Noir

Different Noir sets.

Baixue Baixue couldn't resist a giggle at the young boy's humour, before clearing her throat to explain. "You amuse me, dear Haruki. It'd be great if I could do all of those amazing things you've just mentioned, but sadly, my Lumen isn't any of those aforementioned powers." She got up from where she sat and stretched her limbs, gesturing the young boy to follow her outside. "I can fly," She said, rather pridefully, before shifting into a slightly annoyed exterior. "I wanted to fly here instead of sitting on the plane earlier, but it seems I wasn't allowed to do that, so I admittedly didn't come here with the best of moods, especially after that battle happened immediately after that....." She sighed again, brushing off these incessant thoughts. She wanted to fly, and she could entertain her new acquaintance along with it, and that was enough to quell the stress that lay on her mind at the moment. "Why don't we go outside? I can show you, and, not to be rude -- you're even small enough that I can take you on my back for a ride. Just remember to hold tight, though."

A/N: I'm putting this here as I have been writing creatively much less lately and lack cogitation to. It comes and goes, and sometimes people write good stuff, and sometimes bad products flesh out from your head. I don't control what I write, and it's rare that I can write given events and recent business. This is the average stuff I can write in around 30 minutes or less after watching some SOL and having (for once) some soothing and positive feelings in my hectic exam-distracted and edgy ass life that comes once in a blue moon. Not the best I can dish out as this is more of a narrative of experience than descriptive writing, but feedback is appreciated. My Simple Joys in Life It was the same leisurely Saturday morning. The bright rays of the dawn’s golden sun penetrated the glass window framing the picturesque morning view outside my bed, landing on my eyes as the warmth and light of the slits of sunshine awakened me. Auspicious mornings such as this signified the beginning of another promising day, and as I fluttered my eyes open, a pair of luminescent azure eyes first met mine. The beautiful pair of sapphires were prettier than any afternoon sky, and they belonged to my sister, Lucia, who welcomed my every morning with those mesmerizing eyes and a loving smile that shone with a radiance even the splendent sky outside could not hope to parallel. Replying with a smile of my own, I entwined my hand in hers as we adjourned to the dining room for a palatable, heart-warming breakfast. Ours was but a simple existence, but my days with my younger sister and widowed father in the countryside were contenting and euphoric. Off the many simple joys that the countryside life had offered me, breakfast with Lucia had to be the icing on the cake for a refreshing, salubrious dawn. Father would already be out working in the barn at this hour a stone’s throw away from our cottage, and while we missed his company in such mornings, his absence did not make the share of the day’s first meal any less enjoyable. Ever the well-versed cook of the house ever since our mother’s passing, the table would always be filled with scrumptious treats from bread to honey cakes, and bowls of nuts and apples picked from the old apple tree outside our yard. Such a morning was one that I would envision and anticipate the night before, and while it was not idiosyncratic, it was the start of every joyous day for us both. Work on the farm with Father ensued after breakfast and doing the dishes with Lucia. Tough as the avid and hustling farm life was, Father always knew how to make work fun for me, and enjoyed his work as much as he reaped its rewards, easily establishing himself as one of the best farmers in our vicinity. He was as much a fun-lover as he was a hard worker, and it was him who made the barn and the collection of animals we reared my little haven since childhood. I had fun collecting the eggs in the chicken coop as the chickens clucked contentedly as we groomed and inspected them. I indulged in watching the ravenous farm animals, from the pigs to the oxen, as we fed them our provender. Funny and joyful moments would occur as we milked the cows, as the buckets of milk we extracted from our cows would accidentally spill and my father and I would laugh at such silliness. And there was our loyal young canine Rover, our best friend and our irreplaceable sheepdog, who would run with me in the fields as we waited for the grazing sheep to finish their pasturage. Man’s best friend, as they would say; he stayed with us wherever he went, becoming a loyal companion of the family as we raised him well. Father would dismiss me in the late afternoons, sometimes evenings, as he would take our farm products, such as our freshly harvested vegetables and livestock, to be sold in the evening market after I had finished work in the farm. I would usually insist to aid my father in the market, as I loved interacting with the folks of the country as our business passed with friendly chatter of the countryside’s life and news, and to also chance myself to a have a taste of Old Aunt Marie’s mouth-watering gingerbread, a portion of which I would always bring home for Lucia. However, Father would insist otherwise, insisting that I join Lucia at home; my sister had been lonely since our mother’s departure, and while Father had always filled the void our mother’s loss had led us with, Lucia always stayed home, completing the housework alone, while I had my father’s and my farm’s company with me. I would acquiesce to his wishes in understanding, knowing that I was Lucia’s caring older brother and needed to live up to that title. As always, sweet little Lucia always greeted my return warmly – more often than not with tea set on the table, a fine substitute for the times where I lacked the luxury of a piece of Aunt Marie’s bread. The broad section of green outside the cottage was our garden, with the swing and the old apple tree, where Lucia, Rover and I would play and pick apples that Lucia would occasionally use for her apple pies. Lucia would sit on the swing as I played ball with Rover, and sometimes she would join in, filling our green pastures with laughter and jubilee. As the orange of the sky would fade and as the sun descended below the hills, I would join Lucia in making dinner, again as delicious as the breakfast she prepared. Father would also rather at this time as we enjoyed dinner, happy at the time of day where the entire family was together. To finish the days gratifyingly, Lucia would pester Father and I with the big old storybook in her hands, asking for our vivid retellings of her favourite bedtime stories. The night in our room dimly lit by a candlelight, Lucia tucked herself cosily in bed as we portrayed and imitated the diverse array of characters within the book, from foolish merchants to chivalrous knights to the unrealistically docile damsels in distress. They all promised her – and us – a good night’s sleep with wonderful dreams. Simple joys in life such as these are hard to come by – and I wouldn’t have asked for more.

