FROZEN

fernando's curry entry

[break]
thread summary:

fernando and PENELOPE LIVY insult each other while debating ideologies in THE SILENT ICELANDS.

why is it important?:

this is the first real personal thread we get to see between penelope and fernando. it sets the dynamic for their relationship going forward and gets referred to in their bar crawl thread.

some of the things i really in this thread are:

when fernando questions penelope on who she thinks she can beat (none), she answers it in a way he didn’t intend. instead of telling captain oocly, i get the chance for fernando to clarify and highly how his curt way of speaking often leads to miscommunication. it’s a small quirk but something i don’t get to see a whole lot.

both of them stick to their principles. they argue for their own ideologies and never back down. penelope makes a few concessions to piece together a bridge for them but fern’s absolutism burns it down.

the last dialogue between them is top tier drama inducing.

Behind Enemy Lines

skyler's curry entry

[break]thread summary: on the cusp of the new year, skyler dross is invited by Gunner Graves to the starlight casino in sootopolis. skyler and gunner talk about past events, the aqua initiative, the league itself and skyler's relationship with it, and plan for the eventuality of working together in the future. realizing they're more alike than they thought (all the while recognizing the differences in each other) opens doors to an alliance, and maybe a possible friendship.[break]

why is it important?: skyler's been straddling the edge between rocket and league for a while now. with her connections to rocket wholly severed (that she knows of) in the wake of the megalopolans' resurgence (they're her boogeyman), and her stubbornness in refusing the aqua initiative invitation on the league's terms, skyler's been in an awkward middle ground as a civilian. this thread between skyler and Gunner Graves (brilliantly written by gunsmile) has given her perspective and is an important step in her realizing what is most important to her: her home, or her freedom. it has allowed me to explore that conflict and gave me new insight into what skyler would (and wouldn't) sacrifice in order to protect those she cares for. i still don't know exactly what will come of this, but i'm looking forward to the narrative beats that will allow me - and skyler - to find out.  > : ) 

JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE

Johanna Joy's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: Johanna has finally reached the conclusion that she has to leave Team Rocket. But ever cautious about making a choice she takes a trip to the Silent Icelands to ponder the topic furhter.[break][break]
Alas everything does not go according to plan as she meets with at the time FELLOW member of Team Rocket Isaac Merlo with whom she has a brief conversation before she decides now is as good as time as any to say her goodbyes. [break][break]
And so she does. [break][break]
why is it important?: This is important because it's the end of Johanna's Team Rocket arc. Naive Rich kid finally learns that Team Rocket is not where she belongs. And this is her official goodbye to that life, and a good friend of hers. She knows that the next time she might see Isaac Merlo they would be on opposing sides of the battlefield.

Birthday Date

aki's curry entry

[break]
thread summary:Aki and Cat go on a date by the Fortree waterfall, where they have a picnic and capture pokemon along the way[break]

why is it important?: It showcases Aki and Cat's blooming relationship

FUTURE SIGHT

Yumi's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: Yumi and her employer, vincenzo de luca, go on a social outing to a nightclub in Mossdeep City for some drinks. Despite the context of their meeting, they discuss work anyway, and also exchange gifts in the spirit of the holiday season.[break]

why is it important?: Yumi is a character who had everything but is starting over again from the bottom. That means working for someone else and earning her keep in an environment not of her own making. One would think a spoiled princess like her would not fare well, but Enzo has set her up to thrive.

Not only does this thread highlight how she has earned his trust enough, because she's received the green light to plan and coordinate an event in the coming year, but it explores their relationship and how their bond is deepening. This thread sets up Yumi as Enzo's blooming protégé and a potential successor of his business. I think it's also a great example of how she can be arrogant, thoughtful, and hardworking all at the same time — which, I think, is important for a character who comes off quite one-dimensional at first glance.

eclipse

lulu's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: THEO BECKETT and lulu share a conversation and tequila at the table in their new home, in the wake of meteno. lulu is typically working at that hour, but is experiencing some mental shifts that have left her more restless and contemplative than usual.

though she has rarely asked about his past, she learns new things about theo, such as the fact that he used to do work in kanto rocket’s labs, studying toxins. during the conversation, the two also decide they will take a vacation to unova for the holidays.[break]

why is it important?: since the beginning of their relationship, theo and lulu have asked strangely few questions about one another. on lulu’s end, it has been because she was satisfied with the picture she’d painted for herself of the invulnerable figure of power she had wished and needed theo to be.

however, time has weathered this illusion. as she sees him more for the flawed human that he is, she begins to embrace the quirks and tidbits of information about his life that she previously hadn’t cared to wonder about or acknowledge. it is maybe a new phase in learning to love again.

