victory_road | Day at the races

Entry tags:

Day at the races

Who: Anyone coming to race!
Where: Circuit de Kantochamps
When: September 15th
Summary: Farrah Ari has a problem and she has appealed to you for help!
Log:

On September 15, all who have given heed to Farrah's plea for help gather at Circuit de Kantochamps over in, well, Kanto. UBIRDS were arranged by Farrah for the event (she really, really wants someone to beat these little jerks) so anyone, anywhere is welcome to join!

Once you arrive at the Circuit, Farrah can be seen pacing and muttering to herself, her Cyclizar Charles trying his level best to calm her down. It doesn't look like she is interested in a chat right now. Neither would you be, probably, if your Circuit was absolutely flooded with strange Tentacool knock-offs (If you scan them with your gear, the Pokedex will tell you these pokemon are called Toedscool) who are all jumping around, stretching, wrestling a bit amongst each other and being a rather general nuisance. Though if anyone tries to tell them off, they very quickly flee to hide behind--

Oh good god.

That's an absolutely massive Tentacruel-- no, Toedscruel. She towers over the many little Toedscool, patting them with her massive tentacles, and having the audacity to glare at you if you even dare to look slightly funny at her very precious brood.

Unfortunately, because of how quickly Farrah had to put this all together, there aren't a lot of side activities available at the circuit right now. There is The Race obviously, but apart from that, you are free to check out The Stables where Farrah's Cyclizar are being kept. If you are interested in borrowing one for the race, you might want to head over there a little early and get to meet your new ride.

The other thing that is available is A Small Museum. And we do mean small! It's barely two rooms, but it is filled with memorabilia of Cyclizar racers and racing from outside of this region. It honestly looks less like a formal museum, and more like someone's personal collection that has grown massively out of control. But hey, if you have an interest in learning a bit more about Cyclizar racing (or if you just want a quiet place to flee the crowd) feel free to check it out.

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Keith was trying to focus more on the fact that Allura had done well and less on the fact that he'd failed miserably. At least Prex didn't seem too upset. The near-alpha sized Wyrdeer was happily munching on a pile of various berries Keith had secured as a way to cure any lingering splinters from the spikes or paralysis from the shocks, and Keith was attempting to clean out the dirt and grime from the thick grey coat. He was pretty filthy himself, but he figured he'd clean up after he was done with Prex, since he was likely to just get all dirty again during the process.

Next to him was a Samurott, named "Thace", who was helping with the cleaning process by using some very well controlled instances of Water Gun, Aqua Jet, and Aqua Tail, depending on how caked into the fur the dirt was.

Keith was chalking this one up to their lack of having worked together much. Prex originally had belonged to Thace, and it wasn't even a trade. Keith had gotten Prex when Thace had left this place. He'd only really started using Prex to ride around on while he'd been resting and regaining strength in his ankle after his injury. So, an actual challenge like this was new to them as a team.

"Looks like we'll have to do some more training together, huh, Prex?" The Pokémon snorted a bit through a mouthful of berries. Yeah. He agreed with Keith.

Edited 2023-09-26 06:01 (UTC)

She didn't know most of the people in the race, but that didn't stop Bo from approaching her fellow racers to congratulate them all on doing their best. That included Keith, especially since he seemed a bit bummed with his results. He wasn't sure if she would be of any consolation, but it was the sportsman-like thing to do.

Thus the armor clad woman came walking up to the young man and his Pokemon, looking them all over for a moment as Keith had some creatures she had yet to see before. With her helmet tucked under one arm, she extended her other hand to him.

"Good job out there."

Keith lifted an eyebrow as he worked, giving a glance over to the woman for a moment, and then shrugged.

"Not really, but it was my first time doing a challenge with Prex," he said. "Just need to work a bit more on our coordination, I think."

It didn't help that Wyrdeer just didn't have resistances and moves that could have done a better job, too.

There’s a pause for a moment and she lowered her hand, letting it just drop at her side. Her eyes looking at the big deer. She could say several things, about how he tried his best, but she had a feeling that wouldn’t help.