Baixue " So you are a male," The mood began to lighten as the young man before Baixue introduced himself, as his bright and bubbly personality incited a smile on her face. Tidying her hair, it was her turn for an introduction. "Be that as it may, then. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Haruki. I've not introduced myself to anyone yet, so it's natural that no one knows who I am or what my Lumen in particular is, so you have the privilege of being the first to know. My name is Baixue." She paused for a moment. She had given her name so quickly, knowing that it was a name that was difficult to pronounce and comprehend for a foreign acquaintance. She cleared her throat and decided to make it clear for the young boy before her. " Bai-shweh," she enunciated her name slowly once more for clarity, addressing Haruki like a teacher educating a young child in pronouncing his first words, albeit rather awkwardly. " I know it's very difficult to pronounce, as it's a tribal name from Aquillo. If you find my name difficult for you, you can always call me Snow, as that is what my name means in my tongue. Snow White, specifically, but I'd prefer it if you call me Snow, again, if Baixue is too hard for you."

Klefki and Shellder + Goomy are the only new ones I'm seeing. Everyone else has already been previously accessible and they're just increasing the encounter rates. Pinsir and Heracross have been obtainable for a long time now, so....

Sephtis "Wait," Sephtis uttered, reaching out a clawed limb to halt the Swampert in his tracks. "Ÿou'll want to listen what I want to say." " Yes, I know enough that the situation only continues to deteriorate. The world is cruel; it does not have to be ugly. I have come here for that very reason -- to change our world. Naive you may call me, but why continue to endeavour for something devoid of purpose or meaning -- why struggle in darkness when the faintest traces of light still exist, gathered here? Why leave things to handle on your own when we unite? Is it all truly as hopeless as you lot make it out to be?" Vanity -- the first in many days, weeks, or months -- he had first felt. His zip-like mouth extended into a smile with the tips plastered at the corner of his cheeks, as wise as a Gengar's. His golden eyes widened in revelling and self-confidence of himself. It was the vanity of being useful, the vanity of chance that he could be the finest actor in the play once again. People who needed his services, who celebrated his acts, "Your army needs aid. You require strength and people to fight -- that of something a specter like myself may offer well, I assure you. Pidgey of a feather block together -- I speak as a person as much a fighter as I am an actor -- why else would I be here, surviving, to talk to soldiers much like your....edgy example of a companion?" He chuckled to himself heavily at his self-humour -- he certainly enjoyed relishing such feelings and cogitations once again. As much as his words were somewhat of a lie, admittedly, but he had come so far -- this audience was admittedly...not discerning, but he justified to himself that some audiences needed to be appeased; persuasion was required to expose people to his genius. Only on the stage was he at his best, but if need be, he would turn the very horrors that belied out there into his audiences, and the horrid state of the world a stage where only he shone best. "I offer an exclusive service. You'll find I murder the competition. You fight to save and rescue, to preserve and endure -- yet what with your lamentations and refusal of a golden opportunity?" His arrogance rose and his voice grew mocking, "And have you the finesse to call yourself a solider." "What do you say, my skeptical swamp-dweller? You've said it yourself -- I am but one of few finest hopes left in the world. Why chase me away for that very reason? I know you'll need me -- and I promise to be utmost use....." He bowed again and outstretched his hand in offering courteously, "You'll see in due time. An icon doesn't have to explain himself." It mattered not to Sephtis that the shadows out there grew their brains. It mattered not the strength of the hordes that would come before him. It mattered not the confrontations he would face and the perils that awaited him. This was his stage. This was his purpose. This would be his love, even if it were to start acerbic. Art required a certain....cruelty, he appeased himself. It needed as much bad as good -- that was why it was beautiful. This stage is beneath my talent, but I shall elevate it.

