He froze for a second when he heard the noise. A jingle, followed by the clattering of the lock, and the creaking of the door. Normally sounds that wouldn't raise a brow, but up here, in the serence peace of the afternoon, they were as loud as alarm bells. He moved to put his cigarette out, cursing, when he heard a familiar voice. He turned, leaning his back against the railing, a fond smile on his face.

"If it isn't my most troublesome student. It's good to see you again Dahlia." He nodded to the Mr. Rime, greeting the ever present aide. "And you too, Rory."

Pythia came out of her daze and hopped off the railing, flying up and circling the duo. Spotting the perfect target, she banked around, before fluttering down landing on top of Mr. Rimes hat, chirping out a content 'tuuu' at her new seat.

"Surprised they haven't figured it out yet. Took your class about a week." He barked out a short laugh, before puting the cigarette out, leaving it in an ashtray he had brought out here that had seen significant use over the years. "If there's a new group of Cadets you want put through the ringer, they might have to wait a while. Still training up the last batch."

dahlia goode

Frost coalesced on the Hippopotas's skin as it was blasted by the freezing deluge. After only a few seconds its energy had been sapped by the cold, and the [BLIZZARD] ended. Enckes mouth snapped shut, a smug look on his face as he somehow looked down on the Hippopotas, despite being smaller than it. Everyone underestimated Encke, and he delighted in proving them wrong. Jim let out a little puff of misted breath, the temperature being even colder closer to the source. Luckily, it soon started to warm up again, the effect of [SUNNY DAY] still lingering from earlier.

He walked over, crouching down in front of the Hippopotas. He wasn't really sure what to do with it. "Well? What do you think?" Encke rolled over, placing himself beside Jim, and clapping his flippers a couple of times. He smiled, giving the spheal a scratch on the head, and pulled out an empty pokeball. He tapped it against the unconcious Hippopotas, the frozen hippo being absorbed into the pokeball. "I'll take it to a pokecenter first to get it healed at least. Can decide what to do after that." He spoke to Encke softly, almost to himself, as he turned to see how the other fight was going.

Though gone might be more accurate. The battle was ending as he turned, the Machamp putting the finishing blows on the Honedge. The floating blade was quickly sucked into a pokeball as well, and the previously loud tunnel descended into silence. He took in the strange scene, his brow creasing with worry when he saw Moff. "Is she alright? Pythia can heal her if she's injured."

michiko maeda

He'd been kept late today. Normally Jim would already be home, his classes ending at 3. However, one of the other teachers had a family emergency and had to leave. He ended up covering for them, teaching some basic history. This lesson had actually been on ancient pokemon, something he had quite an interest in. He probably spent too long talking about the different fossils found, and definitely far too long on the progenitors of the regeneration technique. Honestly when you think about it, it was amazing they managed to ressurect an extinct pokemon from a piece of amber, and propogate it enough that they could be found throughout the world now.

And it seemed his lesson was somewhat prophetic, as the aforementioned pokemon practically exploded out of the Devoncorp building. A few Aerodactly had taken wing, and, well, Jim wasn't going to miss this chance. He took aim, and with a snap of his wrist, threw a pokeball at the closest one.
SvApOBUF

That... had been a tough one. One of the larger groups he had to teach this semester, and a lot of young trainers who were the kids of other trainers. Snot nosed little brats that thought because they know type advantages they were 8 gyms away from becoming the new Champion of the Pokemon League. Admittedly, a few of them actually seemed to show a fair bit of potential, but there were always diamonds in the rough. You could almost always tell who would drop out the running when things got tough, and he liked to think he had quite a good eye for that kind of thing after nearly two decades of this.

He even kept up to date with a few of the ones that had, whether surprisingly or not, managed to do exceedingly well. Like any teacher, he had no lack of pride for his students, even the snooty little rapscallions that some of the richer parents foisted on him to get rid of them for a few hours. Between them and the war, he wasn't surprised that Pythia seemed to suffer from PTSD. Hopefully when she looked into the future, she saw classes of innovative kids that listened and didn't talk back when he was teaching them. He barked out a short laugh at the thought. He'd be more likely to meet a Legendary Pokemon.

At least he could find some solace up here. He was standing on the roof of the Rustboro academy, smoke coiling around his head before being blown away. A cherry red glow came from the cigarette, the nicotine flooding through his veins to give him some relief from the torturous existance that being a teacher entailed. Technically no one was allowed up here, only a select few had the keys to get up. But you didn't really need keys when you had a Psychic bird that could teleport as a friend, did you?

He was enjoying the sunshine, after being stuck in a classroom for the last four hours. The breeze continued to blow, but a shadow was cast over the day. He glanced up, and a cloud had blocked the sun. He snuck a suspicious look at Pythia. There were no Absols hanging around, but still.

