2024-05-12: Stealing Is Fun
- Log: Stealing Is Fun
- Cast: Anne Aomori, Seraph Ragnell, Mia Tamaoka
- Where: Aomori Pokemon Lab, Viridian City, Energy Nede
- Date: May 12, 2024 (506 PC Filgaian)
- Summary: Ragnell does some snooping at the Aomori Pokemon Lab, and Mia comes across her. When Anne comes over next, they discuss crime, give and take bribes, and instill in Mia a desire to train.
<Pose Tracker> Anne Aomori has posed.
The Aomori Pokemon Lab in Viridian City is not, officially, a Team Rocket Facility. ...But the, Team Rocket is a criminal organization, so most things about it aren't 'officially' there. The lab itself is a large building near Viridian Forest, fairly well nondescript except for a pretty green roof. There are a number of people who work here, and they are busy at their various tasks. the receptionist is near the entryway; the various labs contain Pokemon, tables, computers, and, in one case... machinery.
Colorful machinery! Pieces of big Meowth faces, vacuum tubes, and big mechanical arms are stored away in preparation for the next time they're needed.
There are 'R's on some of the equipment, in fact--but you'd have to snoop pretty hard to find that.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Team Rocket is a bunch of stinkers. Ragnell appreciates that about them. While Solaris and the Ten Wise Men are big problems, and she has her eyes on those two, there's something about just going out and doing a heist that has an element of fun. Of course, that might just be an outside impression. That's why it's important to look into them to get a better idea of what they're really like.
That's why she's here at the Aomori Pokemon Lab. She happened to catch sight of someone in an "R"-emblazoned jacket and followed them here, and while she lost sight of wherever they went, it's clear this was their destination. To scope out? To rob? Something else entirely? Who knows! But it's the reason why she lets herself in in the front, strolls in as the receptionist wonders if the entryway is busted, and takes a look at the labs.
It's pretty normal-looking, for the most part. More or less what she'd expect from a Pokemon lab. The machinery is impressive, and she takes a closer look at some of that equipment, inspecting it from different angles, passing through solid material as needed--
"Hmmmmm. Well, ain't that somethin'," she drawls as she discovers a bright red 'R'.
<Pose Tracker> Mia Tamaoka has posed.
It is a secret Team Rocket facility--so secret, in fact, that not even everybody on staff actually knows about it. Just Anne and a few trusted Team Rocket operatives.
A number that includes a young teenaged Needian girl, in fact. Who definitely doesn't look like a Team Rocket operative at the moment. Standing about 5'1", medium-length purple hair framing her face, black rectangular glasses, purple hoodie, and a fuchsia skirt over black bike shorts.
And incredibly pale, silver eyes.
In addition to her secret Team Rocket duties, she does actually help Anne out around the lab. Every researchers needs trainers to go into the fields to get things, after all... and Anne's taken an extra interest in Mia besides.
"Okay, s-so we just need to help organize s-some of the equipment," she says as she enters.
The purple feline-like pokemon perched on her shoulder makes an agreeable, "Purr!"
"Yeah, h-hopefully it'll be quick!" says Mia chipperly.
But she pauses when she steps into the room and catches a strange woman half-in and half-out of a piece of equipment.
And blinks. She is definitely looking right at Ragnell.
"E-excuse me, Miss. Y-you're not supposed to be back here."
<Pose Tracker> Anne Aomori has posed.
Anne Aomori has reconnected with the fun part of crime lately, after an unpleasant experience with her daughter--who happens to have met Ragnell. That may be important later, because they share a strong family resemblence. But for now, Anne has some work to do...
And later, some of that work will be telling a certain R-clad Grunt that they have a hundred pushups to do.
"Mia," comes Anne's voice. "If you keep standing in the middle of the hall and spacing out, we're going to have an issue."
She says it fondly though, stepping into the room and regarding--
Anne whistles. "Aren't you interesting?" she wonders of Ragnell. She pats Mia on the shoulder, and nudges her into the laboratory, closing the door behind her.
"Are all spirits like you this free with mortal belongings, or is it a special trait?" Anne asks, more amusd than alarmed.
