his voice. He's genuinely willing to debate this subject. Not for too long, of course, as there are lives on the line here, but what sort of strategist would he be if he'd prematurely close himself off to certain options? If Angel has something in mind, he'll gladly hear her out.]

[She knows she's being ridiculous. In a place as idyllic as this one, there was little to be worried about in terms of genetic experimentation or anything that might have crossed her mind. This isn't Pandora, and by and large people were not fueled by greed, sadism, or some twisted amalgamation of both. She hardly knows Lance as a person, but after so many years spent in this world, she knows that its people were practically hardwired for ethics. The Braviary would be in good hands.

But it doesn't put Angel's mind at ease.]

Nimbus knows sing. Mari knows Thunder Wave. Together we could sedate the creature long enough to let it know that we will not do it harm. It could be rehabilitated, not unlike some of your Lapras.

I just... would need help to catch it first.

[Had it been anyone but Angel, Armin would probably have vetoed the idea. Or at least, argued strongly against it and probably refrained from helping. But Armin had seen the way Angel had interacted with Krieg, the way she had been able to temper him.

Not that Krieg was a pokemon, of course, but Angel had shown her patience could have incredible results if only she was allowed to try.

But of course, there were still concerns too. If Angel were to catch and try and rehabilitate this pokemon, it would most likely be happening at the gym. The island itself was deserted enough that it was the perfect setting for such an attempt, but as the leader, Armin had a duty to protect both his challengers and his own pokemon as well.]

I can help you and you could keep it here, but... I also need to think about the people that come to my gym. Or my Lapras.

[His words are slow, thoughtful. He worries about her getting injured too, of course, but Angel is an adult and capable of making her own decisions. He wouldn't want to make them for her.]

If it ends up posing a threat to anyone here, I would... have to insist it goes elsewhere, but until then, I'm willing to help you try. If that is something you can agree with.

[None of this comes as a surprise to Angel. The last thing she would want is to put others in danger. And while she has had little time to think ahead about the how's of rehabilitating the Braviary, she is in full agreement that whatever happens cannot have an impact on anyone else.

More than that, though, it's almost comforting to hear him insist upon this condition. While she appreciates that he wants to support her, it would be more concerning if he had abandoned his ideals to do so.]

Of course. If -- it turns out that I cannot help it, or if it would be in better hands with the League, I will turn it over.

[She holds out her hands, palms facing up.]

Are you sure, though?

[Armin gives her a slightly lopsided smile.]

As sure as I ever am about anything.

[Armin is allowed to poke fun at his own tendency to overthink things. But also, he does feel certain in his decision, based on the information they have right now. Of course, that is always subject to change, should new information arise, but he's also certain that Angel will understand that.]

But I reserve the right to change my mind if it eats Jean.

[He is the tallest and therefore would be the biggest target. Logic.]

If it ate Jean, you would want to keep it around forever, right? No matter what?

[Angel allows a little titter of laughter as she takes his hands into his. She smooths her thumbs over the back of them.]

Whatever happens, be safe. I will do the same. [She pauses for a moment.] And I will not let Jean get eaten. Probably.

[Armin squeezes her hands, his face softening into that smitten smile he cannot help but wear when looking at Angel. Even during moments like this.]

We both should make sure Jean goes uneaten. He would haunt us forever if he was.

That would be rather unpleasant. Imagine him haunting our room.

[Her laugh is still a little strained considering everything, but her shoulders are slowly relaxing.]

[Armin scrunches his face up at the thought of Jean-- Of him seeing--

Nope.]

I feel I should haunt you for putting that thought in my mind.

[closed]

Pre-Battle, OTA

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For Angel, perhaps? convince him we are rehabilitating one!!

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