Jory

Jacob frowned at Kristen, opening his mouth to retort when he realized the redhead was just teasing him. He grabbed the girl's wrist as she pushed him and stood up, wrapping his arms around the girl's waist and giving a small chuckle. "Yeah, I guess I'll just have to show you what for if we get matched against each other. After all, if I'm going to become one of the Elite Four someday then I need to start proving myself to the League scouts this year." He paused, then grinned goofily. "I can't imagine what my dad would say if he found out I lost to a girl, after all," he joked.

Drunk and posted it immediately after posted in Ymora. I'll fix that right up

such everything eq very destroy much non-existant movepool wao

I'd send seth with the Gym team thanks to Giga's high HP stat and ability to use both Fire and Fighting attacks.

After Jacob had returned from the trip, he had immediately began an intense training regimen with his team. The intent behind it was clear: Win the Winter Cup and send news home that he had done so. After all, with such frenetically busy business-related jobs, his parents had regretfully sent news that they would be unable to attend, but would be watching the televised event from home with the rest of their family. And so, receiving this somewhat saddening news, the young Trainer had resolved to make his message to his family clear: “I don’t need you to be here for me to want to make you proud.” The young man threw himself fully into training his Pokemon, getting only 5 hours of sleep a night due to the intense regimen he had developed for his team. He hadn’t seen Kristen in as many days as they’d returned from the trip, having notified her that winning the Winter Cup had been his dream since he was a child. First he worked with Chalchi, making sure to train her exclusively on dry land. The Water- and Ice-type was adept at seafaring battles, and so Jacob had decided she could use some more work on land. Rather than continue training her somewhat unreliable Confusion techiniques, they worked hard to take advantage of her natural Ability. And so, it came to pass that Chalchi began working toward summoning water from the very clouds in order to bolster her moveset, learning to control the weather in order to avoid the situation that had arisen in her battle against Flare (in which she was unable to do maximum damage due to Zuko’s Drought ability). They also worked on her accuracy with her Water Pulse and Freeze Dry attacks, learning to more effectively hit fast-moving targets. Finally, Jacob reluctantly put her through endurance training, causing his Pokemon to take Electric-type attacks from a machine in order to increase her resistance to Mareek’s winning stratagem. Then, he began training Teo extensively. They kept on training his Speed with the knowledge that although a Trapinch moves slowly, a Vibrava or Flygon relies on speed to win. By the time they were through learning to avoid Grass- and Water-type attacks from the machine, Teo was looking faster than he ever had before. Additionally, they trained against dummies of all types, most specifically Normal- and Ice-type dummies. Through the intense training his jaws became much more powerful, capable of delivering not just Bites but the more powerful Crunches native to his species. Additionally, his natural Strength had developed into the more potent Superpower, enabling him to deliver crushing finishing blows to the dummies. Overall Jacob was quite pleased with his progress, and was excited to test his mettle in the tournament after making him sit out the bout against Mareek. Arete was an entirely different story, however. Her training was much more intense than the others’, much to the Togepi’s chagrin. Through the training she began to realize her true potential, noticing that Jacob’s ability as a Trainer had taken her significantly farther in a short span than her entire life as a wild Pokemon had. And so, on the second day of her intensive routine, she began to reciprocate his enthusiasm for Training with the knowledge that nothing meant more to Jacob than winning the Winter Cup and making his parents and all of Accumula Town proud of him. By noon she had begun to glow harshly and Jacob cheered her on as she evolved into a beautiful Togetic. She began to be able to force opponents into making the same move several times through sheer flattery, as well as gaining the ability to touch the ground to rest her body and create dazzling displays of light using her innate Fairy abilities. Jacob put her through intensive endurance training, allowing her to take a significant amount of punishment without becoming substantially weakened. He went so far as to seek out Phoebe, who gave him an Eviolite stone for the not-fully-evolved Fairy-type to wear around her neck. By the time Arete was done training, she was on par with the Lapras who had taken over the role of “mother” for the team. Spitfyre continued his exceptional progression under Jacob’s tutelage. He reluctantly swapped out the use of his hardened claws for his tail, allowing him greater reach and significantly more leverage in his striking ability. This particularly applied to Rock- and Ice-types, who Jacob made sure his Fire-type was able to counter with ease. Fulfilling Jacob’s prophecy to Claude, he quickly became the most formidable battler on the team. He was even able to take down Teo, earning the respect of the Trapinch and his longtime best friend through his persistence and unwillingness to lose. His attacking prowess on both sides of the spectrum greatly increased, particularly driven by Jacob’s desire for him to be able to attack quickly and relentlessly. The Charmeleon stayed down-to-Earth, however, and continued to follow Jacob’s orders to the letter as he had long ago realized that his Trainer was a keen strategist and better able to make judgment calls in a tight situation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ As the tourney approached, Jacob spent time on the phone with his parents and even more time hanging out with Danielle and Slade, both of whom were becoming excellent battlers in their own right. However, his eyes were truly set on Kristen, who he began to see again once his intensive regimen was mostly complete. The girl was abrasive, but he had a huge amount of respect for her persistence and stubbornness. To be honest, he found the second very attractive, as Jacob had never been one to shy away from a challenge. And so, when the day of festivities began, he found himself wearing his usual V-neck, jeans, and t-shirt in Kristen’s dorm room with his leather jacket hung on the door's hook, talking to the girl about his expectations for the tourney. “I really think Mareek is my biggest competition. He and his Pokemon didn’t take their last loss to me well. It should make for an amazing battle if we get paired again. But I’m not going to lose. I’m going to prove once and for all that I’m the top Trainer in our class!”