But Ragnell might see in her eyes that she's calculating, too.
Her labcoat has a nametag; Anne Aomori. Like the name outside.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Some local lab worker comes in with their Pokemon. Ragnell doesn't pay her much mind until she stops short, stares directly at her, and tells her she's not supposed to be here. Ragnell looks up, eyebrows risen, and stares right back at Mia.
Her red eyes flick to one side as Anne walks in. She stands up straight, resting a hand on a hip. She *does* look a lot like that girl from the other day, but she's clearly older. A sister? A mother? An aunt? Her focus shifts to that nametag. Anne Aomori, hmm. She slides her a smirk and half-turns her and Mia's ways.
"I *am* interestin'! Good o' you t' notice," she declares, pressing her other hand to her chest. "Depends on which spirit you're talkin' about, but it's definitely a special trait o' mine!" She smirks and winks at them both.
<Pose Tracker> Mia Tamaoka has posed.
Mia does smile a little bit as she looks back to Anne, recognizing that playful tone. But her smile drops a moment later as she says, "Doctor Aomori, I th-think you'd better take a look at this..."
Certainly she should probably worried about encountering a spirit, but... she's actually more worried about it being in an area it shouldn't be, weirdly enough.
She steps inside when Anne indicates, studying Ragnell curiously... then looking up to Anne, as if asking for guidance.
She's far less calculating than Anne, however. But she is studying Ragnell with interest, and there's a faint shimmer to her eyes as she studies the spirit. "Y-you're not a ghost..." she mumbles to herself.
She doesn't have a nametag, but she does have a visitor's pass that reads 'Mia Tamaoka.'
There is a fiant blush to her cheeks as Ragnell winks at her, and she quickly drops her gaze for a moment.
<Pose Tracker> Anne Aomori has posed.
Anne's eyes are paler than Ragnell's. But she can see that smirk--and hear tthat reply. She squeezes Mia's shoulder reassuringly.
"And confident! Good. I have no time for a shy spirit. ...But someone who appreciates a little sneaking around sounds like fun."
"She's not a ghost," Anne agreees with Mia, but her eyes are still on Ragnell. "A... Seraph, if I don't miss my guess. But I could be wrong. You have a very different essence from the other I met."
"I'm Anne," Anne introduces herself, "And this is Mia. If you want to be formal, you can call me Professor... But I don't imagine you do."
"...In the future," she suggests to Mia, "If you want to lie to someone about the secret machinery, you wouldn't volunteer that this is supposed to be here either." Smile. She drops her hand from Mia's shoulder and says to Ragnell, "What's your name?"
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
"Hmmm... So not only can you see me, you can tell the difference, huh?" Ragnell regards Mia thoughtfully, taking her and her name tag in as she holds her chin. She grins at Anne when she compliments her nerve.
"Oh, so you're familiar with us! That's right. I'm what they call a Seraph. There's a lot o' different types among us, so that's probably what you're sensin'," she replies. She laughs as Anne introduces the two of them. "I don't! Good instincts, Doc." Even if Ragnell already knows their names via their nametags, but she doesn't feel like pointing that out.
"As for me, I'm Ragnell. I came by t' snoop for the fun of it an' I found this interestin' mark right here." She pats the machine next to her, right over its red 'R'. "So you two are with Team Rocket, huh? The sprout seems a li'l timid for that, but--" She flashes Anne a toothy grin. "You seem like you might be fun, too." A beat. "So what kinda trouble are you two cookin' up here?"
<Pose Tracker> Mia Tamaoka has posed.
Anne likes confidence... Mia's been working on hers, but it's definitely still a work in progress.
Mia does relax a little bit more with that reassuring squeeze, and then nods in agreement about Ragnell being a Seraph. "Think you're right." That light shimmering fades, and she rubs at the bridge of her nose for a moment, closing her eyes.
Purri leans over to rub cheeks with Mia for a moment, and Mia lifts her other hand to scritch her ears. It only takes her a moment to recover before she opens her eyes again.
She blinks and looks up as Anne advises her on how to lie better. "I... hmm." She frowns in thought as she mulls that over. "... What should I s-say next time?"