MORE HOMELESS THAN THE AVERAGE BEAR

character's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: A chance meeting between a Teddiursa and two down-on-their-luck guys ends in two destroyed campsites and an unlikely pair of roommates.
[break]
why is it important?: The homeless arc finally ends! Hoenn's #1 unluckiest boy is starting to get all that good karma back in spades, as this is only the beginning of Locke's change in fortunes. With this thread Locke finally starts his climbing of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, and his relationship with those within Rocket's ranks unknowing grows ever more complicated.

DEMANDS OF THE CAPTOR

Gunner's curry entry

thread summary: Gunner pays a visit to the imprisoned Chu-e Choi to conduct an interrogation. He walks in fully expecting a challenge, only to be surprised by Chu-e's willingness to impart information — provided Gunner can help him with a unique request.

why is it important?: I hardly ever get to show Gunner's dark, hateful side. I tried to express it in this thread despite the limitations of its context (i.e., the cameras observing Chu-e's movements 24/7), and I think I succeeded skillfully.

Additionally, Gunner's worldview is being challenged here; he relies a lot on black-and-white, us-versus-them thinking to continually fuel his vengefulness, and introducing nuance such as Chu-e's fatherly concern for Eris Halla forces Gunner to confront the notion that members of Team Rocket are people, too.

HEAT WAVES

lam’s curry entry

[break]
thread summary: For the first time, Lam embarks on a goal of completing a gym circuit challenge! Taking on CIAN MAHER at the Rustboro gym, he starts out a bit uncertain, but eventually figured out how to find his stride and earn that weather badge.  [break]

why is it important?: while straightforward in and of itself, this is a launching point for a new path for this character! initially i wasn’t going to have lam be more than a civilian, but setting him on the trainer (and more eventually mb??) route has provided the opportunity for some character growth. currently listless in his current job, Lam will hopefully find some internal direction and opportunities going forward. I’m super excited now to see how he grows in terms of confidence and in his training, but also as a league member.

As an ooc note, writing a pure combat thread has also reminded me how much I enjoy writing and navigating contained, turn-based action. Big thank ya to noodles for helping him start out with a bang! Cian was fun to write opposite and I think eased Lam into the challenge really well :3

DREAMCATCHER

eris' curry entry

[break]
thread summary: Eris' first thread out of her baby jail! Where Isaac takes her to go and have fun at a new year's festival![break]

why is it important?: To me, this thread captures a really precious moment for Eris and Isaac, where both of them get to just be normal dumbasses together. They share moments of laughter, banter, and care for each other. They're in tune with each other's shenanigans and emotions without even needing the words to describe it fully, both of them being supportive of one another even though they're unsure of themselves.

The two of them bonding over busting cheats just shows how the two of them work together to complete one another's plans. And now that Eris has finally revealed to Isaac that they've both lost their left eyes, the two of them feel a connection of being able to struggle together and help each other through this. Him copying how she tries to toss a ball to make up for his lack of depth perception, her offering to teach him and be his missing eye - It's the little things that really make a lot of difference in Eris' point of view.

And that really shows in the conversation they have while they're writing their wishes on their lanterns. About little bits of her past, about being brave, about being there for her and also about making her wishes come true even if the world refuses to let it happen. It's those little things that have helped her to understand that maybe, she isn't the only one screaming over what she's meant to do and where she's meant to go. As she lets go of that lantern, to have her finally let go of a bit of her fears and her desperate need to fight alone, and to have her really start to accept that someone who understands what she feels will be there for her even when she stumbles... That really made me feel like she was making progress.

Also I really loved how Wanderer had the same brain cell as me regarding the whole lighting lanterns situation in that we wanted Kiryu to be the one seeing the lights. Bless Kiryu...

SPEED OF A BEAST

kyle's curry entry

[break]
thread summary: kyle meets up with gym leader josh devlin and confronts him with news that most likely shatters his goals. kyle more than makes up for it, giving the gym leader the closure he deserves after learning the fact.[break]

why is it important?: josh's outlook for the future presents itself as a direct contrast to kyle's pragmatism, opening up another view for the champion to consider, being one of the factors that will slowly steer him away to his usual gloomy outlook. it's a small step to the direction, but a nudge towards more proactive actions for the future from him.