[attr="class","header"]THAT’S HOW SUPERHEROS LEARN TO FLY

[attr="class","setting"]

Val’s Pokémon as long as any of his so-called business partners. He had to tend to all of their Pokémon. Most of the time, without any help, they didn’t have a large amount of Pokémon. Together, it might have been twenty Pokémon, maybe a bit more, which, considering the fact he hadn’t a lot of energy, was a good thing.
[break][break]
Seeing no point in continuing to harp on past experiences taking care of Val’s pokemon, he simply nodded. Talking about his past was starting to make him a bit uncomfortable, but he knew the fact that he had experience taking care of Pokémon would come in handy.
[break][break]
To his relief, the older male seemed to agree with his sentiment. He wasn’t sure what he would do if Josh only saw Pokémon as tools. “Exactly. There are too many people who see themselves as above Pokemon,” he said, seeming saddened by the fact.
[break][break]
So far, it seemed he was doing well, if the way the gym leader was reacting was any indication. Even so, he was still never guilty of messing things up in some way. The next line of questioning gave him pause. Purposefully looking back wasn’t something he did very often, much preferring to look forward; however, he could understand why something more recent would need to be provided. Out of all the stuff, he could say there was one that stood out.
[break][break]
“Over the past few years, I’ve found music can have a calming effect on animals. I’m musically inclined, being able to play instruments such as guitar, violin, and the ocarina. I’ve never had the confidence to go up on stage and perform, though, so I’ve made do with playing for my Pokémon and best friend. Every now and then, my Pokémon will have trouble settling down at night, so I’ll play a bit of guitar or a few notes on one of the other instruments so I can calm them enough to be able to go to sleep. I’ve used my musical abilities to calm agitated Pokemon,” he explained to the leader.
[break][break]
He wasn’t a hundred percent sure how to explain. Probably because he didn’t fully understand how his music could have such an affect on Pokémon. But if, on the off chance, any of Josh’s Pokémon ever became agitated, they could come in use.[break] Josh Devlin

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]THAT’S HOW SUPERHEROS LEARN TO FLY

[attr="class","setting"]

A sound of a screech would grab his attention, causing him to look up towards the roof of the gym, where he would see a braviary. Unlike his own Hisuian Braviary, this one would be the Unovan variant and shiny. Sora would give his own trill of greeting before the other Braviary took flight.
[break][break]
He watched it fly away for a few seconds before turning his attention to Sora. Smiling slightly, he ran his fingers through his feathers before finally making his way into the gym.
[break][break]
The door had only just closed behind him when the person he assumed to be the gym leader came through another set of doors. Even from a distance, he could tell the older male was soaked. ‘Had he been in the middle of taking a shower?'
[break][break]
Before he could think too much about that, the older male was speaking. At his surprise about him being here already, he was confused. ‘Was he early?’ he wondered. He supposed that sometimes, out of fear that he would be late, he would tend to leave earlier than necessary.
[break][break]
“O-Oh no, don’t worry about it,” he commented, his shyness coming through a bit at the older male's sudden arrival.
[break][break]
Mentally reprimanding himself for getting caught off guard, he made his way closer so talking would be easier. “An-Anyway my name's Beckett, or Beck if you prefer.”[break] Alexei Ivanov

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]THAT’S HOW SUPERHEROS LEARN TO FLY

[attr="class","setting"]

He hated crowds.
[break][break]
It was surprising for someone who hated physical contact as much as he did.
[break][break]
Thankfully, he had perfected the art of weaving his way through crowds of people without so much as brushing up against them. A skill he had perfected over the years of his life.
[break][break]
Other than the crowds of people he had to avoid brushing up against, today was a good day. Or at least it was until he heard an explosion. It took him longer than he thought was necessary for him to realize they weren’t under attack. Instead, it seemed a group of Voltorb had found their way into the city.
[break][break]
Sidestepping another person who seemed to be in a hurry to get away from the chaos, he found himself near a young woman. At first glance, she seemed to be his age, maybe a bit older. She also seemed to be the only other person not losing their head.
[break][break]
Chewing his lip, he made his way closer. “D-Do you know wh-what could’ve set th-them off?” He asked, seeming more nervous about addressing the woman; than the fact, Voltorb seemed intent on self-destructing themselves around Mauville.[break] Elinor Anderson

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]THAT’S HOW SUPERHEROS LEARN TO FLY

[attr="class","setting"]

It was kind of embarrassing to have gotten turned around as much as he had, but at least he felt he would be able to find his way back to Mauville from here now that he knew where he was. Than he would be able to make his way back home.
[break][break]
However, doing so would have to wait. Wait until the weather has cleared up.
[break][break]
Thoughts of getting home were pushed to the back of his mind when Gerald’s younger sister approached. Upon her inquiring who he was, he introduced himself, not really expecting an introduction in return; it was more of a habitual thing for him to give his name than anything else.
[break][break]
“That’s great; I really like flying types. Bird Pokémon, especially,” he admitted, looking away, his face heating up a bit in embarrassment. “My first Pokémon was a Rufflet. I was kind of surprised when it evolved into a Hisuian Braviary.”
[break][break]
Making small talk had never been his strong point. He never really knew what to say. However, fear of hurt feelings usually kept him in the conversation.[break] Gerald Kaiser