Ragnell is comments on them being able to see her. "S-some people here have Resonance. ... Not th-that we knew about it b-before the Visitors came."
She's been mostly calm up until now, but when Ragnell identifies them both as Team Rocket her eyes widen. It's a brief reaction, but she tries to get it under control quickly. Being called timid, though, gets her to stand up straighter and try her best defiant look.
But she looks to Anne before she says anything else.
<Pose Tracker> Anne Aomori has posed.
Just because they have name tags doesn't mean they shouldn't be introduced! It's the nice thing to do.
And it's a little more dramatic that way.
"Just something to think about," she says about lies. And at the question, "Never volunteer information--only ask questions. Let the mark be the one to draw their own conclusions." And instead, "A bit," she says of familiar. "I've gotten the primer, anyway. That would make sense." And what would Ragnell's element be, then? Could it have to do with the way Anne feels a few neck hairs stand on end?
Regardless, "But as you've seen I'm sure, most people don't have any idea you're here at all. Which is probably why no one mentioned you being in my back rooms."
Anne laughs. "It's fine, Mia," she says. "That's right, we are. I handle a number of research angles for them primarily, and machine equipment for use in missions."
"I have some Pokemon lures to make, today."
"...Give the 'sprout' some time; she's still learning. But she's doing much better for herself by the day."
"Pleasure to meet you in any case, Ragnell. I take it that referring to it as 'fun' means I don't have to worry about a Seraph's pesky case of morality today?"
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Because Team Rocket members are so well-known for being nice! ...Or so Ragnell would say if that'd been said aloud.
"Yeah, I don't get the impression that it's a thing for y'all here on Nede," Ragnell tells Mia, folding her arms behind her neck. She laughs, though, when Mia seems to take offense to being called timid and glares at her. "What, you're sayin' you're not~?" She crooks a gloved finger and smirks. "Go on an' tell me off then, if you're so feisty! Or better yet, c'mere and gimme a smack! You're not *scared*, are ya?"
However Mia might better be able to lie, though, that's between her and Anne. Which is good, because Anne has some very good advice on that count. She nods once as Anne makes a conclusion at her.
"Yup, reckon that's right," she replies. She smirks at their reactions to being called out as Team Rocket members, Mia will that brief but clear panic, Anne with aplomb. Reactions wholly consistent with their personalities thus far in the minute that Ragnell has known them.
%R "Good for her, then," she tells Anne of the 'sprout.' Then she jokes, "What morality?" Another wink. "Nah, I don't care. Stealin' is fun!" She gives Anne a thoughtful look. "I am curious, though--who's that other Seraph you met? Odds are I know 'em."
<Pose Tracker> Mia Tamaoka has posed.
"Nice to m-meet you, Ragnell." She can't help it if her stammer works against her confidence, sometimes. She does her best to sell it with her voice, though.
"Only ask questions... r-right." She does glance over to Ragnell as Anne, by implication, calls her a 'mark', wondering how she feels about that, but looks back to Anne quickly enough. "So like... 'C-can I help you?' or... 'Are you l-lost...?'" She's doing her best to take the lesson to heart.
But if Anne seems unconcerned with being identified as a Rocket... Mia relaxes, but only just a bit. "I mostly j-just handle whatever's assigned to me..." she admits. She is still just a grunt, after all. For now. "Today I was g-going to organize some stuff in storage."
But there is a happy smile as Anne identifies that she's doing well, looking at Purri as if to share the good news that Purri just heard Anne say.
Mia crosses her arms. "Th-that's the old me." And still a little bit the new her. But she blinks as Ragnell invites her to just... smack the seraph.
And she mostly looks confused. She and Purri exchange glances for a moment, and then Mia looks to Ragnell. "B-better idea!" She points at Ragnell with a modicrum of dramatic aplomb. "I challenge you t-to a pokemon battle!"
She did promise Anne she wouldn't tangle with people who might be willing to attack her directly, after all.
<Pose Tracker> Anne Aomori has posed.
That's why they'll never expect it! Manners!
To Mia Anne says, "That's a good start. There's a few angles you can take, but the best one for you is probably just to act confused, in a situation like this."
