2024-04-20: Teambuilding
- Cutscene: Teambuilding
- Cast: Xantia
- Where: Cinnabar Island
- Date: April 20, 2024
- Summary: Xantia takes time out of her efforts to determine Solaris' next move to have a heart-to-heart with her Pokemon, cementing her intentions, handling some unfinished business... and obtaining a new lead, in the most surprising way.
Attempting to glean more information regarding the recent Solarian raids on Energy Nede had been a futile effort on Xantia's part. Still, she couldn't help but imagine that there had to be a reason behind it, something big that she wasn't seeing right now. Even if she'd taunted about Solaris being reduced to petty theft, there's no way she was going to buy that that's all it was.
Unfortunately, she had missed the second of such incursions, and was at a loss to find a common thread. Without some kind of clue, there would be nowhere to go from here. Was there really no choice but to just go back to waiting for something else to happen and hope to get lucky? That didn't sit well with her. She'd never been very patient to begin with, but knowing that Solaris is scheming something... she simply couldn't leave that alone.
And so, once again, she'd returned to the scene of the second crime. Yet once again, she was left with nothing to show for it.
Xantia's mood has darkened considerably by the time she exits the ruined building, highly frustrated by her inability to discover some meaningful action she could take. When suddenly, all three of her Pokeballs open on their own accord, and her three Pokemon companions appear in front of her.
"What's this...?" She looks at each of them in turn. Pawmi, small and timid, yet eyes full of concern. Kirlia, recently evolved, arms crossed and bearing a mildly annoyed expression. And Shoo, the Shuppet, who... looks to be in a perfectly fine mood. Try as she might, she can't ever really figure out what that one is thinking. As for the other two...
"...Are you worried about me? I know I've just sort of... been going back and forth a lot, but really, everything's fine. I just..." Those looks she's getting aren't changing any. A smile comes to her face. "Sorry. I won't make excuses. I've been slacking on our training, haven't I? Well then... no time like the present to discuss where we're going from here, right?"
Pawmi lets out a happy 'Mii', while Shoo twirls in the air. Those two seem to be on board. It's just Kirlia who won't budge an inch, not even looking at Xantia. She has a few ideas about why that might be.
"Kirlia," she begins, and from the huff that gets in response, it's clear enough that she's hit the nail on the head regarding at least one element that continues to annoy the psychic Pokemon. With a chuckle, she continues, "I know, you're still upset about me not giving you a name. So, let's take care of that right now, shall we?"
Kirlia opens one eye, displaying some measure of interest as Xantia steps closer. "I asked some of the Nedian trainers for advice about that. They told me that it's best to start with the name of the Pokemon, consider their personality, and go from there. To keep it simple and not overthink it." Something like 'Shoo', which evidently resembled a good nickname enough to be mistaken for one. She hadn't been able to think of anything resembling 'Ralts' for a good name. But putting 'Kirlia' together with the Pokemon's general attitude... she might just have something there.
"Kira."
She can tell she's not mistaken, when the Kirlia turns fully towards her. "I know it's simple, but. I figured you might like the word it sounds like." The newly named Kira smiles and nods with an affirming 'Kirlia'. Naturally this Pokemon who wants to be seen as powerful and threatening would like a name that literally makes him sound like a killer.
...'him', that's right. Learning about the gender of her Pokemon had been kind of a surprise to her, in that particular case. Certainly more than learning that Pawmi is a 'she'. As for Shoo... Shoo didn't seem to understand the question. Or maybe didn't care about it. Either way, the ghost seems fine with remaining an 'it'.
That in mind, there's more she has to say to her most battle-eager Pokemon, kneeling down in front of him. "I feel like we kind of started off on the wrong foot. So let me assure you now - I know what you're trying to do, and I appreciate it, a lot. But before you think about protecting me, make sure you've looked out for yourself, okay? And please trust me a little more. I promise I'll call on you when I need your help."
Kira looks a bit unsatisfied at first. But, thinking about it more, the Kirlia reaches the same conclusion that Xantia has. They can't keep going the way they have, Kira constantly insisting on charging into every fight, and Xantia jumping in to protect him from his own recklessness. That's the opposite of how things are supposed to go, the opposite of what Kira wants. Pokemon and trainer share a solemn nod, before Xantia straightens up.
And opens her arms wide towards Pawmi, who, upon Xantia's "C'mere!" is all too eager to run up and leap into her embrace. "Heh heh, hey there Pawmi. Actually-- hang on. I don't want you to feel left out or anything. Tell me, how would you feel about it if I just called you 'Mii' from now on?"
