explosivecombat | 006. [Text/Action for Goldenrod City/Northern Route 34]

[TEXT]

While I suppose it matters relatively little in the long run, morbid curiosity compels -

Exactly how driven are most of you to complete this 'challenge' that's been set forth, and what drives you to complete it in the first place - what do you have to return to?

[ACTION]

[A short time after that text hits the network, Kimblee can be found just outside of Goldenrod City, on the northern end of Route 34; if the question is at all related to anything he's currently doing, it's not obvious in the least...outside of the part where maybe the Pokémon he's dealing with might be making him not want to live on this planet anymore.

Basically, his Yanma evolved.

Fortunately for him, the hellbug she has become seems to have retained her personality despite the evolution. She's honestly always been more like a dog than an oversized dragonfly; now she's just...well, a sufficiently larger dog. As such, she's bringing Kimblee a decently-sized stick to toss off into the nearby cluster of trees for her to chase; Kimblee is complying with her, albeit warily - he's never had much of a poker face, and while he seems generally calm, it's reasonably plain that he's half-expecting her to do something odd.

Like snap his arm off to get at the stick. Or maybe bring him back a person, or something.

Either way, he's clearly wondering what the hell his life has become. Good afternoon, Johto, it's been a while.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[...the...Pokémon...dream...dear lord what is he looking at]

Well, I suppose that's a good way to look at it - challenge for the challenge's sake, then?

And have you discovered this fact about the badges firsthand, or were you informed by someone else?

[Kimblee is looking at the words of someone who truly has no life.]

Yeah! Plus, the more badges you have, the more other trainers respect you.

A kid named Riku made a post about it months ago when he got all the Johto badges. I still have 2 to go.

Actually, if Kanto has its gyms open, that means there are still 8 more badges to get!

Well, I figured as much regarding respect; this world seems rather centered around the pokemon. The more powerful the creatures, the more clout you have; the badges would be a good indication of your skill as a trainer. That much, at least, makes sense - it's battle culture, really. Respect through strength, strength through battling, all that whatnot.

...as for the badges themselves...Riku, then? I'll keep that in mind; I've heard similar things, but no one's been able to provide a name. I suppose you have my gratitude, then!

Yeah, that's totally it! I know some people think it's dumb, but I really like this world and the Pokemon culture.

No problem, man! So what about you? Are you going to take on the gyms?

Ah, I'm considering, actually! Though it would be more for reasons that we've been discussing - the challenge and respect aspects of it. I haven't believed that the badges will actually do anything in terms of sending us home for quite some time; it seemed a little strange to me that people would be here for so long and yet no one had managed to prove the rumors to be true. Honestly, I rather enjoy it here, myself; I can't say that I would mind staying at all.

Do you find you prefer it here, then, over whatever it was you had back home?

Yeah, I've been here around a year and a half and nothing. Might as well make a name for ourselves if we could be here a while, right?

I guess? Life wasn't going too well for me when I got dumped here, so it's definitely an improvement. Plus I've made some good friends here. The only thing that sucks is a lot of my friends from home aren't here. They used to be, but they went home a long time ago.

006. [Text/Action for Goldenrod City/Northern Route 34]

[text]

[text]

[text]

[text]

[text]

[text]