Well, things improved at least. That was good. This was meant to be a bit of an adventure after all, not a dangerous mission that had to be accomplished. Megan followed along, taking in her surroundings probably a bit more consciously than the other, simply due to never having been here before. This was a strange place, after all.
[break][break]
One that saw her a bit apprehensive when the little Pokemon led them to some kind of hatchery. Jo naturally took the lead in that moment due to rushing towards the eggs right away while Megan was still trying to figure out what she was looking at there.
Well, eggs, obviously. But, well, what kinds of eggs? She could see tentacles breaking shells. That wasn’t exactly great, right? But then again, Jo seemed excited about it all, so Megan took a deep breath and accepted that it probably wasn’t bad at all. Jo knew better about these sorts of things, after all.
[break][break]
Still, she remained standing even as she leaned in a little. “Do you know what kind of species that is? I am not that well versed in water types. Well, more like under-water types, I guess.” Plus, she felt like she had to be extra wary while the other was distracted. As if it was on her to keep watch.

[break][break]

+ ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Hmm, I guess that makes sense,” she noted, though she was a bit disappointed. Or maybe that was the wrong word? She had promised to protect Jo though – or at least she did remember that she had, even if she could not tell when and where she had used the words precisely – so hearing that she had made bad experiences here did irk her on some level.
[break][break]
But that only spurned her on to try and do better, to make this visit a less troubling one. Hence, she reached out and put a hand on the other’s shoulder, with gentle firmness. “But don’t worry too much. I’m here with you this time. Not a lot of trouble that could knock us down, after all.” Us. As in, them together. She had resolved to prevent that from happening ever since that night on the mountain.
[break][break]
That was something that kept her going, after all. “Oh, look, seems like your anchory one has found something.”
[break][break]
[break][break]

+ competitive meter certainly rising slightly

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Ah. Rocket talk. Not her favourite. Well, in a way her favourite had once been a Rocket, but that was a different matter altogether. Still though, the sudden shift in tone and topic had her pretty much focus on that, mostly disregarding the rest for now. “Hmm, depends on how you define trouble.”
[break][break]
That was not just her starting like that to buy herself a few more moments to think about this properly, but was also something she struggled with, genuinely. “I mean, I fought them a few times. But mostly because I signed up for it to help the League when they called for manpower. I don’t really hate any of them and they never just gave me trouble out of the blue. Guess I am kind of one grade separated from the issue, if that makes any sense?”

[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

This did bring back memories. Well, they had not quite been underwater back then, but they had investigated a strange cluster of something on the beach, at night. That was kind of similar to this place, too. Though this place was also very, very different from what one might consider ‘normal’. Then again, normal was not really their thing. They had met during a time-space distortion and tended to always meet up at the most obscure places.
[break][break]
Though this time, they had come here together. Which was good. Jo had been much too involved with her work for Megan’s tastes, making this a rarer occurrence. Which wasn’t something she liked at all. Only she could not quite put a finger on why. Or would not. One of the two, really.
[break][break]
For now, she was just happy to be here, in a way. In a way, she was not too fazed by the underwater sensation herself. Megan was always someone that rolled with punches like these. As long as she did not actively feel unwell, she could adapt to such things. Jojo, too, seemed to just fit this place in a way. Though on the other hand, she did not quite look it, either. “Are you quite alright, Jo?” Eventually, she just had to ask. The other was being rather quiet, after all.

[break][break]

+ ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“I don’t think they all know. In fact, those that don’t are usually the most annoying. So full of themselves if they win something that’s kind of rigged in their favour. Always makes me want to whip out my biggest guns to teach them,” she added, sounding a bit annoyed at the end there.
[break][break]
However, she briefly took a conscious breath, calming down. This was one of the worst parts of it all. She had left customer service for a reason, but it was kind of involved in this too. Hence, she tried to get over her hang-ups. But it wasn’t always quite as easy. “Though to be fair, I always thought losses to be more instructive. That’s probably the hardest part, to figure out when to go full throttle. Wouldn’t want to crush their spirits after all, but a hard-earned win might still be better.”
[break][break]
Megan sighed, though not in a dejected manner. “I guess those kinds of things just come with experience. Gotta develop a feel for them, not something we could learn from a textbook or something.”

[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“I guess holding back’s the big thing. You know, you learn on your challenge to always give it your all and stuff. Makes it difficult to adjust your, well, difficulty, I guess?” That was how she would put it, at least. Even when battling gym leaders herself, that had always felt a bit weird. The nagging feeling that she was only able to compete because the other side let her. In a way, that felt wrong. But she did see the reasoning.
[break][break]
But getting it right? That was the important part. “Like, part of me thinks I am kind of insulting others if I don’t give my all, you know? Especially if they seem to be going all out. If I throw my strongest Pokemon at someone that clearly is trying but doesn’t really have anything that can keep up, that feels right by respecting them, but also a bit like bullying them? Difficult to put into words, really.”

