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6'1" height

"With great speed comes great responsibility."

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POSTED ON Nov 5, 2022 17:03:12 GMT

It seemed like Wren and Pinky were bonding with each other well. The Fairy-type's feelers whipped in the wind as the two accelerated to keep up with the Leader's Jolteon. "I once considered being an Electric-type specialist, but decided not to," Josh remarked as the two rode alongside one another. "Ground-types are just rough." There was a severe lack of Pokémon that could naturally cover for that type while still meeting Josh's strict constraints, and Lanturn was one of them. He really needed to get out to sea so he could bond with Illumina, his Lanturn. There was still time, but the Hoennian seas were rapidly getting cooler, what with the winter months coming. Granted, Hoennian winters weren't cold like Johtonian ones were, but they were cool enough to discourage aquatic activities, particularly in more northern areas. Mauville Bay would still be plenty warm, though!

Indeed, Vaporeon were versatile. They weren't quite as versatile as Josh's favorite aquatic Pokémon. "If you do a lot of marine work, have you thought about a Dragonair? I can show you mine sometime. They can leap from the sea to the sky effortlessly." He conveniently left out a detail that their EXTREME SPEED let them go shooting across the sky like a purple comet, but that was a detail Wren would have to learn for himself!

As Wren was observing Josh's other Pokémon, Kamuy the Umbreon started running uncomfortably close to Josh and his Jolteon. "Hold up for a little bit. I think Kamuy wants his turn." Josh slid off Blinky's back, the Dark-type sitting down to let his trainer aboard. The jet black riding gear camouflaged perfectly with his fur, making the saddle almost invisible from a distance. "Sorry about the wait. When you're ready," he said, pointing southward again, letting Wren take the lead in the event he wanted to give one of the others, the Jolteon included, a try.

wren rourke

{PC: 8}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Blinky Jolteon Good
Pinky Sylveon Good
Janus Espeon Good
Kamuy Umbreon Good
Inky Glaceon Good
Clyde Flareon Good

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played by

lou

wren

he/him

twenty-one

october 12

petalburg city, hoenn

bisexual

botanist / petalburg capt.

ranger captain

93 height

you sigh look away, i can see it clear as day. close your eyes so afraid, hide behind that baby face

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TAG WITH @wren

POSTED ON Nov 16, 2022 2:27:02 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","wren"]

Pinky was definitely much easier to ride than Braver had been. She seemed to adjust to his movements and directives with ease. “What changed your mind?” he asked curiously, though he had to agree ground-types were, indeed, a struggle. They definitely weren’t his forte either, not by a long shot![break][break]

Wren looked back over at Josh, perking up. “I haven’t, but they are awfully strong. And pretty! I’d like that– I remember seeing her at that last job we worked, but obviously she was pretty busy!” He was unaware of that particular detail on EXTREME SPEED, but for the moment, ignorance was bliss considering his last experience with that ability.[break][break]

At the request, Wren pulled up and slowed on his pace with Pinky. As Josh swapped over to Kamuy, he took the opportunity to look down at Pinky. “You want a bit of a break?” he asked politely, then hopped down from her back. But not without giving her a few more scratches behind the ear in thanks. He was still a bit wary of the speed that the other’s jolteon seemed capable of, so he instead moved toward his bulkier flareon. Curious to see what the difference in style would be like.[break][break]

He waited patiently until the flareon was in place before climbing into the new saddle and getting settled. Juno, meanwhile, darted in and around the bigger evolutions, clearly excited to get going again. “Ready when you are, actually!” He was pretty sure they’d already covered a decent bit of ground from where they’d started.

[break][break]

+ Josh Devlin | m: bond bridge

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

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played by

raikourider

Master of Faster

He/Him

December 12

Goldenrod, Johto

Straight

Mauville Gym Leader

Champion

6'1" height

"With great speed comes great responsibility."

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7,248 posts

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TAG WITH @joshdevlin

POSTED ON Nov 16, 2022 5:09:55 GMT

Being an Electric-type specialist had the same issues as that of any Pokémon type that could completely blank another. This type, though, had a particular challenge. "What got me to change my mind was when Hoenn, followed by the rest of the country, deregulated Gyms so they only had to be bound by a loose theme, rather than a single Pokémon type," Josh answered Wren's question. "With being a Pokémon racer, the Pokémon that are both electric-type and can wear a saddle well are... few and far between, to say the least." They were even more limiting for Josh, who didn't have a particularly skinny build. Those were Jolteon, Lanturn, Manectric, Luxray, Zebstrika, and Boltund. He had already captured all six. There was, of course, one more, but he had been after that one for ten years. Given the state of Hoenn, it might be better for his well-being if his chase ended in failure. There were some unruly figures that would want no more than to murder him otherwise. Given his bid for the Beast was a known quantity, he wouldn't be surprised if those figures were already after him. "Maybe a big enough Raichu. I'd need to see one out of a Distortion to decide."

