4th (?) Patrol: In Union

[commissionergrump]

[Since their encounter with a malevolent god, Gordon and his team have been training pretty hard. Several of his under leveled pokemon have evolved, and others are simply stronger. He's in the habitat today, doing another group training, squad tactics something of a thing with him. The evidence of training is all around, but they're taking a break right now. He's passing around snacks and drinks, with the help of some of the other bipeds. Since Susan evolved, he doesn't have his normal seat for this kind of thing, but he brought a collapsable chair that he's sitting in as he begins to eat.]

Comments

[bnw_mari_npcs]

[ A small boy is also visiting the Habitat today. Someone else's Squirtle is getting a hug as he wanders around, but he lets it go when he sees something interesting happening over here involving snacks.

He watches the food be passed around, then steps up next to Gordon's chair to wait his turn. ] Do you work here?

[commissionergrump]

[A Blastoise looks up from its snack, giving the child a friendly wave, blowing some bubbles from its cannons. Mike's recent evolution hasn't made him less of a showoff, it seems. Gordon's attention is drawn as the boy speaks, and he looks up.]

Uh... no. Well, in Union in general, but not in the habitat. I was practicing with my partners.

[He gestures to the assembled Pokemon, of which there are quite a few. He notes the expectant look on the boy's face.]

I... might still have some spare snacks around here, if you wanted one.

[bnw_mari_npcs]

[ The boy's eyes light up as he sees the Blastoise, and again at the promise of snacks. He nods, but apparently is aware enough that looking for handouts is kinda rude that he doesn't out-and-out ask for any. ] What kind of practicing?

[ This is the face of someone who liked the bubble blowing in particular. ]

[commissionergrump]

[The Blastoise smiles, and continues lazily blowing bubbles as it munches on its snack. Jim notices the boy's reaction to the promise of food and, ignoring the annoyed look of something large and pink, he passes the boy half of a sandwich. There's peanut butter, and honey.]

Fighting, mostly. Working together. We protect people. Sometimes that means hurting other people. We avoid it where we can, but... when we have to, it's best to be prepared.

[bnw_mari_npcs]

Hurting other people doesn't sound fun. [ That doesn't stop him from accepting Gordon's sandwich, though. Or from licking a thoughtful finger in the middle of eating. ]

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon shakes his head.]

It's not. But neither is letting other people get hurt when you have the power to do something about it.

[He watches the boy for a bit.]

That's why people like me and my friends here fight. We don't like it. We avoid it if at all possible, but we'd rather one person get hurt a little than a lot of people get hurt worse.

[bnw_mari_npcs]

[ The boy thinks this over. He doesn't seem upset so much as contemplative. ] What makes the one person want to hurt other people?

[ Finishing his sandwich, he watches the bubbles as he thinks. ]

[commissionergrump]

[Jim stops, thinking for a long moment himself.]

Sometimes, it's because the person has something they want badly enough to hurt them to get it. Sometimes they just dislike a person very very much and want to hurt them. Sometimes...

[His hand raises to recent injury on his temple.]

Sometimes they think a person's bad, and think hurting them will stop them, or that they deserve to be hurt.

[He sighs heavily.]

Long ago, the Gods hurt a lot of people. The people were very bad, and were treating the pokémon very poorly. The Gods got angry about this, and... hurt people very badly to stop them. People are better now, but some still treat others badly, and sometimes the only way to stop them is to hurt them a little.

[bnw_mari_npcs]

[ The boy absorbs this. ] It must feel awful to want to hurt somebody.

[ He puts a hand to his chest, frowning. ] I hope the Gods don't do that again. And that you can help people who need it.

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon smiles.]

I'll certainly do my best. On both of those.

[bnw_mari_npcs]

[ Smiling back, the boy takes a seat and swings his legs. ] Can I watch you train?

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon glances to his partners, who either make no comment, or give an amiable shrug.]

If you watch from a safe distance, and are fine waiting for the end of our break, sure.

[Most of the pokemon are nearly done with their snacks, though. The blastoise finished his some time ago.]

[bnw_mari_npcs]

[ The boy gives this information the same contemplative turning-over he'd bestowed on the impediments to world peace, then nods. ] I'll be very careful.

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon smiles, and rises to his feet, folding up his chair and putting it somewhere out of the way. He looks over the pokemon, and, having noted the boy's interest in the Blastoise.]

Mike. Come on, you showoff. Rapid spin.

[The Blastoise withdraws into it's shell, and starts shooting jets of water out of the holes that had been its limbs, spinning rapidly, skating across the ground on the thin puddle it's making.]

[bnw_mari_npcs]

[ Oh, boy! He's a top! The boy claps his hands and bounces up and down where he's seated. ] Wow!!

