2024-01-21: Work on an Empty Stomach is Not Very Effective
- Log: Work on an Empty Stomach is Not Very Effective
- Cast: Eleanor Klein, Loren Voss
- Where: Pewter City - Rock Road
- Date: January 21, 2024
- Summary: After traversing Mt. Moon in search of some Pokemon -- and thwarting an attack by one of the Wise Men's minions -- Eleanor and Loren have a snack (important) and discuss the next steps (even more important).
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
The Rock Road has many stalls and shops and things to see. There are supplies for hiking, guided tours, and all sorts of other things... But Eleanor Klein today is not interested in those. She has a rather particular idea for what might help in the moment.
A little Pikachu named Phaosia trots along behind the elf as she walks back from a stand to the table she'd set aside for herself and Loren Voss. She happens to have not one but two giant pretzels, salted and delicious, one in each hand. And of course she has a smile on her face, because that's just the sort of person she is.
"Pikaaaa, pikachuuuu o/~" Phaosia also has a pretzel.
"Here you go," Eleanor says, holding his out to Loren. "These just smelled heavenly so I thought we could stop for a moment for a snack!"
They do have work to be doing... But work on an empty stomach is far less effective!
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
Loren Voss is...
Well, among other things, frankly starving. Even the tasteless nutribar hadn't done more than take the edge off, but then, he had overdone it on the Ether (atop everything else he'd done exertion-wise). Maybe he should think about taking some trail mix or something when he's out and about in the field...
Even if those bars are supposed to have everything a soldier needs to replenish themself after a battle. Or exercise, or what-have-you.
Eleanor though has been very nice and has gone to get a snack. Since there was the promise of food involved, Loren hadn't protested or complained. He's being good!
Lunatone is here, too. He floats in the air silently, his unblinking gaze on the table (maybe also on Loren). On the table are four Pokeballs, the Pokemon Loren has caught in the last day (including not only Mt. Moon but the spa as well). He stares at the Pokeballs as if deep in thought.
It's into this tableau that Eleanor and Phaosia arrive. "Uh-- thanks," he says after a moment's pause, taking the pretzel from Eleanor and breaking off a large piece. He's effectively mage like Eleanor: she may well know the Hunger that mages can get. Loren accordingly doesn't waste time.
Still, he looks over at Lunatone and looks down at his pretzel. "...I should probably get it some Pokemon food, huh." Yet, he regardless breaks off a small piece of the soft pretzel and offers it to the Lunatone. "..."
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
Eleanor has scoped out some restaurants, too--she has one in mind for after this walk and talk. She does not particularly trust nutri-bars...
But she regards Lunatone as she walks by, and smiles at the Pokemon. "You're very statuesque," she tells it. "You look just like an idol in a temple!"
Four Pokeballs...
She understands well how hungry magic can make you. Eleanor comes around to the other side of the table and takes a seat. "...it's nice that you think of it," she says. "I can tell you're doing your best to care for Lunatone." A pause. "I believe Pokemon like... berries. And berry mixtures."
"But everything likes salt!" She chomps her own pretzel. Delicate elf nom!
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
Even if Eleanor wasn't planning to go somewhere after, he'd probably head off and pick up something himself. He's hungry and trying not to be a baby about it! True, he could eat another one of the bars, but he'd rather not do that if he can avoid it with something that tastes better...
Lunatone meanwhile bobs in the air slightly as if pleased by Eleanor's praise. He's a handsome Lunatone!
"Well-- what am I supposed to do?" he replies, as if on the defensive already. "Most things need to eat something. Even Runeberry needs water... and magic." He's thankful that the bear appears to be taking a nap in his bag and isn't doing something embarrassing like gnawing on him or Eleanor. ...It had liked the taste of Eleanor's magic, after all.
"Yeah. That's what that girl said. Joy... something?" The Lunatone floats over to inspect the offered pretzel piece. Then, it delicately nibbles!