Then a nod to Ragnell about Resonance. "It isn't. 'Spiritual strength' isn't exactly a watchword on Energy Nede. Most of our people wouldn't know adversity if it bit them."
Mia just handles what's assigned to her. And she was going to organize. Purri and Mia are cute together at les. Then, the 'old' Mia...
"That's right," Anne says. "Stealing is fun! There's a bit more to it than that, but you can't leave out the part where we want to enjoy our time changing the world. Say, do you do many card games?"
Then--she beams. "That's better," she says to Mia. "...though you can't rely on your Pokemon to do all the talking," she points out. "You have to be able to show some 'power' of your own, too, even if it's not combat power."
Then to Ragnell, "If you want to try to see 'strength' our way, I could give you a Pokemon to use. No strings, except that I want to see how it goes with you."
"If you want, consider it a prize for getting in here past my security. I won't be handing a lot of them out to enterprising youths for much longer, anyway."
Pause. "The other Seraph was Lanval. Very powerful, very entertaining... but I gather he's a very 'upstanding' kind of guy, given the company he keeps, which could be inconvenient for me later."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Mia *does* seem to be taking Anne's lessons to heart. Good for her. Ragnell doesn't care the 'mark' language because that clearly doesn't apply to her, and if Anne does mean it that way, that just means she's underestimating her, which is fine by Ragnell.
"That sounds boring," she tells Mia bluntly. She smirks anew at the talk of the 'old' her. "Uh huh." It fades into a look of mild exasperation at the challenge to a Pokemon battle, though. "Man, I shoulda figured. Y'all are nuts for makin' monsters fight for you." She chuckles at what Anne says about adversity. "Maybe we should be thankin' the Ten Wise Men for shakin' the status quo up, then."
Card games, though? "Not that often, but sometimes. A round o' poker or blackjack can be treat once in a while." She raises an eyebrow when Anne offers to give her a Pokemon. "Not lend, but *give*? Is that what a Pokemon thief oughtta be doin'?" Still, she rubs her chin. "Well, no harm in takin' a look. I *am* kinda curious how y'all do your things..." Her eyes slide towards Mia. "...though I'm never not gonna be fightin' primarily with my own strength."
She looks back at Anne. This could be a trick or a trap, but if she's for real, it could be interesting to see things through. Someone *did* convince her lately that it might be worthwhile to give Pokemon a try. She'll play along for now, and if it's bogus, well, she'll burn that bridge when she gets to it. "Whatcha got, Doc?"
<Pose Tracker> Mia Tamaoka has posed.
Anne identifies the best solution for her is to act confused. Someone else might read more into that, but Mia nods thoughtfully, accepting it at face value. She trusts Anne, and her advice. "S-so..." She's thinking hard on this. "M-maybe ask for directions, l-like I was lost...?"
Mia might have an edge in the Resonance department most other Nedians don't... though if you measure it by 'spiritual adversity', she's had more than her fair share. She's not about to volunteer more about her Spiritsight, though.
Mia's still working on learning to enjoy stealing, though.
Mia smiles up to Anne as the professor praises her, but nods. "Right. My own p-power..." Even if it's not combat power... Well, she's getting more confident. If she can back it up with her words...
She shrugs at Ragnell. "P-Purri helps make it go by f-faster." A beat. Mia indicates the feline perched on her shoulder. "Th-this is Purri."
Purri is watching Ragnel curiously still, tail slowly swishing. "Purr, purrloin."
"B-but that's just for right n-now. Doctor Aomori thinks I h-have potential." Why is this 14-year-old girl excited to advance in a criminal organization...?
But she blinks as Ragnell balks at the idea of battling. "We d-don't make them. They f-fight cause they want to." A beat. "... though they d-do respond t-to a trainer's will."
Not handing them out much longer... "She's also a p-professor," Mia points out in a way that suggests that should explain everything. They do still have to operate as a legitimate lab, after all.
<Pose Tracker> Anne Aomori has posed.
"More like you don't know why they're here. You have a nametag; you're definitely 'supposed' to be here. The trick is not to contradict anything they already know, but let them reach the conclusion you want them to."