“I’m no Pokémon expert,” she admits. So it’s not like she could refute what he said or offer advice. She was pretty new here after all, and she suspected he had probably been doing this a long time.

“But he’s a beautiful animal. And quite the jumper.” She had caught sight of them at the second obstacle. His deer certainly having done a better job with the stumps than the Cyclizar she had ridden.

Keith mentally flinched, only noticing her hand as she lowered it.

"Ah... sorry..." He gave her a sheepish look. He was bad at these things sometimes.

"Thanks, though," he said. "He's definitely good at jumping. I got him from a friend." He worked the large brush through the coat, loosening up some of the more caked in dirt. It was a messy job, and it showed in just how much extra dirt was on Keith by this point. "His name's Prex."

Prex made a low grumbling kind of noise in his chest in response as if greeting Bo.

"I'm Keith," he continued. "Are you new here?"

Fortunately, Bo didn't take it personally. He's young and has feelings, she gets that. She had been there once.

A faint smile coming to her face as she's introduced to the Pokemon and even greeted by him. "Hello, Prex." A glance at Keith as he gives his name too. "Bo-Katan," she offered in return. "Yes, I've been here only a few weeks." Which, compared to everyone else she's met, was a short time. It seemed all the other people brought here from other worlds have been here for a long time. A year or more. At least all the ones she's met so far.

She now offered her hand to the Pokemon. "May I?" A question for both of them, really.

Keith nodded.

"He's still pretty dusty, but he's friendly."

And, as if to illustrate, Prex stretched his nose forward for pets.

"Well... welcome," Keith said. "I've been here a while now, but it's not a bad place." He smiled a little. "Kind of relaxing sometimes compared to other things." Like fighting a war back home.

Bo is still pretty dusty herself, she’s going to have to give her armor a good cleaning later, so she doesn’t mind at all. In fact she smiles when Prex stretches out, and she places her hand on his nose, giving it a rub.

“What a handsome fellow you are.”

What Keith says though gets a short laugh. “Yes, I’ve been told I can relax here. Honestly, I’m not very good at it.” She’s tried and had some success, but her mind wouldn’t let her relax too much before bad thoughts started creeping in. Keeping busy was just… better for her.

"Wyyyrr..." Thanks. Prex appreciated the compliment.

"I know the feeling," Keith said. He wasn't good at relaxing either. He'd spent a lot of his life on edge, especially the last several years. There was a reason the young twenty-something had a large scar on the right side of his face. "It definitely takes some getting used to."

Gently petting the Wyrdeer, Bo can’t help a small smile. At least there was someone here who could understand. She had honestly been a bit surprised with how well Din had settled into life here. She wasn’t sure she could manage it.

So much of her life has been spent in conflict and struggle. Even the brief moments of peace proved to be difficult. Her own scar a testimony to that. A diagonal line across the right side of her forehead. Extending from her hairline to the corner of her brow. It was old and faint, but it was there.

“I should be home, rebuilding my planet.” A slight note of frustration in her voice, but it passes quickly. “But for now, I’m doing my best to learn about these Pokémon.”

Oof. That sounded really familiar. Keith nodded.

"Yeah. We're in a period like that back home for me, too," he said. "It was a long fight. And now we have to find our way back." He smiled a little sadly.

"Well, not 'back', per se. We can never really go back," he said. "But... I think you know what I mean. Recover and move on... move forward."

"I do know what you mean. In some ways the fight is easy, its the moving forward that's truly difficult."

Much more difficult than she had thought. They finally got back their planet, but there was just so much to do. And keeping everyone together was not likely to be an easy task either.

Keith nodded, a reflective look on his face.

"It certainly feels that way," he said quietly.

After a beat, he shook his head a little and pushed out a small smile, giving another pat to Prex before sending him off to air dry. The wyrdeer gave a good shake before trotting away, leaving Keith a bit more wet than before.

"Well..." He chuckled a bit. "For now, though, here, things are okay." He took a deep breath. "When the time comes for us to go back home, we'll be going back to the exact same point in time anyway. So, anything we need to do back home, it can still be done." He said that like he had experienced it...

