January - February Test drive

[indigo_events]

➞ Post with a character you wish to test drive in this game's setting.
➞ Tag other people's starters and thread out shenanigans!
➞ Invite your friends! Try out new characters! Come play with us!
➞ Have fun!

NOT SURE WHERE TO BEGIN YOUR TEST-DRIVE JOURNEY?
CHECK OUT ALL THE LOCATIONS WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN:

JOHTO | KANTO | SEVII ISLANDS

Feel free to make various prompts in multiple locations!

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OTHER USEFUL LINKS:
NAVIGATION | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS

Comments

[santalamuerte]

[Oh no. It's a culmination of things that tip her off that the situation is not fine. The tone of the boy's voice, his hesitation to come out from behind the tree, and the fact that her Pokemon is clearly not helping the situation. Even Rotom gets that something is amiss, looking over at Olivia hesitantly, looking for answers. Most humans are happy to see him, after all.

The problem with most adults is that they push too hard, try so desperately to win over peers and children alike. She takes a deep breath and reaches into her pocket for Rotom's Pokeball. No words need to be shared between trainer and Pokemon, as the ghost taps the ball and disappears within a flash of red light. Anything of value is removed from her suit jacket, thrown into the provided knapsack quickly before she does the unthinkable.]

I'm going to leave you my jacket, okay? It should keep you warm for a while.

[Her limited time in dealing with children has taught her many things: kids are smarter than given credit for and it's never a good idea to call them out forcefully. The best she can do is provide Gregory with the tools for success. She finds a small patch of dry grass among the snow and folds up the article of clothing, leaving it there for retrieval.]

There's a city just a few days' walk from here. If you decide to head that way, just follow the route to safety.

[And with that said, she takes the backpack and adjusts it over her shoulder, stepping away from the tree slowly.]

[naughtyboy]

[Gregory watches in muted silence as she recalls the Rotom (not something he's ever seen before, so that alone is enough to make him jump, yet look on curiously in spite of himself), and then further as she moves to leave him her jacket.

But...why? That's all Gregory can think at present as the woman steps back, clearly intending to leave her jacket there for him despite the fact that he told her he didn't need anything.

So for the first time in...a while, probably, the question he ends up asking is totally innocent.]

...aren't you gonna be cold?

[santalamuerte]

[She has her back half turned away from Gregory when she hears him speak up, pausing to think about how she wants to answer that question. Adjusting the bag on her shoulder lightly, she can already feel some of the cold cutting into the fabric of the button-up shirt she's wearing, but she doesn't want to worry him.]

Oh, it might get a little chilly out here, but I've worked in cold places before so I'm used to it. [A partial lie, as even people her size and height are susceptible to the winter weather. She can deal with it, but might not enjoy it. Still, she shakes her head and offers him a smile.]

What matters most is making sure you stay warm and safe. It's the responsibility of us adults to ensure children are taken care of.

[naughtyboy]

[That last sentence hits Gregory strangely, and for a moment he doesn't know how to answer. If he should answer. Every adult in his life has failed him, or has been someone he had reason to fear and stay away from. They've never just wanted to help or take care of him. If they had, he wouldn't...

He really doesn't know. And before he realizes he's done it, he's already walked over to pick up the jacket.]

...I don't understand. You don't know me.

[santalamuerte]

Do you want to know why?

[She's been avoiding direct eye contact, mainly because scaring Gregory any further would be bad. However, the fact that he's out of the tree cover gives her hope that things will be okay. She doesn't make a move, talking to him calmly.]

An old mentor once told me the following. Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

[Closing her eyes for a second, she lightly smiles to herself.]

It's the right thing to do, to offer help, whether we know each other or not.

[naughtyboy]

["Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle".

Gregory adjusts his grip on the jacket as she tells him that, shuffling his feet in place where he stands. It's...hard, understandably, for him to just willingly offer his trust to people. He seems to be around ten, maybe twelve, so he's at that age where he shouldn't yet see the world for the dangerous place it is. But something's happened in his life to change that, or maybe it's just always been that way. Whatever the case, she seems to have seen right through that as he looks down at his shoes, feeling a bit bad for being so unfriendly, initially.]

...thank you.

[He looks at the jacket again before he actually- finally- moves to pull it on as his Teddiursa emerges from behind his ankle, starting to take note of the change in the tension in the air. Or, maybe more like the way it sort of abates.]

......I'm Gregory.

[santalamuerte]

[She doesn't know what hardships Gregory has been through, but instinct is telling her that he's experienced something painful. Probably a combination of physical and emotional trauma. Calling out those warning signs is a surefire way to make the situation worse. Trust, after all, is hard-earned and easily broken. She'll keep quiet and let the body approach her with any secret at his own pace.]

You're welcome, Gregory.

[Good. Even if they rarely speak again after this, she's just happy that he's taken the offered article of clothing. Though now she's got a set of eyes on the walking teddy bear, blinking in confusion.]

Does your friend have a name? I don't want to upset them by mistake.

[naughtyboy]

[The boy regards the Teddiursa at his feet, and with scarcely a moment to consider whether it's a good idea or not, he stoops down and picks the bear up in his arms. Either he's very brave, or simply doesn't think the Pokemon is capable of hurting him. He's encountered far worse, lately.]

His name is......Freddy.

[Yeah. That feels right.]

Yours, that...zippy thing. What was it trying to do to me?

[santalamuerte]

That's a wonderful name.

[The bear gets a simple nod in greeting, as she's seen the strength some of the creatures possess and angering one via touch would be horrible. Speaking of those Pokemon, she can't help but frown when the topic of her partner comes up.]

He's still getting used to meeting new people and is easily excitable, unfortunately. I hope Rotom didn't scare you...

[She can feel the Pokeball shaking in her pocket.]

Would you like to meet him?

[naughtyboy]

Um...

[Gregory seems uncertain for a moment, but he does consider it in silence for a few seconds before he answers.]

Yeah, I...I guess that'd be okay.

[Now that he knows what's coming, it probably won't be so startling.]