Ragnell is probably not a mark. It's just useful to use the term for th general explanation. If Ragnell were that easy to manipulate, Anne wouldn't be very interested in her. And as to adversity, well--
"I won't deny they present a good opportunity. I'm not much for the destruction of the world, obviously, but we won't get a better chance to change things."
Then she nods to Mia. "That's right," she says. "You do have potential." She smiles at her.
"I'm a thief," Anne confirms, "But I'm also a researcher. I'm fascinated by the idea of how a Pokemon might develop when raised by a Seraph. Consider it a bet. I'm betting that the results are 'interesting'." She grins. "I happen to like poker and blackjack."
"No need to change your approach. While some people seriously train Pokemon as a way of gaining 'power', some people like them as pets, or just battle for fun. For my part, I train both in personal combat and Pokemon combat. I won't bore you with the philosophical details of what we think of Pokemon battling; I'll just tell you that if you take care of one of thse little guys, they'll be loyal to you."
She steps further into the lab and taps at a console; in a few moments, three Pokeballs appear, and then open to let out three little Pokemon.
"You can choose between these three. The first up is Tepig, a Fire-type. The 'Fire Pig' Pokemon. Friendly and nimble, Tepig loves food--and grows into a powerful combatant." Tepig snorts.
It could be a trick or a trap. But Anne keeps explaining, "Next is Oshawott, a Sea Otter pokemon and a water type. They fight with the shell you see there--as they grow, they learn more blade techniques. Finally..."
As Oshawott waves, Snivy... looks smug. Like it knows it's the best choice. "Snivy. The Grass Snake Pokemon. It's very proud, and photosynthesizing using its tail. this lends it speed. It uses vines with great dexterity... and is very intelligent."
"Any of the three will serve you well, provided that you give it time to grow. Mia's right; the stronger your will, the more Pokemon respond to it. Ultimately how much they grow is up to you."
"So... do any of them catch your interest? Like I said--all I ask is that you come check in with me sometime, so I can see how it grows."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Ragnell looks down at the feline Pokemon when introduced. "Well, don't *you* look sly? Purri the Purrloin, though... Not all that creative, are you, Mia? Good luck with that 'potential.'" Her smile is dry when she insists that Pokemon fight because they want to, though. "Uh huh. That's what all the locals who were brought up thinkin' it's right say. Well, I met someone who *isn't* a local who said she had the same experience too, though, so I'm actually startin' to believe it."
It's true that a professor's job is to give Pokemon away. One part of their job. Ragnell shrugs; she's not that familiar, and one thing has to take precedence over the other.
"Sure," she says to Anne of chances. It's a part of her own philosophy, after all. She turns thoughtful, rubbing her chin, when Anne explains her stake in this, though. "I see what you're sayin'. Fair, fair. Well, it's true that Lanval's--not exactly upstandin', but he probably won't be as thrilled to go along with your shenanigans as I would be." She smirks. "An' a bet sounds like fun~."
Of course, not changing her approach would mean that she wouldn't bother training a Pokemon at all. But that's fine. If it doesn't vibe, Ragnell will just set the Pokemon free. She doesn't share that part, though. She follows Anne and Mia deeper into the lab, and when the console presents three Pokeballs that crack open to reveal those within, Ragnell leans in closer to get a closer look. Tepid, Oshawott, and Snivy... She smiles and points at the last one.
"That one looks like a smug leaf. I like that. I'll take 'im," she says.
<Pose Tracker> Mia Tamaoka has posed.
"Ohhh, right," Mia nods thoughtfully. Don't contradict, let them reach the conclusion that she wants. So she has to figure out the right conclusion on the fly and how to manipulate them into it. She gives it a moment's thought and then sighs. "This is complicated... S-so the conclusion is that n-nothing is out of place, r-right...?"
Purri gives her a nuzzle to console her. She'll help Mia figure it out.
But the Ten Wise Men appearing... Mia knows people who have encountered them directly. She hasn't run into them yet, but... She's had her own run-ins. "Th-things are changing... but we have to m-make sure they change the right way."
Mia beams up at Anne as she confirms the potential. Purri also gives an excited purr, too.