It seemed Josh had captured Wren's interest in a Dragonair. Good! He would love to share the joy of controlling one. They were, of course, challenging to raise, like any other Dragon-type. But the rewards were well worth it! "It's part of why I haven't evolved her into a Dragonite. I'm actually looking for a Dragonite on its own, but not to evolve her." She absolutely was; he had to have some Pokémon keeping Rocket from escaping! "I tell you what, I can give you a test flight on her some time. I can keep my eyes out on RangerNet for a mission that takes us out to sea. How's that sound?"

Pinky and Wren were building lots of rapport with one another, the Sylveon letting out a low-pitched squeal of approval from being scratch behind her ears. All of Josh's Eeveelution rainbow seemed so nice, with exception of Inky, his Glaceon. He seemed like he was the only one that really didn't want to be here. He needed to run all the same, though! Had to stay in top shape. Never know when the Ice-type might be needed.

One of the first things Wren would likely have noticed from sitting on Clyde's back is he was the smallest of the six. His saddle was designed to keep the rider's feet a little farther off the ground than with the others. He was right, though; while it was distant, some of Slateport's skyscrapers were in distant sight. If he wanted to ultimately give the Jolteon a run, he would have to cut the run with Clyde shorter than he did with Pinky.

"Alright, Kamuy, let's go! Try to keep up with us!" With a swift kick to his sides, the Umbreon bolted forward. Provided Wren did likewise with the Flareon, the first thing both of them would notice was how much more powerful both their strides were. They were less rapid than with the Jolteon and Sylveon, but the added muscle power bouncing the two about was its own challenge to handle. It might have been a bit of a rough ride if Wren wasn't prepared. It wasn't on the level of Braver's harsh gallop, but it was still strong.

wren rourke

{WC: 582}
{PC: 9}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Blinky Jolteon Good
Pinky Sylveon Good
Janus Espeon Good
Kamuy Umbreon Good
Inky Glaceon Good
Clyde Flareon Good

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played by

lou

wren

he/him

twenty-one

october 12

petalburg city, hoenn

bisexual

botanist / petalburg capt.

ranger captain

93 height

you sigh look away, i can see it clear as day. close your eyes so afraid, hide behind that baby face

awards

239 posts

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part of

TAG WITH @wren

POSTED ON Nov 27, 2022 18:11:14 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","wren"]

Wren nodded in understanding, eyes brightening. “That’s right! I’d forgotten they’d made that change. It makes sense— especially if you want to cater your gym to your interests and strengths.” Admittedly, Wren hadn’t paid close attention to the gym challenge circuit—always too busy with school and now with his new ranger duties. That was okay, though. Despite rangering requiring at least a proficiency in combat, Wren wasn’t much of a battler or fighter. But that had always been the way of it for him. He liked using his team’s skill for assistance more than sparring. Even if just for fun.[break][break]

He couldn’t help but laugh a bit at the suggestion. “A raichu would look a bit funny in a saddle, don’t you think?”[break][break]

As the conversation drifted toward Josh’s dragonair, Wren found himself growing more enthusiastic. A broad smile slipped over his face and if he hadn’t had his hands on a set of reins, he probably would’ve clapped them together. “Oh, yeah! That would be great! I’d enjoy the chance a lot, if there’s something that makes it convenient.” Plus, even if it was for work, it sounded fun![break][break]

As much fun as he was having with the sylveon, a switch seemed like a good idea—both to give the eeveelution a short break, and also to see the differences in running styles. Clyde’s strides were definitely shorter, given his size, but sturdy and powerful. Even if he had to take more strides, he had no issues keeping up as the Slateport skyline appeared in the near distance. Even so, Josh still outpaced him, but in Wren’s mind, that was definitely to be expected.

[break][break]

+ Josh Devlin | m: bond bridge

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

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played by

raikourider

Master of Faster

He/Him

December 12

Goldenrod, Johto

Straight

Mauville Gym Leader

Champion

6'1" height

"With great speed comes great responsibility."

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7,248 posts

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TAG WITH @joshdevlin

POSTED ON Nov 28, 2022 19:22:40 GMT

"That was the exact reason the change was made," Josh added with a big smile. If Gym Leaders could truly reflect their own interests using their Gyms, they would be much more likely to work efficiently and effectively. After all, a happy employee was a productive employee! "It has also made the Gym Challenge noticeably tougher, which I feel isn't a bad thing. The purpose of the Gym circuit should be to stratify trainers into skill groups. Just like how we have Bronze Class, Silver Class, Gold Class, and Platinum Class in the racing world."