The way he says it does make her brows raise a bit. She's heard things of course, but not with so much certainty as Keith did now.

"You know that for sure? Have you gone home?"

Because that definitely has her attention. There's so much she needs to do, so much that weighed on her mind. Even with the reassurances that it will all be waiting for her when she got home. Because who knows when that would be? A lot of the people she's met have been here for years.

Keith nodded.

"Kind of. It was weird, and a lot of people here say I did," he said. "But, I suddenly blacked out, and woke up back home. Kind of how I ended up here, I guess. But, my body was here and home?" He frowned a bit. "I know it sounds weird, and I thought maybe I'd just had a coma dream or something. But, everything that happened in the dream also happened to one of my friends who was here from home, and he hadn't gone through that. Like, he'd already been from the later point in time from home when he got here. I was originally from earlier, and then... I had that happen."

It was hard to explain, really. Keith had no idea if what he was saying even made sense. It still sounded weird to him.

"Also, while I was home, I didn't remember this place. So, I was there, and just... living through it all. Like this place didn't exist."

It had bothered him after he woke back up and his memories kind of jumbled all back together, because he had important things here now that he didn't want to forget. So, knowing that he'd forgotten them in some way was upsetting.

“That is strange.” She can understand why it would be hard to explain. How can you be in two places at once? … Unless. No. She wasn’t going to let her thoughts go that direction.

It was all difficult to wrap her mind around. She believed him and didn’t think he had any reason to make any of that up. But something like that should be impossible. But there are several things here that should be impossible.

“But when you came back you remembered your experiences here? That must be confusing, having your memories jumbled up like thad.”

"It was at first. I think I've got it sorted out now, but... definitely had a headache for a few days. Heh." He shrugged. "I'm honestly glad I came back, though. I have things here that, even if I didn't remember them back home, things I want to keep. And, what I have back home, well... I could have most of it here at some point if it shows up." He'd never have his wolf, but the shiny Lycanroc that was often at his side was kind of a fill-in for Kosmo. And having the other Pokémon helped, too. They'd stepped into the role that Kosmo filled back home. And for the people he missed? He hoped they'd get the chance to come here, too. It was... nice... nicer than home, sometimes.

And he'd gotten to share his wedding with both his parents... something he'd never have gotten the chance for back home. Honestly, as frustrating as some things could be in regards to Arceus dragging them all here, he was grateful to the giant magical llama for that, at least.

It's not long at all before his wife and her Galarian Rapidash Glicynia make their way to Keith's side. Despite Allura coming in second place, her demeanor is a bit more sober seeing Keith so down. She knows how hard he can take losses.

"The two of you did very well."

And she means it; that was a good run considering that many obstacles, on a Pokémon he wasn't that familiar with. She's just not sure whether Keith believes that yet.

"Heh." He appreciated the comment, even if he didn't really believe it right now, either. "Thanks..."

He gave her a smile, though, holding back from immediately hugging her considering how dusted up he was.

"Congrats, though. You placed."

Well too bad, he’s getting a hug and a peck on the lips anyway.

“Thank you. I’m honestly surprised I did so well. I honestly think that odd Zapdos at last year’s prom had better sportsmanship than these new Pokémon.”

"Mm." Keith considered that.

"I guess," he said. "Though, I think we were being tested on purpose with that one. Those big Pokémon seem to like to do that. But... with this, it seemed more... I don't know. Definitely less of a test and more of just... 'we're here, deal with it'." He shrugged, and then took her hand.

"But, the race got the track back, so... goal accomplished, right?"

"Exactly. And it was a team effort, yourself included." She presses another kiss to his cheek with a coy grin. "If you want, I'd be more than happy to have a rematch against you, minus the cheating wild Pokémon."

"Hm?" Keith looked thoughtful about that. "I don't know. It made for some interesting extra obstacles." And he could figure out a more resistant Pokémon this time.

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Day at the races

Post-Race

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