memoryborn | [Video|Action for Goldenrod City]

[ The feed starts off shaky and wonky and upside down, but it pays witness to a Scizor smashing in the face of a familiar Miltank with one of his pincers. Whitney's scream of outrage and near bloody murder drowns out the poor Miltank's whimper as it sags to the ground, knocked out with a single hit. The camera rights itself and purposefully zooms in on Whitney's red face - it looks like she's been sobbing for quite a while now. She points an accusing finger at her challenger. ]

I can't believe you! You're evil! Evil fraternal twins bullying me with overpowered Pokemon!

I'm sorry. I know things have been busy with those fossils running around, but as it seems to be over and we've been holding off for a while--

Waaaaaaaaaaaahhh!

Will you stop it?

[The camera turns to the other person in the Gym. Ilya stamps her foot and looks quite firmly irritated. Outraged, in fact.]

What kind of conduct is this? You call yourself a lady? You're a disgrace!

Illya, we don't need to aggravate her any further--

Meanies! Evil, the both of you! Here! Take your stupid badge!

[ Despite the huge display of shaking and crying Whitney is showing, she manages to chuck the tiny badge over Xion's Scizor and smack the thing squarely against Xion's forehead. She continues to cry, but this act prompts a roar from the holder of the Gear (which sounds much like a Hydreigon's roar) and her Scizor's wings to furiously flutter. ]

Ow!

Xion! Are you hurt?

[Ilya reaches up to check on Xion's forehead, and after a couple moments of satisfying herself that she's not bleeding from one of the pointy ends, turns back to Whitney.]

How dare you! I have a mind to... to...

[She seems to fail at figuring out what exactly she intends to do to Whitney, just standing there with her fists clenched and her eyes narrowed. At her side, a looming Dusclops glares with its one red eye.]

It's fine, Illya! It's nothing. [ As she says this, she's pulling on her hood to hide the little mark while bending down to pick up her badge. ] Let's go... Wait. Tiamat? Wait!

[ The feed is suddenly flying towards and behind Whitney. There's a Hydreigon head seen before it opens a mouth and bites down on poor girl's butt.

The shriek is almost ear shattering. ]

Eeeeeek! Owowowowowow! [ She swats angrily at the Hydreigon, who flies high up and stares down with the Gear. Then she gasps, looking back up at Tiamat then at Xion. ] It's you! You again?! You're the trainer whose Deino bit me in the butt!

I apologized!

[Ilya is desperately trying to reign in her laughter, but it's not... really working all that well. Meanwhile, her Dusclops is opening its mouth...

Oops, there's a second ear piercing scream.]

Ow ow ow! Orpheus, that was not a challenge to a screaming competition!

Illya, let's just go! We might get arrested at this rate!

[ Tug, tug. Everyone's just screaming and crying and yelling... while Tiamat just laughs her dark Hydreigon laugh above. ]

But I still don't have my badge...

[She does, however, reluctantly allow herself to get pulled away.]

Orpheus! Hepheastus! Come!

[With a roar and a groan, the Aggron and the Dusclops obediently begin following their trainer away from the increasingly frantic gym leader.]

Tiamat! --And please stop recording!

[ Xion realizes belatedly. At the call, Tiamat swoops over while obeying orders and cutting the feed after that. ]

[ Audio that happens half an our later: ]

Whitney's still the same. [ No kidding. Beat. ] If anyone plans to challenge her sometime soon, um... please be careful.

[ And then another audio message filtered to Minato and the Ninja Team: ]

I hope you guys have been okay from the fossil Pokemon attack. I think I'm going to travel with Illya for a bit. She wanted to visit Ecruteak for some information. If you guys need help, though, we could both travel back to you guys whenever we can.

And... sorry I've been quiet. A lot of things have been happening. Stay safe.

[ ooc: Badges approved for both! Whitney and Illya. ]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

I guess most of the Gym leaders haven't changed their tactics or rosters since I left, huh?

That's not easy. But I guess, if it's really the best thing I can do for you, I can at least try.

[The last thing she wants is to just go along with it all like nothing's wrong, but she knows if she tries to force the issue Xion'll just clam up more. Her shoulders slump a little, but she does keep her eyes on Xion's face.]

Just... remember you can trust me, okay? I'll be your friend no matter what you tell me.