[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Hmm,” she started, clearly thinking by herself momentarily as she half watched the Froakie do Froakie things. “See, I don’t really doubt that I’m good. Of course I am.” Crossing her arms, she nodded to herself as if to accentuate these words. There had been a bunch of self-doubt for a while, but after that recent incident with those dogs she had not found herself doubting that part too much.
[break][break]
It was the other stuff that had her still be a little wary. “But I kind of have to transition from challenging gyms for badges to actually getting into the job. You know, holding back, teaching, adjusting? That’s not something you learn out on the journey. That’s more something I should work on rather than just training. At least I think so?”

[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

“Street smart, eh?” she somewhat cooed, wondering just what exactly that was going to tell her in that regard. It wasn’t often that people said that in her company. Probably because she did not exactly hang with the shiftiest sorts, but she figured there was a bit more to that.
[break][break]
Still though, she was not going to pry to much. “Nothing wrong with that, though. I didn’t exactly go to college either. Guess retail is kind of a street to get smart with too, though.” A chuckle, since she always loved making self-deferential jokes at the expense of her old job. It was a common pastime. “In the long run though? Not sure. For the longest time, I just wanted to become a guild leader. Or maybe just to become good enough that I could become one. I have been questioning that distinction a lot, lately.”

[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Megan could not help but shrug. To both comments. Because it was kind of the same. She did not mind helping out, never did. Especially when at least some pay was involved. But she also did not think it was much to thank her for. Especially not from people that could likely handle matters themselves.
[break][break]
Look, she got it. Why it was better and why it was good. But she still did not exactly feel accomplished there because of it. “Oh, it’s nothing, really. And I guess I have? Looking out for stuff is common work on the road I guess. Never archaeological stuff, granted, but it’s not like I look into the cargo anyway. Not my stuff and I wouldn’t quite get it anyway.” Hence, her second shrug was a bit more lackadaisical. Sure, she was wearing glasses, but that did not mean she had the chops to distinguish actual dirt and trash from archaeological treasures. Those were just, well, kind of beyond her.

[break][break]

+ CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Some trainers came out here with nothing but a little mouse. Others arrived in the area in a storm of dust and air as their Arcanine rushed up the mountain. One of those people was Megan, dressed more conservatively in shirt and skirt. She’d worked a long time at a Pokemart near this mountain, she was used to the climate. Just about the only good thing her years near Mt. Chimney had ultimately left her with.
[break][break]
Well, the other was Arcanine, who had originated here. The big boy sometimes did get homesick, so now they were rushing here. Megan was a responsible rider though, so when she saw a lone figure on the path she had her mount slow down. It would be rude to crash into them, or just to kick off a lot of dust near the other for no apparent reason. Yeah, just kind of rude.
[break][break]
Though, that did not mean she had good manners, either. Once she was close enough to see the other’s choice of attire, she could not help herself from commenting. “Heyo there! Hope we didn’t scare you or anything like that. If you are looking for beach though, girl you are probably in the wrong place. Not that I’d complain though.” She offered a shrug and a smirk as she said that. Megan could appreciate pretty people regardless of gender, even if she didn’t mean much by it. Life was too short to not enjoy the little things, really.

[break][break]

+
katrina murphy

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Yeah. No jester costume today. Well, she would put it on to help out and when specifically asked by Jo, but not today. No, this was her starting a new job. And she naturally dressed properly for that. No Pokemart uniform, no jester’s costume, but today she wore what she had always thought to be the classical ‘workers people’ uniform: a proper skirt, a shirt with a white collar and a blazer over that. Would be a bit chilly this time of year, but she still wanted to pull off the ensemble for once. Not just to prove to her parents that she could actually do proper work after all – they would not be informed until she had already worked properly for a good while, just to make sure she could hold it down. But also because she wanted to…feel right.
[break][break]
This all had not been a spur of the moment decision for once, but something she had given a lot of thought. But that also meant she had kind of put too much thought into it all. Snap decisions you could regret or enjoy right afterwards, but this had taken a good moment to properly set up. She still needed to find a proper place to live here in Ever-Grande, but this lease was good enough for now. She finished dressing, packed her bag – she still was not the kind of person to have an actual purse, so a side-bag it was – wished the nice lady at the desk a nice day and made for the gym. Naturally, she was way early. But she wanted to do this properly. To not just have gotten this job thanks to knowing the boss or anything like that. Even though she would be working with and for Jo, Megan wanted to prove to the other and herself that, well, she was not the screw-up she might have once been.
[break][break]
Not that Jo had ever called her that. Probably had not even though it. Yet, Megan still thought that way sometimes. But that was going to end that day.

[break][break]

+ Johanna Joy

[attr="class","pokeclass"]