"Mii?", the Pokemon replies as if purposely repeating Xantia's suggestion, prompting a chuckle. "That's right. You never really seemed to care about not having a nickname, but... what do you think? Would it be stupid, to just... kinda name you after the sound you make?"
The happy 'Mii' in response seems to suggest otherwise, the Pawmi lovingly rubbing her cheek against Xantia's in response. The electricity released by the friction of the Pokemon's expression of affection is answered by Xantia's own aura of electricity, creating a counterbalance that causes neither one to be harmed. An action that should be complex, but Xantia does it instinctively.
Stretching out her arms, Xantia holds the small marmot-like Pokemon in front of her, brightly confirming, "Mii it is, then!" Before adding in a more serious tone, "Now that we've got that straightened out... I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I've been putting you into situations where you had no idea what was going on. So to you, I promise that I'll make sure you understand what we're getting into beforehand, from now on. And if you decide you want no part of it, that's alright by me, I won't be upset. Of course, I'm hoping you'll be brave. Remember, I'm with you, every step of the way."
Xantia looks surprised to see Mii looking at her with wobbly, tearful eyes, wondering if she said anything wrong. But the 'Mii' sound that follows sounds affirmative enough for her smile to return. Tears of happiness, huh. A concept even more foreign to Xantia than tears of sadness are. But she's not about to let her mind go down that path.
Gently setting Mii back down, she turns to... an empty space. Only for Shoo to suddenly appear right in front of her face, startling Xantia, which the Shuppet of course thinks is very funny. Xantia takes it in stride, quick to smile again. "As for you..."
She pauses long enough for Shoo's expression to turn curious, before she cheerfully announces, "I've got nothing!" The Shuppet isn't usually the one to get astonished, but it didn't see that one coming. Xantia rubs her neck, admitting, "I just... can't really figure you out. You seem happy enough to just go with the flow, though I have no idea what to think about that one time you got real scary."
"Shuppet," Shoo says with insistence, which Xantia easily interprets as something like, "I'm scary a lot more often than that". To which she agrees, "Yes, I know, but usually you're having fun with that. I'm not used to you... getting serious, I guess is what I'm trying to say. But uh, I guess bizarre shadow powers are just among the things Ghost Pokemon do sometimes, from what I've been able to learn. So maybe I shouldn't worry about that too much?"
She only looked away for a second, but by the time she turns back, Shoo is no longer there. Looking around, she quickly finds that the Shuppet has wandered off, more interested in the who-knows-what it's now looking at through a window of the dilapidated mansion. Xantia lets out a sigh, but smiles all the same. "Well, that's fine. As they say, you do you."
Turning back to the two Pokemon that are still paying attention, she reaffirms, "In any case, I hope I've reassured you that I know what's important to you. As for me... it's important that I figure out what these people are up to, the ones that we fought in Armlock City and went on to cause trouble here, too. They're the worst bad guys, you see, so whatever they're after, it's got to be bad for everybody else. That's why I'm so desperate to find some kind of clue to where they'll strike next."
Mii nods with understanding and appropriate worry. Kira, however, seems pensive. Xantia looks his way, silently inquisitive, until the Kirlia nods, closing his eyes and focusing. The horns on the Pokemon's head begin to glow blue, and...
Xantia gasps, as the air distorts in front of her. She's not entirely sure what's happening, but she can sense some kind of powerful magic at work, the nature of which soon becoming clear when the spatial ripple coalesces into an image. She doesn't quite know exactly she's looking at, but the strange projection she sees is unmistakably some kind of Nedian building. It's not a place she recognizes on sight, so she focuses on the blurry words on the structure, as they slowly come into focus to become legible. "Silph Co...?"
The image soon wavers, then fades. Simultaneously, Kira stumbles forward and collapses, Xantia quick to duck down and catch the fainted Pokemon. "Kira! What happened? Was that you? What was that?" Questions that the Kirlia is left unable to answer, but Xantia can put two and two together easily enough. "Don't just... do something so mentally taxing just to help me. I just said I'd call on you..."
Not that she would have ever thought a Pokemon capable of seeing the future, if that's indeed what that was. Easy enough to find out. It's not like she has a better trail to follow. She'll have to ask the locals about this Silph Co. building... right after a quick stop to the closest Pokemon Center, of course.