We were alright. Xion's not injured despite that girl throwing the badge at her, and I got mine from a bouncer outside so it's not like we have to go back for it.

[Her eyebrow twitches at that other sentence. Neither of those descriptors is something she would apply to Whitney. At all.]

Do you really think she would have done something like that deliberately?

[Because honestly, that idea's a little scary.]

[There's one Hydreigon peering at the camera with a low moan. That wasn't very nice, Tiamat!

Riku hopes into view shortly after, rolling his eyes and resisting the urge to slap his palm over his face.]

Sheesh. You'd think she'd grow a spine after all the trainers that steamroll her. Or at least act more professional, seeing as she's a Gym Leader and all.

Sorry you guys had to deal with that.

We should still be around here for a little while. Why don't you give me a shout when you feel like headin' our way?

I'll make sure t'have a pie ready for you when you show up.

Edited 2013-08-02 23:04 (UTC)

...Expecting Whitney to change is like expecting wind to move a large boulder without any assistance, to be honest.

[speaking as someone who's used to being dragged around by her... yeah.]

Congrats on the badges anyways.

[At least there's an amused smirk on his face.]

[ At that, she finally gives a small smile. ]

I appreciate it, Illya. Really. Maybe another time I'll talk about it.

[ She just didn't want to raise false alarm flags, even though another part of her screamed she had every right to. Still, Xemnas acted so cordial... is this what he would've been like with a heart? Or was it all another... lie?

Her jaw tightens at the thought, but she manages to make her smile not look strained. ]

Come on, we still need to get to the Center.

I'll be sure to do that. Thank you. I'll just have to talk with Illya about travel plans. These always change when you least expect it.

[ Tiamat just snaps her two hand heads in irritation, wings fluttering. She totally deserved it! ]

It's okay, Riku. Some things don't really change no matter how much time passes, huh?

[ She notes that smirk, then gives a nod of thanks. ]

Thanks, Shinn. I'd challenge Elite teams, but everything's reset for me.

Tell me 'bout it. Somehow or another we ended up stuck in Cianwood for 'round three months.

Really? Why?

Folks kept makin' plans. We ended up waitin' a long while for some convoluted scheme Rainbow dreamed up that ended up fallin' through.

Guess it's cue to start raising some babies and let them dominate the field, then!

[is he serious about this? nobody knows considering he said this with a serious tone tbh.]

That is a relief, though you could have spared her as much embarrassment as possible...

[ Stickler or not, it seems she's still soft towards Ilya. ]

The bouncer as well? No trouble whatsoever?

Yeah, alright. Let's go.

[She doesn't hold out her hand this time, but she keeps it hanging down and out, as if in tacit invitation if Xion wants to retake it.]

Oh, one other thing. After we're done at the Center, there's something I'd like to do. It'll only take a bit, we'll just have to go to the Department Store, but I'll need your help?

You have to collect them again? How droll...

[ She's just as detached with that statement. Droll? No, she feels pity for her. Xion went through a lot of work before and to have it not amount to anything because she left for a while must be a sink to her morale. ]

Is it more of a challenge this time?

I wanted to get it over with quickly. She doesn't really seem to enjoy it no matter what you do, so I figured it would be best if we could just get in and get out. Besides, most of my Pokemon are so well beyond hers that it was virtually impossible not to embarrass her.

[And yet, soft or not, she still feels the need to explain herself.]

Nothing worse than a nasty look.

[Ilya wishes she'd brought Hydra along right now. Then again, Crush's example might not be the best one to learn from.]

At least we don't have to go back there. I think I've had all of her I can stand.

So we need to wait for a tornado?

[Even that might not be enough, honestly.]

Thank you. At least the bother was worth it.

Not at all. As far as I can tell, they've all kept the same teams from the beginning. ...Though I have to wonder if Falkner's Elite team was finally found...

I would like to hope not, but her attitude has been this unstable for three years. That cannot be healthy for her mind.

No, I've gotten that impression... but I'd rather ensure that a bad situation doesn't have to be any worse than it needs to be.

[...that, and the team he plans to use could use a little more training first...]

I need to train the Pokemon I'll be using to face her a bit more anyway, so that will probably suffice. I could easily use Pokemon that are far beyond what the Gym Leaders use for regular challenges, but that would probably make things exceedingly dull.

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