Purri is very well-groomed and indeed, very sly. Most of the time she looks like she's smirking a bit, like she knows something nobody else does. "Purrloin purr."
Not very creative, Ragnell says. Mia rolls her eyes. "G-give me a break, I was r-really little when I got her." But she smiles as she looks to Purri, and initiates a cheek rub this time. "B-besides, I th-think it's cute, and she thinks it's c-cute, a-nd that's all that matters. So there." She says that firmly, trying to show off some of her own inner power.
She's not about to let anyone put down Purri, even by putting her down instead.
"A l-lot of Visitors have t-taken to pokemon," reflects Mia. "It's n-nice, that Nede has something to offer them..." Among other things.
Some people raise pokemon for different purposes, Anne explains. And Mia chimes in. "Purri is m-my best friend. Sh-she helps me with... a lot of things. And I take c-care of her too." Mia extends an arm, and Purri extrously slips behind Mia's head to trot gracefully down that arm, leaping off and heading over to where Anne is bringing out the pokeballs. "B-but noe we train for b-battles, too." Mia quickly follows Purri over to see what Anne offers.
Mia pulls out her phone to look up the three pokemon on offer. "Oooh... they're all r-really cute..." She looks thoughtfully at Oshawott and Snivy, then glances to Purri. "We sh-should go out looking for a water or a g-grass type..."
"Purrloin!" agrees Purri.
<Pose Tracker> Anne Aomori has posed.
With a Trainer who can bring out his potential, or free to roam the world again; either outcome is fine with Anne, though someone who knows how rare these particular Pokemon are might balk.
Part of gambling is living with the result.
For Mia, "Or that you're as surprised to see the strange thing as he is. Either can work; it depends on the situation. If you can just gaslight him into believing nothing's wrong at all, that's ideal."
The 'right' way, Mia says, and Anne nods. She laughs a little at the name matter, though. "We usually give them to children," she explains. "But some people try really hard to be 'creative'." She sems pleased at Mia standing up for herself a bit, though.
"Oh, Nede has a lot to offer," Anne is sure. "But are we going to offer it, or are they going to come and try to take it? Better to get the drop."
"He took us through a very interesting ruin," Anne says of Lanval. "But I imagine not, from how he acted. Still, good."
Mia explains, and Anne nods. "I think more of us should be training for battle, these days--it's just practical." A sigh. "Of course, I say that, and then my daughter goes and declares her intention to fight the whole world of danger. But what can you do? You raise them right and that's how it goes. They just don't want to be kept 'safe'. Well, I'm not entirely complaining. I'm proud that she wants to fight."
A beat, "We should talk about her later, Mia."
Ragnell smiles and Anne grins. "Snivy as a species is a little solitary--I think he'll suit you." She recalls the other two to their Pokeballs. "You should do that," Anne agrees with Mia.
"All right. You've got yourself a Pokemon, Ragnell." She hands the ball to the Seraph. "If you want to recall it to its little habitat, press that button; thy find it comfortable, and can come out if they really want to."
"...But if you want to see a fun heist," she says, "Consider dropping by 'Pendrago' on Lunar later in the week. It should be very interesting. That's all I can say for now."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
'We have to make sure they change the right way.'
Ragnell chuckles. She chuckles, too, at Mia's indignation about the names. "So what would you name 'er if you were gonna give her a new name right now?" A third laugh, closer to a guffaw, when she claims it's cute and therefore it's fine so there. "Sure, sure! Whatever you say."
After all, Anne may confirm that they give Pokemon to young children, and Ragnell can acknowledge that there's a difference in levels of childhood in humans, but Mia doesn't look like she's that old, even by human (or Nedian) standards. But then, who knows how long Nedians actually live?
She gives Mia a thoughtful look, though, at the way she phrases that one thing: that Nede has something to offer the Visitors. "Hmmm..." But then she talks about what Purri is to her, and her lips quick into a half-smile. "Yeah? Good for you two."
A nod at Anne. "Yeah. If you're gonna make real change, you need the strength to make it happen--an' the strength to stand up to if it all falls through an' keep tryin'." Another thoughtful hum as Anne explains about her daughter decided to fight to keep the world safe. "Sounds like a decent kid." She side-eyes Mia, though. If Anne's daughter left the nest, then this one...
