Excitement crested in Finn's chest like the first time he dove off a cliff on his Skarmory's back. Finn wanted to snort at himself - fancy finding that excitement here, fighting off a Snorlax in a forest - but feelings had a way of wanting to be felt. Finally, after being cooped up in the School for so long, Finn was doing something offbeat and kinda silly... something fun!

With a rascally grin, Finn threw out a Pokeball and sent Ran the Primeape out onto the field. Ran - a poetic word from a heritage language for "chaos"; just what Finn was up for right now. 

"Sounds good, brother." 

A nerve twitched in Ran's forehead, and the furious monkey released a cackling screech as he slammed his foot on the floor. Shock waves crackled across the ground in a Stomping Tantrum, shaking the Snorlax out of its sleep. With a cranky growl, the Snorlax woke up!

Finn shifted his weight on his feet. Time to get ready to dance. 

"Your move!" 

noah faber

Faint sunlight flickered in Finn's eyes like pools of gold. Another elder brother taking on the family mantle out of duty? He felt like he was staring into a mirror, his soul reflected onto him through the experience of another.

A small breeze whistled through the woods.

"Yeah, the things we do for family, huh."

Finn could feel the wind stroke his hair now that he wasn't wearing his crown.

Stirred up by the woods, heated by his own desire for connection, questions stirred up in Finn's lungs. What was it like leading a community? Did he also take off his armour at night, alone, tending to his wounds behind closed doors?

Words arose, then dissolved, in Finn's lips at the sight of the snoozing Snorlax in their campsite.

Snikt.

Finn's Scyther was ready to pounce, but Finn stilled him with a reassuring hand as he assessed their options.

"We could drop the wood, pack up and find a new spot - but then we lose this view." The sea called out to them from beyond the Snorlax's heaving and falling belly. Toasting marshmallows. Flying out across the evening sea on Finn's Flying-types. Give that up for this rogue Snorlax?

"Or..." Finn raised an eyebrow playfully. Two top trainers against one wild Pokemon. Could they take their chances?

noah faber

Boop. Something small bumped against Finn's foot. Finn's first instinct was to peer down and inspect whatever had rolled out of place, but his heart melted once he saw and heard that it was a Togepi.

"Aww. Hi there, little fella." Softly, and with a gentle smile, Finn bent over to stretch his hand out in a high-five. Then, the Togepi's trainer rocked up like a cloud of thunder. Thunderbolts were ready to drop from the sky - and it seems like they had found their target.

Finn's eyebrows twitched. Challenger? Who, him? Reflexively, Finn used Withdraw. No, this carnival was just a thing for them; he was just going to observe, survey, reflect -- not play! Master Flying Sword, having fun?

Togepi squealed again. Finn bit his lip as he weighed his duty against his ego. The School always came before self. In this case, to be true to that maxim meant Finn had to take this challenge with honour.

"Oh, yes. Sure." Finn smiled politely.

Time to make his wrestling debut.

"Finnegan Yang. Pleasure to meet you. So, are our Pokemon the ones doing the wrestling, or...?"

Althus Rex

When Finnegan decided to let the school's committee members take more creative direction over their outreach efforts, he thought they would do stuff like fun fairs and swordplay shows. You know, normal stuff. He didn't expect that they would organise a wrestling competition.

An Alolan wrestling jingle tooted in the background.

Finn surveyed the sights and sounds of the fiesta from the central platform that overlooked the quadrangle. What was usually a calm, composed and even severe place of skill and contemplation had been overtaken by splashes of colour, screaming children, flexing Fighting-types. A wild, raucous, jubilant energy swelled up in the school like ripe sunkissed berries.

This didn't come as second nature to the stoic teacher, but Finn had to admit that he kinda liked the atmosphere. Even the birds in the Fortree woods chirped a bit more brightly today. However, what about the image he had to uphold? From the glances Finn observed, his students were watching him - waiting to see how he would take it in, how he would express himself. He wondered whether it was worth continuing to play the part of the strict master.

Finn's royal green kimono fluttered as he hopped off the platform into the crowd. Gingerly, like dipping his feet into a pool, he waded out into the festive atmosphere.

Althus Rex

• player/ooc name: Robin
• character tags: Finnegan Yang
• dropped characters' tags (if applicable): -
• ic posts for characters: pkmn-hoenn.boards.net/thread/46078/bro-camp?page=1&scrollTo=588356
• are characters in directories?: Y
• any notes/comments:

Machamp and Scyther chopped and heaved chunks of firewood onto their backs. Like their trainers, they became fast friends too. They sliced and tossed logs between them with an uncanny familiarity. Their synergy made Finn feel braver, stronger. Whatever lurked in this forest had nothing on them!