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]THAT’S HOW SUPERHEROS LEARN TO FLY

[attr="class","setting"]

The idea of a sanctuary made specifically for flying-type Pokémon was definitely intriguing. If that was the case, then he was sure the sanctuary would be chockfull of bird Pokémon.
[break][break]
At first, he had been worried about how he might come to see such a great place. The thought that tours might be provided didn’t even cross his mind. Not until he had already discovered that the person who ran the sanctuary was looking for people to work at the sanctuary.
[break][break]
Even after seeing tours, provided his mind was made up, working at a place like the sanctuary would be like a dream come true, considering his love for bird Pokémon. There was also the fact that he wanted to do his part in taking care of the Pokémon in the region. And since working as a ranger was out, he would just have to work at as many institutes that required help in tending to Pokémon as he could.
[break][break]
It hadn’t taken him long after coming to a decision to set up a meeting with Alexei Ivanov. That was actually where he was on his way at the moment.
[break][break]
Reaching Fortree, he would dismount from Sora before making his way to the gym, which apparently doubled as the sanctuary. Which, considering he was also the gym leader, made sense.
[break][break]
Pausing before the gym, he took a deep breath before making his way inside.[break] Alexei Ivanov

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]THAT’S HOW SUPERHEROS LEARN TO FLY

[attr="class","setting"]

“I do have some past experience with tending to the needs of other pokemon. For awhile, I worked for a wealthy man. One of my tasks was tending to the needs of his Pokémon. I would say my task was pretty similar to that of a butler,” he explained. That was putting it lightly, without the darker side of what he had really been to Val and without him really lying.
[break][break]
At the mention of his lack of gym badges, he debated how best to answer. “No, I’m originally from Kanto. And I didn’t get ahold of any Pokémon of my own until after I had come to Hoenn,” he admitted before continuing. “Though I wouldn’t be opposed to taking the gym circuit.”
[break][break]
The fact that he wouldn’t necessarily be expected to have a badge was definitely surprising. But what he had been hoping for. He was hoping that he could acquire the gym badges at a later date if he had to. And even though it didn’t seem like it would be necessarily required, he made note of looking into taking part in the gym challenge anyway.
[break][break]
The questions gave him pause. He has never been the most confident person, but he supposes he should just speak from the heart. “A small part of me has always envied trainers. Growing up, I didn’t have the same freedom to just go off and be a trainer. As silly as it sounds, I feel that working at a gym will give me the feeling of making a childhood dream come true. Of course I’ve moved past dreams of grandeur, but it’s still a nice thought.”
[break][break]
Like most kids, he had dreamed of becoming a Pokémon master. Or becoming a gym leader. Or champion. But his upbringing had quickly dashed those dreams.
[break][break]
“I’ve always had a deep appreciation for Pokémon. There’s so much a Pokémon can do. I’ve never seen them as just tools but as companions or even family. And I would like to believe that family should be everything. But that’s only part of it. I’ve always been the type to put others needs before my own, and I like having someone to take care of.”
[break][break]
Hopefully, his response will work as an answer. He hadn’t sounded too sappy, had he?[break] Josh Devlin

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]THAT’S HOW SUPERHEROS LEARN TO FLY

[attr="class","setting"]

The fact that she lived in the Petalburg Woods was definitely surprising. Part of him envied her for it. Even if it weren’t for his secret career as an author, he would be more than willing to go live out in the woods somewhere. Of course, being an author was only half of it; he also had a roommate in the form of his best friend, who kept him from living off the grid like Shalin did.
[break][break]
“Living off the grid sounds nice. I can’t really get by without having to use a laptop, though. I use Word documents a lot,” he explained, his voice soft. It was clear from the fact that he wasn’t stammering that he was getting more comfortable, but he still struggled to speak up or meet her gaze directly.
[break][break]
At the mention of a well-known city from Johto, he couldn’t help but glance at her before quickly dropping his gaze once more. “That must have been hard at first. Do you not have family in Johto?” he inquired curiously, wondering if the barrier had kept her from her family.
[break][break]
Being separated from his family was a feeling he could relate to. Pushing aside thoughts of family, he decided to continue on with the conversation. "Anyway, I’m from Fuchsia City. I came to Hoenn with my best friend, so I can’t really say I left anything behind.”[break] Shalin Nariya

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]THAT’S HOW SUPERHEROS LEARN TO FLY

[attr="class","setting"]