...Loren is vaguely alarmed to realize that Lunatone does have a mouth and stares at it accordingly. It hadn't looked like it had one! Unlike Graveler, which definitely had. (He's going to find out that there's a lot to worry about regarding that Graveler in the days to come.)
"So I think..." he starts and stops, staring again at the Pokeballs on the table. "...Are these guys going to be enough?" His shoulders slouch. "And I'm gonna have to figure out where Team Rocket hangs out..."
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
Eleanor... may be trying to keep an eye on Loren. It isn't just that she's trying to care for him, after all. But it definitely is that, too. Eleanor beams at Lunatone bobbing in the air--and then, well--
"That's true," Eleanor says. "That's definitely true." Runeberry is... interesting, to her.
Joy! "Arisugawa Joy. She seemed very knowledgeable about Pokemon. And her team was very strong." Nibble!!! Eleanor 'awws' at Lunatone a little more.
There's reasons Eleanor didn't try to catch a Graveler, of course. Even if they are kind of cute...
"Well," Eleanor says, "You'll have to train them, of course. Help them learn to work together, with you, not just on their own. But it's certainly doable, I think."
She thinks. She isn't sure. She hasn't had any visions of Team Rocket so far...
"We know that they're interested in money, power, and Pokemon. So perhaps they'll be in places they can acquire those things?"
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
There's something about Loren that tends to suggest that people ought to keep an eye on him. Eleanor is far from the only one to possibly have some concerns about him.
One day, maybe, he's going to be extremely embarrassed about how obvious it all was. Or possibly annoyed at how many people seemed to think he needed help.
"...Yeah. I think Team Rocket wouldn't have stood a chance against her," Loren muses, leaning back in his seat. This will be very funny later, perhaps.
He offers it a few more bites of the pretzel, which it takes, slowly. "...I'll get you something better later." Something more filling than a pretzel, he figures. ...It's probably as hungry as he is.
Still, this whole situation is... strange, somehow. To be here talking with Eleanor about perfectly normal things, as if everything were perfectly normal outside having a friend abducted. As if, on the other side of the rift, he didn't have somewhere he needed to be and things he had to do.
He still has to find Azoth. He knows that if he doesn't, it's going to be a strike against him and that Leah has already planned for the event of his failure. But it's also the case that he can't leave Lan in danger. Even if it means the rest of this takes longer, that's...
It's fine with him, he finds.
And if Leah asks any questions later, he can always say that Azoth was hard to find. It's not as if he can't look for Azoth and prepare to rescue Lan.
"So it's back to training, huh..." he reflects, furrowing his brow. "And that's through... battling." And other things, too. "But I don't think I have the time to take too long with that." There's no telling what's happening to Lan, even now!
Eleanor offers what she knows of Team Rocket. "So, maybe they'd be found somewhere where there are a lot of people and Pokemon," he muses. "One of the larger cities? Maybe they'd try targetting another event."
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
Eleanor would say that most people need help now and then, and would carefully neglect to say that Loren seems to need it more often than most, because that would be mean. She might be thinking it though.
"Yes," Eleanor agrees with Loren about Joy. "I think so, too."
She smiles again, but doesn't call Loren out on caring for Lunatone anymore. Instead, she delicately eats her pretzel. Delicately, and yet, whenever Loren looks away, another big piece is missing. Eleanor eats like a mage.
She doesn't know what he's thinking; frankly, she'd rather this distract him from whatever mission he's supposed to be on, but doesn't think that can last forever. Either way, he's putting Lan ahead of whatever it is, and that's a sign that maybe there's something more to him than just a soldier of the enemy.
She's sure of that.
"Yes," Eleanor says. "I can battle with you later, and there are many Trainers out on the roads who like to battle. ...You're right, though--I think you should have a few as practice and then do your best from there."
Hmmm... "So, I suppose the logical solution is to host an event of some kind and hope that they show up. Maybe a Pokemon meet..."
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
He has to tackle this one thing at a time, he figures. First, it's a matter of making sure they're ready to do this. Then he has to figure out where they need to go or do, and then it's going to come down to the rescue operation itself. He's not going to have to fight through all of Team Rocket, is he?