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon smiles, watching as the Pikachu summons up a small wave of water of it's own, surfing it onto the circling Blastoise's back, bracing itself as it's new perch spins around. The pair stop, and the Pikachu dizzy stumbles about, laughing and smiling. The two fliers break off, flying in circles around one another, a coordinated sort of routine, something well practiced, while Lucas and Mike's show seemed more improvised.]

[bnw_mari_npcs]

[ All of the above enthralls its audience. The boy gasps at all the right places - especially when a Pikachu, of all Pokémon, begins to Surf - and tips his head back to watch the Flying-types perform their acrobatics. ] Did you teach them all that?!

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon chuckles.]

Some of it. Lucas already knew how to Surf when I met him. As far as I know, there's only two Pikachu in the world that can. Mike... well, I've had Mike since he was an egg, so I've taught him a lot, but every so often, he'll be goofing around and discover some new trick.

[bnw_mari_npcs]

You're really clever to have put it all together. [ He seems particularly interested in looking at Lucas. Only two in the world? Whoaaa. And Surf, too. That's a cool move. ]

[commissionergrump]

Thank you.

[Gordon smiles.]

I'm used to commanding groups. I'm a Captain with the Swords. Having partners that work well together is important to me. It hasn't always been easy, and

[He glances at Mike, then at the Breloom.]

They haven't always got along, but, when it counts, they work together. It's like people. We all have our differences, but we're strongest when we work together.

[bnw_mari_npcs]

It'd be nice if the mean people learned from you. [ He reaches out a hand to see if Lucas wants to be patted on the head. ] I hope I can bring people together someday, too.

[commissionergrump]

[Lucas has no special desire for pats, but he allows it. There's a tingle to it, and it's pretty easy to make the Pikachu's hair go all up on end.]

I hope your entire generation can.

[bnw_mari_npcs]

[ This is funny. The boy raises his hand to see how long Lucas's fur stays sticking straight up, then puts it back in his pocket. ] I'll try.

[ But he's in the way of practice, isn't he? That's no way for the voice of his generation to behave. He backs up a few steps. ] Until then, practice really really hard!!

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon chuckles a bit at that, looking at the somewhat dismayed look of some of his lazier pokemon.]

There is such a thing as training too hard.

It was nice seeing you.

[bnw_mari_npcs]

[ The boy nods. ] Thanks for the snack. And for letting me meet everybody.

[ He waves goodbye to the Pokémon. ] You guys are neat!

[commissionergrump]

[The blastoise smiles, blowing some more bubbles. Lucas nods, going to find his board, waving to the boy. Gordon gives his own little wave. He pushes to his feet, and turns to the pokemon.]

Alright, break time over, let's get back to it.

[conquerorofwaves]

[It seems Gordon wasn't the only one who had the idea of practicing, Sinbad was also in the Habitat with Valefor the Eevee, and Badr who had recently evolved into a Dragonite, holding his amulet up with a grin, his voice becoming audible as they came closer]

-With this megaevolution, I can enter the Ice cave without trouble, so we can get you evolved like you wanted. Before that - let's work on coordinating our abilities together!

Ah! Sinbad, it's Sir Gordon

[The dragonite trills, drawing his attention]

Oh! Hey there, looks like you covered pretty nicely.

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon looks over at the familiar voice, nodding his head to the newly evolved Dragonite.]

Congratulations.

[His attention turns to Sinbad, and he gives a little smile.]

Head wounds, always look worse than they are. Haven't seen you since the celebration.

[His smile takes on a knowing little tinge.]

Make it out alright?

[conquerorofwaves]

Yeah, bit of frostbite, some lethargy, but otherwise I'm pretty good.

Thank you, Sir Gordon! Though it does make our house a little crowded now.

It'll be fine, don't worry. I'd thought I'd some here, practice using this -

[He held up the pendant]

better, so I'm not so exhausted afterwards.

Then I can evolve and we can freeze everything in our tracks!

Right, Valefor.

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon gives a polite, ignorant smile to the Dragonite as it addresses him.]

He's making me stay in the habitat most of the time now.

That's good. Seems everyone's taking to the latest gift from the Gods pretty well.

[conquerorofwaves]

Sorry Badr, he doesn't understand you without aid...

Oh! I apologize, I'm so used to it now with many who could that I just assumed.

[The Dragonite half-bows apologetically]

Yeah, but Sinbad said family's important, so we gotta stick together no matter what, least we're moving to somewhere bigger.

Yeah, I just wish they trust us a little more, y'know?

[commissionergrump]

[Gordon bows his head to the Dragonite, accepting the seeming apology.]

That... seems to depend on the god. Some of them legitimately seem to be rooting for us. Others seem to be testing us. And... well, then there's the ones we have to actively stop from trying to repeat the past.

[conquerorofwaves]

Yea... I noticed. I just don't like not knowing things, especially given how important things are.