...Well, it's none of her business.
She accepts Snivy's Pokeball, tossing it up in the air and catching it button-up. "Gotcha. I'll mess around with it a bit, then. Now, let's see..." She looks back at Mia. "You wanted a Pokemon battle, huh?" She chuckles. "Well, I gotta hand it to you, it's smart t' challenge a Visitor to a mode of combat you know well an' they don't know at all if you're fixin' to win." She bares her teeth in a wide grin. "So if you can beat me in a regular battle first, sure, I'll Pokemon-battle ya. You still wanna do it, sprout?"
Before Mia can say yea or nay, though, Anne is inviting Ragnell to a fun heist in Pendrago. She looks at her with interest. "Oh yeah? Hmmm... If I don't end up busy, I might jus' take you up on that."
<Pose Tracker> Mia Tamaoka has posed.
More suggestions are made. That she could be surprised by the machine too... "So... 'Oh, wh-what are you doing with that machine?' Or... something like that...?" She looks at Ragnell thoughtfully. "I s-suppose that asking to see your badge w-wouldn't have worked, b-but..." She looks to Anne. "W-would that work on someone else?"
Gaslighting... Mia blinks. "You know a lot about this..."
On names. "B-besides, I try to make sure my pokemon l-like the names I come up with. Silci and I w-waited until she evolved, b-because we didn't find anything we liked before then."
Anne mentions Sable declaring her intention to fight the whole world... she did want her kids following the paths they chose themselves, though. Mia looks down for a moment, suddenly moodly and pensive.
Quietly, she says, "She's l-lucky to have you, as a mom..." Then she looks up again at talking about her later. She nods. "Okay."
Mia shrugs a little as Ragnell asks what her Purrloin would be named today. "Dunno. If w-we didn't like it, we could change it. N-nothing saying you have to keep the name you were g-given for forever."
She says that with all the certainty of someone who has done just that, in fact.
Mia is, in fact, only 14.
She's busy looking at the pokemon Anne called out, but blinks and looks up a moment at that sideeye. "Hmm?"
Ragnell accepts the Snivy. "You d-don't have to give it a name, if you don't want," Mia points out helpfully, and actually completely earnestly.
Back to the topic of pokemon battling. Mia grins. "Well... I'd l-let you train first. You two sh-should learn to work together, after all." She shakes her head. "It's not a-all about winning. You c-can learn something, even if you lose... But winning is nice..."
She blinks, though, at Ragnell's counter offer. Beat her in a 'regular' fight, and then they'll pokemon battle. "... You're j-just doing the same thing y-you said I'm doing..."
But she's thoughtful as she looks to Anne. "... I've been m-meaning to learn some more defensive spells, m-maybe a better healing spell... But I'm n-not sure that's enough to win a fight..." She frowns, giving it deeper thought.
"I kn-know you said it's dangerous, th-that people on other worlds w-will attack me, not just my pokemon... sh-shouldn't I learn how to defend myself better, too? Just in case?"
<Pose Tracker> Anne Aomori has posed.
"It might just. You've got to get creative; if you're going to lie, you need to understand people and give them things they'll be ready to believe--or better yet, want to believe."
Names... Hmmmm. Anne doesn't weigh in.
"Right," Anne agrees with Ragnell. "And that 'strength' is something you can get a lot of ways--but it's important that you have it, or are willing to get it." A pause, and then she smiles about Sable. "She is," Anne agrees. "Doesn't like my work much, though. But that's between us--she an ut her own 'strength' on the line if she wants to change it."
Mia has not left the nest, so to speak. But she calls Sable lucky, and Anne says, "You can get lucky with family, but you can choose your friends. Remember that."
It's true that Snivy doesn't need a name. But battling... Hmmm...
"Heh heh heh. So you are thinking about it, hm?"
She looks between Ragnell and Mia, and only after Ragnell says she might take her up on the heist says, "Seems like reasonable terms to me. But give me some time to train her, first. Because no--defense isn't enough to win a fight on its own. You have to be willing and able to hurt your opponent."
"If you can do that, then I can train you."