Jory looked to Carissa and then to the others. With the assortment of Pokemon the rest of the group had, he knew they wouldn't have too much trouble in terms of type matchup against Candice. And so, he made a decision. "I'll go to the Conclaves. Candice, as much as I'd love to test my skill against you, a Normal-type like my Zangoose has invaluable versatility when we don't know what the Conclave Mother is going to throw at us. Plus, I'm not sure how my buddy's gonna stack up against that Medicham my parents used to tell me so much about," he said with a sly grin. He then moved back to Carissa, looking to her for validation of his choice.

Jory looked to Carissa, then stepped forward and nodded to Candice. "Fair enough. After all, we defeated Gardenia as a team. We'll do the same here and show Dawn that we're a force to be reckoned with. And as for you," he added. "Thank you for not giving in like the other leaders did. It boggles my mind that the simple promise of power was enough to send the other leaders into a craze like she was. By the time we brought her down she had planned to kill every one of us who had gotten in her way. And it's good to see that not everyone is so weak-minded."

Jacob looked up quickly, nearly jumping backward at the sight of the Skarmory. He then smiled at the large steel bird after realizing it was, in fact, the same one from earlier and Evan's new Pokemon. He reached his hand up and stroked the steel bird's neck, surprised at how warm the metal bird was. "Hey, you're that Skarmory from earlier," he said quietly, cradling Arete in his other arm. The small Fairy-type was huddled against her Trainer. The large Steel-type was making her quite uncomfortable and, frankly, a little jealous. After a moment Jacob held out the Togepi, who tried and failed to climb back along her Trainer's arm. "This is Arete. She's my little ball of cheer, aren't you?" he asked, cooing at the egg Pokemon. Arete giggled and smiled at Jacob, then at the Skarmory. "Pi!" she cried happily, her appetite for attention sated for the moment. Jacob laughed and pet the Skarmory again. "Shouldn't you be with your Trianer?" he wondered aloud, looking around for Evan.

Jory stood still, unfazed by the development. Like Lucas said, I suppose. Not all the Leaders have become slaves to Dawn's will. Although I'm a bit confused as to how she's gotten away with it thus far. The young veteran looked her up and down, sizing up the Ice-type expert as more than a few questions began to race through his mind. However, seeing as everyone else had already begun to play Grand Inquisitor he decided to stay quiet for the time being. He looked to Carissa and smiled lightly, taking her hand. "At least we're not fighting another Gardenia. That woman was insane and powerful. Hopefully that won't be the case this time," he said quietly.

Sonny circled around the ship, touching his amulet as he went. His form began to shift, his antlers and fur fading to be replaced by a black hood and a long yellow tail with orange rings on it. His hands crackled with electricity as he stood behind Alina, glaring menacingly at Kyle. Not this guy again, he thought to himself as he prepared to fight. But what's that Shard doing here?

Jory looked over at the loud voice and sighed in relief as he saw it was Fria. He waved back and looked back at Carissa, waiting for her before moving to the rest of the group.

Jory sighed in relief and put his hands down, shaking his head. "Sarcus, you need to actually let us know when you're nearby. That way we can make sure not to freak out like we just did, alright buddy?" He then walked into the street and began to look around, noticing it was nearing dawn. "We're going to need to find a place to catch up on some sleep before we take the city. Let's get on that and then make contact with the others."

Lockhart should spot us because birds have much better vision than people.

Jory immediately scrambled to his feet, rising to take a combat stance near Carissa. As he looked out of the alleyway he couldn't really see anyone. Puzzled, he turned to Carissa. "What did you see out there?" he asked quietly. "Should I call out Shredder?"