"This better not be an omen..." He muttered.

dahlia goode

Astonish? Interesting choice. Not a strong move, but it could sometimes surprise the other Pokemon. Unfortunately, it seemed that the Bagon was not as astonished as they would hope, shrugging off the move and spitting the miniature flames at the Applin. Understandably, the little dragon was pretty shaken. The Bagon seemed stronger than it naturally, and as a Grass Type, the embers were... dangerous, to say the least. Encke at least seemed to be having fun, the frost dissipating as the rotund little being used his exquisite rotundness to its full effect. Spinning in a circle, the Spheal rocketed forwards, his [ROLLOUT] scattering the Bagon he was playing with like pins before a bowling ball.

"Yep. Have you heard of the tabletop term Linear Fighter, Exponential Wizard?" His inner teacher unleashed, Jim didn't wait for a reply, continuing his mini-lecture. "Fighters growth is pretty standard, they're decently strong no matter what level they are. Dragon types, however, are Wizards." He crouched down, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small treat, tossing it to the Applin to try to cheer it up a bit. "As in, early on, they are shit. No offense." He gave the Applin a small smile, before standing up and pointing to the Dragon types roaming the area. "Notice how all the first evolution Dragon types, like these Bagon, roam in packs? That's why. Alone, they're not very powerful, and it's only when they evolve they truly come into their might, becoming some of the strongest pokemon that aren't out of Myth or Legend."

He grabbed a pokeball, releasing a second pokemon, Pythia. The Natu fluttered to the ground beside Squeakz. "He just needs a pack to roam with until he's self sufficient, and then he'll become an absolute wrecking ball." Pythia hopped forward a few steps, standing between the Bagon and the Applin, staring the blue dragon out. And nothing could out stare a Natu. A small glow surrounded her, a soft pink light that seemed to glitter, before it disappeared. "Pythia here will help Squeakz out. She just used [WISH], a delayed healing ability. She'll fly up in a few seconds, and if you get your little pal close to where she was standing, should help perk him right back up."

He held his hand out to Derrick, throwing him a good natured smile. "Only my actual students call me Mr. For an impromtu lesson like this, you can just call me Jim."

@derrick

Jim - Middle age white man as a Fighter? Jocrap would laugh at me. But at least I'm a Battlemaster, not a Champion.

JIM TO KATHERINE

8/10 - I don't know if I feel entirely comforatble rating someone half my age.

The swarm of huntail that had been lurking around the Corsola had suddenly sprung into action. Detecting the easy targets, they burst towards the living reef, attempting to snag a quick snack. Their first attempt was warded off as, for a brief second, the moon seemed to raise in the sky, bathing the group in it's soft glow. Reality snapped back however, as the moonlight disappeared, only reappearing once again as a burst of lunar energy in the midst of the Huntail. Jim held up his hand, a worried look in his eyes as he watched a couple of the pokemon struggling to keep up with the pack, the attack having damaged them enough that they would be easy pickings for some of the more dangerous lurkers in the depths.

He held his hands up toward the pinkette, an apalled expression on his face. "Woah, easy there, no need to unleash on them like that. We can probably scare them off without hurting them too badly. They're just doing what they can to survive after all. They may be wild, but they feel pain as much as any of your Pokemon." He gave a stern look to Melody, lightly admonishing her for the reaction to the Huntails. He turned back to see what Encke was doing, nodding to himself when he saw the Spheal already putting his words into practice. His blue fur seemd to solidify around him, forming natural protection as he slowly spun around on top of the water. The rotations increased in speed, until he was gone. A small burst of water was the only mark of his passing, Encke utilizing [ROLLOUT] to dive down towards the oncoming swarm.

He missed on purpose, blasting directly in front of the Huntails. His passing at such high speed created a sort of turbulence in the water, buffeting the enroaching pokemon and pushing them back a bit. Hopefully enough to warn them off, let them know that the living reef wasn't as easy a target as they seemed to think. "If that doesn't work, well..." Pythias eyes were glowing slightly, almost imperceptably in the bright light of the afternoon. "Then, and only then, should we be using violence directly against them." He put his cigarette out on the side of his kayak, putting the butt in his pocket. Hopefully the others heard him, and would refrain from brutalizing the hungry Pokemon too much.

Melody Miro avery jones @sayso @aeron

Pain. Excitement. Shame. Joy. Rage. Like minnows through the sea, these emotions flicked through the Seedots head as he impacted off of the Honedge. He WOULD prove himself today, and show that he was ready for active duty. His first attack SHOULD have worked, right? It was a dark type move against a ghost! Obviously this Honedge was a liar and a cheater and should not be allowed to fight. Instead, the Seedot turned to the enroaching Hippopotas. Now this... THIS was a pokemon he could comfortably crush. With the light shining down on him, everything was ready. The glow of the sun would intensify around the Seedot, the glow seeming to be brought into his own body. Almost a miniature sun in truth, the light of their life-giving star transcending into the harsh beams of death that they truly were, catalyzed in his tiny form.