The fact that he was near Fallabor was definitely a surprise. He had, of course, been to Mount Chimney before but hadn’t ventured past Mount Chimney. So even though Fallabor wasn’t too far from Mount Chimney, he had never been. Though considering the abundance of ash, he should’ve been able to hazard a guess as to where he was.
[break][break]
“I guess just because you’re used to flying to certain places doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to get wrapped up in your own thoughts,” he mumbled more to himself than the younger male.
[break][break]
Seriously, he somehow got completely turned around. Seriously, how had he gotten turned around so badly to end here instead of Slatesport? This was completely in the wrong direction.
[break][break]
“It se-seems I got completely around,” he admitted sheepishly.
[break][break]
As focused as he was on the conversation with Gerald, he didn’t notice the kid until she spoke, causing him to flinch a bit in surprise. It was barely noticeable and probably easy to miss if one wasn’t really paying attention.
[break][break]
Turning so it would be easier to talk to both of them, he addressed the young girl. “My na-name’s Becket, or Beck, if you prefer. I was just asking for directions. Though considering the weather, it’s probably best not to fly.”
[break][break]
In these conditions, the only thing he would be doing if he tried to fly was crashing.[break] Gerald Kaiser

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]THAT’S HOW SUPERHEROS LEARN TO FLY

[attr="class","setting"]

Looking down as he was, he didn’t notice the younger males surprise, however minimal it may be. He did take note of his tone, though, and it took everything in him, not just shrinking into himself. Was he angry? Worried about what he might find if he checked, he kept his eyes down.
[break][break]
“I-I was wondering if you co-could tell me wh-where we’re at,” he said, struggling not to give a mumbled response. Figuring he would need some more details, he continued on. “I was fl-flying astride my Pokémon when we flew into a soot cloud. I-It’s my fault I wa-wasn’t paying attention like I sh-should’ve been,” he admitted, wringing his hands together.
[break][break]
Hopefully, the younger man would be kind enough to tell him where they were. If he did, he could figure out which direction he needed to go to get home. At least he hoped that would be the case.[break] Gerald Kaiser

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]THAT’S HOW SUPERHEROS LEARN TO FLY

[attr="class","setting"]

“Just with people,” he mentioned upon hearing the question. “I find petting Pokémon to be kind of therapeutic,” he explained, hoping that would be a good enough response to get him to believe that taking care of all the Pokémon’s needs wouldn’t be a problem.
[break][break]
Large Pokémon didn’t bother him. After all, Sesi was bigger than the average Ninetales. Seeing the Alolan Ninetales every day made him often forget that, especially when one didn’t have a normal-sized Ninetale to compare to. Really, the only reason he would know it was bigger than average was because his friend had said as much.
[break][break]
“Large Pokémon don’t bother me. There’s never been a Pokémon I really have a problem with. I mean, I have my preferences when it comes to Pokémon I obtain for myself, but that doesn't mean I don’t enjoy the other Pokémon,” he explained, trying not to sound as awkward as he felt.
[break][break]
To him, it was really hard to put into words how he felt. Outside of his friend, he really wasn’t used to talking to people. And he was sure it showed.
[break][break]
The next question would be a relief. Now that was one he could easily answer without feeling awkward. Well, awkward. “Not really; you might find this surprising, but I’m pretty shy. I’ve never been the best at approaching people, especially if it’s to get something I want.”
[break][break]
There was that, but there were other reasons. He didn’t want to make someone mad at him. Nor did he want someone to say that they had lost. There was also the fact that he wasn’t fond of confrontation, but that often conflicted with his habit of putting others needs and desires before his own, and that included his Pokémon. So, in other words, if they wanted to battle, he wouldn’t get in their way.
[break][break]
An even easier question to answer. And one that wouldn’t be awkward in any way or form. "Unfortunately, I only have two at the moment. Though I’m hoping to acquire more in the future, I have a Hisuian Braviary and an Alonan Ninetales. Sora, my braviary, is one of the bravest Pokémon I’ve ever met. He’s also fairly confident. Basically, he’s everything I wish I was. He’s a protective sort as well, more towards me than anyone else, but he’s not opposed to helping someone out of a tight spot if he has to. Sesi, I would say, is gentle and compassionate and would be the acting mother of my Pokémon. While I take care of my Pokémon, she makes sure I take care of myself as well.”
[break][break]
It was clear from the way he spoke that he was very fond of his Pokémon. To the point that he had probably given more information than was required.[break] Josh Devlin

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","header"]THAT’S HOW SUPERHEROS LEARN TO FLY

[attr="class","setting"]

He felt bad that they couldn’t check every last inch of it. Being a simple civilian, buying protective clothing could be hard. The best he had when it came to protection was winter clothes. But that was protection against the cold. If he tried to go that route when it came to protecting himself, he was sure to pass out.
[break][break]
"Okay, hopefully we’ll still find some kind of clue,” he said, waiting for Shalin to take the lead. Once airborne, he let his gaze sweep the scenery below them, not that he could really see anything. Hopefully, Sora or Shalin will end up spotting something.
[break][break]
The question caused him to briefly glance at the green-haired woman, not having been expecting it. Still, he would answer her question. “I live in Dewford Town, but I wasn’t born in Hoenn,” he explained. Though he still saw Hoenn more like home than he had Kanto.
[break][break]
“What about you? What part of Hoenn are you from?”[break] Shalin Nariya

[attr="class","oocnotes"] + ooc notes

[attr="class","pokeclass"]