Jacob sighed as he looked around for Kristen, wondering where she could have disappeared to. Eventually he gave up and, discouraged, sat down against a tree. He began to think about the things he'd said to Mareek, particularly about him not caring about his Pokemon. That was a low blow. I love my Pokemon to the moon and back. I should have given him the benefit of the doubt instead of exploding on him like that. The young Trainer buried his face in his hands, embarrassed that he'd been so boneheaded as to hurt someone else's feelings without taking his actions' impact into account. Suddenly, a flash of light emanated from his belt and Arete toddled around his legs. The Togepi began making faces at Jacob, trying her best to cheer him up. He smiled weakly and picked up the little egg, hugging her closely. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Arete. I feel horrible about the way I made Mareek feel. He's a great battler. I should have put more trust in his abilities and his love for his Pokemon. Instead I made an ass of myself as usual," he said quietly. The Togepi simply hugged her Trainer back, knowing that trying to talk to him was a fruitless effort. All she could do was help him through his self-pity until he felt better, and she was determined to do just that for the Trainer who'd taken her out of the dangerous wild and cared for her like his own family.

Jory shrugged. "How about an abandoned building or a hotel or something? I'm sure there's gotta be one around here," he said softly. He looked at Carissa and sighed, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'm sure we'll find somewhere. Don't worry about that. We should be more worried about other things." He slid closer to Carissa, leaning his forehead against hers. "I wish we didn't have to move from here. Once we do, everything is real again. The war, the fighting. The danger," he said quietly. "I don't want to lose you."

Jory smiled and lifted his hand to Carissa's face, wiping the tear away and smiling lightly. "Hey, no need for that. We're going to be okay for now. And we're not alone. We have each other." He gently took her hand again and brushed her windswept hair over her ear. "What do you say we try to find shelter for the night?"

Jory turned to Carissa and tapped her on the shoulder, sliding closer to her as he peered over her back to see her face. "Hey, Carissa, you know I wasn't laughing at you, right?" he asked softly. "It's just... It's been so long since I've had any kind of time to do something like lay in the snow with a girl my age, you know?" He sighed and put his hand on her shoulder, pulling her over so she was facing him. "I was laughing because for the first time that I can remember, I got to have fun with a person who I really like being around. I know we just met but when I'm with you it feels like the world is normal, if only for a little bit." He paused, his thoughts racing as he tried to put unfamiliar feelings into words that Carissa would be able to understand. "I... I really don't know what to say or do in this kind of situation, but I need you to know that you're special to me and I care for you more than I ever thought I'd be able to care for a person while Dawn was still alive." He stopped again, gulping and collecting his thoughts. "I never want to leave you, Carissa, and damn it all if I don't want you to feel the same way about me."

Jory lay speechless as Carissa fell on top of him, pushing him slightly deeper into the snow. He remained extremely red, trying to piece together what had just happened. He then looked up at her and couldn't help but chuckle. That soon turned into laughter as he realized just how ridiculous their situation was. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, then burst into laughter again. Once he finally settled down, he wiped a tear from his eye and looked back at Carissa. "Sorry. I just haven't laughed like that in a long time."

{Carissa and Jory} Jory paused for a moment, taken off guard by the question about his blushing and turning an even deeper shade of red. "Well... I... uh... the... the cold!" he stammered out, somehow managing to turn so red that someone might accidentally mistake him for a stop sign. He quickly looked away and moved to take a step back, but instead only managed to trip over his own foot and fell backward into the snow. He landed flat on his back, his weight putting a Jory-sized and shaped hole in the otherwise untouched snow of the rarely-used alleyway. He stayed down and contemplated his own jackassery as he looked up at the night sky, his mind stuck between Carissa and the plan. Maybe we could get a hotel room? he thought to himself. We wouldn't have to pay until checkout, but we'd be taking the city anyway. I'm sure Lucas wouldn't mind so long as it wasn't a five-star resort, as he continued to lay in the snow. His water-resistant clothing was keeping him warm, but it was certainly going to create a snowy mess wherever they ended up staying.

Alright, so we've made it in. I guess until Notus decides something Dobby, Tacos, and I are doing character dev stuff? Unless Lord Hostypants of Hostia has something else planned for us, that is >>

Jory wordlessly grabbed Carissa's hands and began pulling her away from the entrance to the city, remembering each turn he had them take along the way until they reached a narrow alley. He then stopped and looked around, making sure they were alone. "Now that we're in the city we have to be careful who we talk about the mission around. Anyone who overhears us could report us to the Conclaves." He then thought for a moment, recalling the look on Adam's face as he had left them with the Acolytes. "I never gave Adam enough credit. He's a brave one if a bit stubborn. He's a valuable member of the team, and today he earned my respect." He then focused on the matter at hand. "First order of business is finding somewhere to stay. We're going to need to change clothes and begin gathering intel until we can rendezvous with the rest of the team." He then looked down and, realizing he was still holding Carissa's hand, turned redder than a shiny Gyarados and immediately let go.

Well, the closest thing I could find to a baby picture without leaving my bed was in my yearbook, so here's that pic complete with yearbook quote: And here's a real baby pic (pardon the drool I was... well... a baby...):