Locked in place by the Venonats Stun Powder, there was nothing the Hippopotas could do but watch in fear. And Seedot stared back. A thought would thunder through his mind. A single idea, one to unleash destruction onto the Hippopotas that had tried sneaking towards them.

[SOLA-

Light would flash in the dark tunnel, and... nothing. The Hippopotas was still concious, it's eyes closed, waiting for the eradicating blast of sunlight. He would open his eyes, only to find Seedot gone. Jim stood there with a pokeball in his hand, the other one pinching the bridge of his nose as he gently shook his head. "Using a solar beam in the middle of a cave... trying to take us all down with it." he muttered to himself. Another small flash, and in the Seedots place was a small rotund blob of blue fur. Encke clapped his flippers together, his delight at being out to play obvious to all who were watching.

"Alright, Encke. [BLIZZARD]" A line split across the spheal, as he opened a mouth that seemed too large for the body that housed it. Condensation gathered around, and a blue glow could be seen deep in its maw. The small drops of liquid would crystalize, the clattering of a few of them hitting the ground before the glow expanded and exploded out. A blast of icy wind, carrying pellets of hail and flurries of snow blased the Hippopotas, who had gone from thanking his luck to cursing it once again.

michiko maeda

He nodded at the younger trainers explanation. Seems the League wanted to give this person a trial by fire. Sending him to play with one of the most troublesome types, despite his lack of experience with them, was a bit of a nasty move. A grimace would flicker over his face, quickly being schooled into a more thoughtful expression, less Derrick thought it was aimed at him. No, it was annoyance at the League, moreso. This was how you ended up with Trainers disillusioned with training pokemon, or with a grudge against a certain type.

"I was a farmer." He gently tapped Encke with his foot, the Spheal puffing out another blast of frost. This time, it went through the middle of the group, splitting the Bagon apart as one dashed towards the pair, the other few hopping backwards away from the blast. "But, anyone can learn this, with enough practice." His expression soured once again, as his mind went back to how he had learned to fight with pokemon. "Dragons, being mostly reptiles, aren't fans of cold temperatures. With a few exceptions." He gestured to the Applin, continuing with "As a Grass Dragon, your little friend there is especially vulnerable. Luckily, few Dragon Types use Ice attacks themselves, so you shouldn't be too troubled against these."

The solo Bagon took a few steps forward, before suddenly noticing he was now outnumbered. Jim took a couple of steps back from the approaching Bagon, leaving Derrick in the forefront. Encke was staring down the remainder of the group, cold air misting from his mouth, keeping at bay. "Lets see how he does against a single encounter, while we're here." Seeing that Encke seemed to be occupied, and Jim retreating, the small blue dragon locked on to Applin, seeming to grin at Squeakz, small motes of [EMBER] falling out of its mouth.

((ooc: are you still using franky or is it a new FC for this character?

@derrick

Without the normal bustle of pedestrians that occupied this tunnel, Jim found himself enjoying the rather peaceful walk. A small little acorn trundled ahead of him, his Seedot exploring the cave ahead. The area around them was inexplicably brighter than the rest of the cave, and the luminescence seemed to travel with the pair. Over his life, Jim had found out some interesting things about the abilities of their companions. Such as this: [SUNNY DAY] didn't have to be used outside. Though faint, the effect of the move was enough to give enough light for them to see with.

It was a strange phenomena, and one that had Jim had been contemplating as he walked. The tunnel was practically silent, his own footsteps being the only sounds amidst the ambient noises. It was almost a shock when he heard someone else coming up the tunnel, shaking him out of his thoughts. He smiled as he saw the beleaguered Machoke, all four arms full of shopping. That was certainly one way to utilize one of the strongest pokemon known. "Afternoon." he said, slowing down as he got closer. "Good to see another person, I thought I was the only one in here!" He smiled politely at the lady, about to say something more. He glanced over her shoulder, eyes narrowing as he saw something glint as it came into the light.

A floating sword, its sheath wrapped in the tassel, came towards them. A clattering could be heard from behind him, as some of the loose rubble in a pile fell off, a large, sand-colored head looked up, clambering out of the pile and towards them. As the Honedge and the Hippopotas closed towards them, the Seedot sprang forward, a dark energy glowing around it as it flew head first into the Honedge. Using [SUCKER PUNCH], he smashed into the flat of the blade. A resounding clang rang out through the tunnel as wood met steel. And even though the steel was haunted, the Seedot found out first hand why he should not have used a physical move against it.

He rolled back a couple of meters from the impact, leaving him sitting at Jims feet. "Your Machoke may need to put down his bags" He said to Michiko.

He thought longingly back to the nice, peaceful walk down the tunnel he had been enjoying. He held back a sigh, concentrating on the fight. It was good while it lasted at least.

michiko maeda