He's a lot less delicate about eating the rest of his pretzel, himself. And now he's still hungry...
"Hmm... that might be a good idea," he says, of battling with her later. "I'll need to get a handle on how this works." ...And that this is the right way to go about his rescue plan, at that-- but surely it has to be a better idea than trying to fight Team Rocket on his own?
"An event..." Loren creases his brow, clearly ruminating on this. "But we're just travelers. I don't think we have that sort of 'clout'. Besides, I don't even know how to set up an event like that... and I don't think we're going to have a long time to find Lan," he points out. "If it's an 'event', maybe we can find out about one that's coming up instead. If we can defeat one of those guys, we can make them tell us where they're keeping Lan."
He pauses.
"...Or see if anyone knows anything about Team Rocket's base of operations. That'd be a better place to start." Maybe then with a little bit of preparations he could see about taking the fight right to their doorstep.
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
One step at a time is wise. Eleanor's not going to argue that. But she is eating her pretzel, while Loren thinks. And when she's done chewing, "Great," Eleanor answers. "That should be fun. Phaosia likes to battle, for one."
And an event... Hmmm. "You're right," she admits, "We don't. I have some, but not much socially. I'll keep an ear out for potential options."
She considers. "True. If we can just find out one of their bases, that's more than sufficient as a starting point. If we find their main base I'd caution against going up to the front door on our own, but..."
"It sounds like we have something of a plan, at least. A few options. We'll get Lan back, Loren. We will."
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
Loren's gaze slides towards the Pikachu, who is nibbling away at her own pretzel. Can she... really eat the whole thing herself?
His gaze tilts back towards the Lunatone who continues to stare at him unblinking.
In silence, Loren pulls the remainder of his pretzel in half and offers it to the Lunatone. ...Is it going to be okay like this? Hopefully it'll be ok eating this.
The salt, at least, is probably fine for it. Probably.
"Yeah," he says, after consuming the remainder of his pretzel with all the hunger of a... hungry young man. "I'll figure something out. There's got to be some other target they'd go after. And when they do, we'll be there," he finishes, settling back in his seat.
It's only after a few moments trail out that he realizes that he'd just included Eleanor in that statement.
Like they're friends or something!
Which they're... not.
Definitely not.
He stares at her for a moment before hurriedly averting his gaze. "..."
They'll get Lan back, she promises.
"...Yeah," he says, chancing a look back her way. "...But don't misunderstand. We're not on the same side," he continues, as if this would be an excuse somehow for them working together in the first place.
<Pose Tracker> Eleanor Klein has posed.
Phaosia the Pikachu is nibbling at her pretzel doggedly. She intends to eat the entire thing. Arrr, nom nom.
Eleanor smiles to see Loren split the pretzel with the Lunatone. She could've just brought him two, but... This is much cuter. It's fine.
"Right," Eleanor says. And 'they'll' be there. She catches that, and she notices when he stares at her, averts his gaze, and...
She nods back, seriously. It's an effort not to tease him--but a worthy one, she thinks. This is serious, after all.
"Of course. We're of aligned goals on this, that's all."
"...But so long as we're aligned on this, we can work together. For her sake."
<Pose Tracker> Loren Voss has posed.
Carefully, yet with signs that he's enjoying it, the Lunatone consumes the offered bit of pretzel.
Probably, as with Loren himself, the Pokemon should get something more filling. Fortunately, any place they go for a meal is as likely to serve Pokemon as it is people. Even some Pokeblocks would be suitable (and more nutritious -- but a Lunatone can have a soft pretzel piece now and then, as a treat).
It wouldn't be the first time that Loren got teased about, frankly, teasable behavior. But for now, he is spared the indignity: Eleanor reaffirms their alliance under the constraints he self-defines.
He regards her carefully, as if studying her for any sign that he's being made a fool of. Finding no such things, he nods the once. "Yeah. If it's to rescue her..."
Then he's fine with it.