"You're not wrong," Josh agreed, his smile turning into a laugh back as he considered how it would look. He imagined a Raichu's saddle would have to be raised in front to accommodate its body shape that would otherwise cause the rider to be uncomfortably hunched over. "I'm just the rider, not the engineer. That would be a better question for an engineer." Kantonian Raichu could really put on some speed, though! If the design was effective and comfortable, he might have to give it a try!

It seemed Wren was on board with some work at sea! "Awesome. I'll keep my eyes out. You won't be disappointed; Dragonair are truly a joy to fly on. Imagine being on a Pokémon that can jump from the water to the air." He conveniently left out the part about Resheph's vomit-inducing EXTREME SPEED, but if Braver overwhelmed him, Resheph's would leave the younger Ranger paralyzed.

One thing Josh quickly noticed while aboard Kamuy was how stiff the Dark-type's reins felt. As the road wound around an inlet closer to Slateport City, thw two nearly collided with Clyde on a turn he did not take nearly tight enough with the Umbreon, Josh's mount slowing to allow the two to pass after the near-miss. "So sorry about that, buddy!" he apologized to Wren. "Still getting used to how to handle Kamuy!"

wren rourke

{WC: 323}
{PC: 10}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Blinky Jolteon Good
Pinky Sylveon Good
Janus Espeon Good
Kamuy Umbreon Good
Inky Glaceon Good
Clyde Flareon Good

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played by

lou

wren

he/him

twenty-one

october 12

petalburg city, hoenn

bisexual

botanist / petalburg capt.

ranger captain

93 height

you sigh look away, i can see it clear as day. close your eyes so afraid, hide behind that baby face

awards

239 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @wren

POSTED ON Dec 20, 2022 21:14:26 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","wren"]

“That’s pretty cool, though!” Wren replied, enthusiasm heavy in his voice. “Variety can be nice– keeps you on your toes!” Maybe it was boring, only doing standard challenges for each and every gym? The opportunity to tailor to a variety of different formats and styles seemed smart. Kept one prepared for any challenges they might face outside of the battle court.[break][break]

Wren’s nose wrinkled as he laughed. “I’ll have to find an engineer to ask, then!” Heck, he didn’t know any engineers, but there must’ve been someone who might be able to give an answer to the oddball question. He brightened at the idea as the conversation turned back toward future missions. “Sounds good, though! I look forward to it!”[break][break]

The dragonair’s EXTREME SPEED could be a nice little kept secret for now.[break][break]

“You good, Clyde?” he asked the flareon as Kamuy edged closer by mistake. The flareon only faltered slightly, falling back somewhat to compensate for the close call before regaining his stride. “No worries! Happens to the best of us!” Wren called back, grin still wide across his face. “I probably would have collided with you entirely!” A quick glance over his shoulder revealed Juno still running along with the group, but beginning to lag.[break][break]

He whistled to her in encouragement and that perked her up, but it was clear the smaller eevee was starting to get tuckered out. “Good thing we’re nearly to the city limits! I think Juno’s had the run of her life up to this point!” he remarked with a laugh.

[break][break]

+ Josh Devlin | m: bond bridge

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

close tab

played by

raikourider

Master of Faster

He/Him

December 12

Goldenrod, Johto

Straight

Mauville Gym Leader

Champion

6'1" height

"With great speed comes great responsibility."

awards

7,248 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @joshdevlin

POSTED ON Dec 21, 2022 16:21:26 GMT

Perhaps "engineer" was the wrong word Josh described the tanners he had commissioned for his Pokémon's gear. While many Pokémon could easily be ridden without it, there were those that required it, such as Blinky, Electric-types in general were quite dangerous to ride bareback due to the threat of sudden shock. "I've got a couple tanners I can refer you to, particularly after you decide what you'll evolve Juno into. I'm sure the Eevee will be happy no matter your decision."

It seemed that Wren's awareness had grown substantially since the last time we met; he was a much more defensive rider than before. It was good practice for Josh's Pokémon, for Wren, and for Juno as well. Mauville to Slateport was a long distance for the Eevee to run. It was impressive that the little one could keep up at all!

Slateport's north gate was just around the bend. "This has been a lot of fun, but I think this is where we go our separate ways," the Leader sighed as he reined Kamuy to a sliding stop just outside the sprawling metropolis. "Hope this helped you decide what you're going to evolve Juno into, and I hope to see her on the next contract we take together!" Once he had seen his fellow Ranger safely to town, he would turn around and head back to Mauville.

wren rourke

{WC: 231}
{PC: 11}

NAME SPECIES STATUS
Blinky Jolteon Good
Pinky Sylveon Good
Janus Espeon Good
Kamuy Umbreon Good
Inky Glaceon Good
Clyde Flareon Good

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played by

lou

wren

he/him

twenty-one

october 12

petalburg city, hoenn

bisexual

botanist / petalburg capt.

ranger captain

93 height

you sigh look away, i can see it clear as day. close your eyes so afraid, hide behind that baby face

awards

239 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @wren