"Yep, I am. That's how the title of Master Flying Sword landed on me. Oldest one wears the crown." Finn responded, but then paused a bit, holding his breath for a bit in his lungs. His eyes flickered for a bit, deciding if he should continue, and then settled on Noah's.

Since Noah was an older brother himself, he would probably understand.

"Sometimes, I do wonder how life would be if our ages were switched, though. Maybe I'd be camping in the woods a lot more."

As the duo and their Pokemon turned back towards their campsite, a dull, broad something thumped ahead of them.

noah faber

Sng... Hmm?

Finn, asleep up till now on the sunbed at the side of his garden, shifted his straw hat off his eyes as he heard a soft squelching sound approaching him. Pushing himself up, he saw a Quagsire plodding up to berries that Finn was especially proud of. Not exactly a big problem, but still a minor nuisance.

Sinking back into the sunbed, Finn whistled, attracting the attention of his Pokemon lounging about the area. Finn's Scyther ambled out of the hut, zeroed in on the Quagsire with laser-focused eyes, and sent a swift Air Cutter at it!

shiv

Finn's Scyther buzzed ahead of them as they walked to where the clearing met the woods, his blades ready to dig into some tree trunks. As Finn paced behind him, he wondered what it was about him that gave off only sibling vibes.

"I have two little brothers. Why, what's up?"

If Finn were to hazard a guess, he knew what he might hear - he shoulders burdens, looks out for others. But Finn's ears were peeled for what Noah would say. Listening to a friend's thoughts is like scrying in the reflection on a Starmie's gem. You see yourself, but in a new magical light that surfaced even more.

While Finn was listening out for Noah, he ended up hearing more than he expected. Something huge lumbered through some trees in the distance. Of course, the woods were home to big wild creatures, but Finn was confident that between Noah and himself, they were more than able to keep themselves safe.

noah faber

OOC: I'm thinking they collect some firewood, then their path back to their campsite gets blocked by a Snorlax or something that fell asleep on the path?

Finn chuckled when Noah said that he'd thought Finn was some other kind of person. He couldn't blame his new friend - that was the Finnegan Yang that he wanted to project to the world, a Finnegan that had to exist out of duty. But there was Finnegan, and there was Finn. The former was a strict swordsmaster; the latter a green-haired boy that, sometimes, just wanted to swoop out of the school to get boba in Fortree City.

"Yeah, I kinda do live and breathe swordplay, but it's nice to smell the flowers too. Glad to be here with you, man."

The good thing about being two guys who worked with their hands? They made short work of everything. Finn admired the teamwork between Noah and his Machamp as they passed bits and bobs between themselves, putting up a sturdy tent within mere minutes. Futou, Finn's Scyther, nodded in stoic respect as he came up to Finn and tapped the side of his arm. They should make themselves useful too.

"We're gonna cut down some trees fore firewood. Wanna come along?" Futou's eyes glinted at the chance to show off how sharp his blades were.

noah faber

Why did Finn reach out to Noah?

If Noah could see Finn's face, he might have noticed a sheepish smile - but Finn busied himself unloading his bag and pulling out supplies. Keeping himself occupied, as he always did, because he'd rather wrestle with work and things than with his feelings.

The honest answer? Finn didn't have many friends. It was lonely being the only guy in the Master's House in Flying Sword.

"Eh, I just wanted to get away from the School for a bit. How are things with you?"

It took some courage for Finn to ask. He was one who rarely spoke, rarely connected. But he felt like Noah was someone he could let into the inner circle of his life.

noah faber

• player/ooc name: Robin
• character tags: Finnegan Yang
• dropped characters' tags (if applicable):
• ic posts for characters: pkmn-hoenn.boards.net/thread/46078/bro-camp
• are characters in directories?: Y
• any notes/comments:

"We're good. We mostly keep to ourselves, anyway." Flying sword was quiet and peaceful... for the most part. Even though Finn could see the shadows brewing beyond its gates. But what mattered to him was that if - or when - the battle came to his door, they would be able to protect themselves.

But maybe not bring that up at this time?

"How're things on your end?"

As they walked into the woods, the naked sunlight filtered out, becoming diffused and softer as it passed through the treetops.

"Do you know where we're going, by the way?"

noah faber