She then smiles. "In the meantime, Ragnell, feel free to poke around. I have no interest in trying to stop you. If you decide to train Snivy, then the Forest nearby is good for it. Otherwise..."
"Well. It's not slowing me down too much to spend some time with a new acquaintance."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Ragnell glances sidelong at Mia as she murmurs her envy for Sable and gives another thoughtful hum. This time, though, she doesn't remark.
"Fair 'nough," she says instead of changing names. "Well, whatever. You do you." She glances at her again after she accepts the Snivy when Mia says she doesn't have to name it at all. "Yeah, don't think I won't. Don't feel right," she remarks, actually just as honest, as she tosses the Pokeball up and catches it again. "I don't like the idea of a livin', thinkin' bein' gettin' controlled by someone else. If this li'l guy decides there's a name 'e wants, that's what I'll call 'im. 'Til then, I'm not gonna force a name on 'im. An' whenever he wants to go, he's free t' go."
That's Ragnell's personal policy. People--and Pokemon--are free to make their own decisions and live life the way they want to. If it turns out that the Snivy that's now in her care wants to live life being loyal to her... well, that's okay too. As long as it's his decision.
She laughs again, though, as Mia points out that Ragnell's just doing the same thing she is in reverse. Mia claims she'd let Ragnell train up her Pokemon first, but really, what's the point of challenging someone if you're going to wait that long for them to get to battling shape in the first place? "Sure am! So are you doin' it or not?"
But Anne speaks of strength. Ragnell nods back. She gets it. Too bad her daughter doesn't like her work, but having the strength of will to stand up against your own mother... That's impressive, too. Still, she doesn't weigh in on family. Seraph families are a little different from human ones.
It looks like Mia's at least thinking of taking her up on her counter-challenge, though--and Anne's willing to train her. That's intriguing. It implies that Anne is strong enough that she *can* train her. Maybe she's being underestimated, but Ragnell would rather fight someone strong, anyway. "Sure, sounds good t' me," she says. "I'll take you up on that offer an' poke around 'til I get bored."
Then she'll head out to that Forest and have a little talk... or bout of charades, or whatever... with that Snivy.
<Pose Tracker> Mia Tamaoka has posed.
Understand people... that's a little hard for her, sometimes. But giving them things they'll want to believe... She nods, slowly, as she considers that some more. "L-let's see... 'O-oh, that equipment? We're helping a-analyze it, to figure out h-how it works.'" She tries that out and looks to Purri who gives an encouraging nod, and then looks to Anne to get her impression.
"She's a strong trainer," Mia acknowledges. "B-but I'm g-gonna have some surprises for her the n-next time we fight! I w-want to get stronger as a trainer, too."
And maybe in other ways.
Choosing her friends... Mia nods firmly. "R-right." She's chosen Anne, and Team Rocket, at least for now. If and when she leaves this nest... remains to be seen.
Mia smiles at Ragnell as she reflects on names and personal freedom. "I like giving mine names. It's fun and... I l-like coming up with things that suit them." She nods. "Purri chose me, wh-when I first met her. All my other p-pokemon, I asked th-them first to come with me."
Mia didn't know that Ragnell didn't have a team ready to go when she challenged the Seraph! (So many visitors she's met had them, it was easy to imagine she might already have some of her own.)
At least Ragnell is accepting of it when Mia calls her out.
But Anne seems amused by Mia contemplating lerning to fight, and actually blinks. She looks sheepish for a moment."Y-yeah... You're... not mad?"
But being willing to hurt her opponent... Mia takes a long time to think about that, looking to Purri. The feline pokemon leaps up into her arms and the two just... regard each other silently.
"I ask you to f-fight all the time," she says, "E-even if you get hurt... I sh-should be willing to do the things I ask y-you to do, shouldn't I?"
Purri slowly nods, "Purr, purr loin?"
Mia takes a deep breath to steel herself. "I h-have to at least try, right?"
"Purr!" Purri jumps up to Mia's shoulder, and the two share a cheekrub. Mia looks to Anne and nods. "I am. B-but I won't kill." Her voice is quite firm on that.
She looks to Ragnell again. "Looks like we b-both get time to train, then."