I've updated Baixue's Lumen with a few minor things, like being able to carry a small person with her while she flies, as well as the fact that she's training to not be bound by the limitation of having to maintain outspread arms to fly -- as a sort of development thing. Also a heads up that I will be much less active for around a month or so due to A level exams -- 5 November is the latest I will probably visit here, and subsequently I will be limiting my computer time to once a month until the end of the November.

Baixue The youth's appearance was a first for Baixue; the people of her Yan tribe always wore exteriors that allowed one another to easily distinct between one's gender, but she couldn't exactly make sense of what gender the person belonged to. Was the person a boy or a girl? The voice hinted towards a slightly masculine side, admittedly, but she was still unsure. Regardless, she regarded the person before her with a solemn look, admittedly slightly woebegone to be reminded of the previous battle that had ensued, but this one wasn't violent like the others -- not like that intimidating, violent girl with the flames or as dangerous as the other that fired electrical spheres. She decided this person was of no threat to her, and if anything, she found the person's entrance mildly refreshing. "You performed well," She said as she slowly undressed a portion of her thick tundra clothing that covered her in layers, having entered a warmer climate, forcing a smile. While she did not want to let her distressed thoughts out to avoid bursting a bubble -- she had not enjoyed the battle for the most part, even if this one had little to do with the reasons for it -- Baixue decided to entertain the youth before her at the moment, knowing that said youth was the first to provide her with interaction, and in a rather amiable manner, no less. " I don't really understand what your Lumen is apart from the fact that it manipulates something, though.....what's your name, young one? And, forgive me for asking this...." She failed to resist a slight flush in her face as she prepared herself for the odd, possibly disrespectful question, averting her eyes away for a moment before they darted back to Haruki, examining him carefully. "Are you....a boy or a girl? You don't exactly allude to one specifically, if I may be so bold...."

Try recommending one for me.

At a glance it's obvious that your team is extremely weak to one thing: Rapidash. Of course, do take my mentioning of this Pokemon with a grain of salt, as I understand that Monferno is used that much more commonly as a Fire-type that you might not even see Rapidash at all, but if you're going to bring up weaker sweepers as threats I will bring this up. It has Wild Charge to get rid of Swanna, it can take down weakened Camerupt with Drill Run, and well, as you've said, you have no real revenge killers bar Mawile's Sucker Punch, and the only way you're gonna get past it is to have the offensive pressure to deter it from coming in (or the rather unreliable way of trying to Static it especially given how you have no physical defense investment on your Ampharos) whereas it's notable that the standard attacking set with Morning Sun can also exploit you. With respect that you want damage consistency, if you want to deal with Golem leads turn one, wouldn't Bullet Seed be a better alternative to Seed Bomb? Sometimes it also saves you from Sub Pokemon, I guess. You're attempting to put a check to both Water-type attackers and Electric type attackers in one Pokemon (Ampharos), which I personally find to be iffy especially if it's an offensively orientated set without reliable recovery, as well as a common liability against Pokemon like Stunfisk, who can pretty much get into Ampharos for free and get a possible free Scald burn on something. I think your team needs a more objective and reliable defensive core against these sorts of attackers in general, as while Camerupt covers Electric types (bar Stunfisk, mind you), your Water-type cushion isn't very reliable. I really don't get the gist of you attempting an AV Ampharos. I've seen enough people attempt it, and I can say right now that it's literally just....well, bad. Set wise and objectively speaking, you want a reliable special tank that tanks good Water-type hits for you, which a lot of Pokemon such as Audino, Grumpig, Politoed, Lumineon, and other stuff do decently well. Ampharos is also still worn down by Scald burns, something which it is initially designed to avoid (as an offensive cleric). Even objectively speaking set wise, if you want it to tank hits more and attack less (especially with your moveset) why not just do calcs which are enough for its attacks to OHKO/2HKO certain things (and mind you, Signal Beam with Modest is also 18.8% chance OHKO on uninvested Leafeon, unless your statement expected SR) while investing the rest in HP? 252+ SpA Ampharos Signal Beam vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Leafeon: 236-278 (87 - 102.5%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO "This isn't a terrible thing however, as show me the PU team that isn't at least a little scared of Monferno." To be honest at a glance I'd want to recommend Altaria as a Pokemon on your team as a reliable means of consistently defending against Ninetales (HP Ice is non-existent on them) and Monferno, as well as (to a lesser extent) Jumpluff. This would also serve as a pretty fullproof check to Rapidash in general. I'm not exactly sure how I'd fit all this in your team, though, but the team is pretty good nonetheless. You could swap Swanna/Amphy for either Lumineon or Prinplup as your new Defogger and run Altaria maybe. I'd also like to justify (although debatable) the meta bar Rotom-F for Electric type attackers is also more centered on HP Grass rather than Ice (from personal experience anyway) to allude to Altaria's usefulness.

Sure, that would help, as otherwise disappointment would leave Baixue cooped up in her dorm unless Shiri allows me to let her have alone time flying somewhere.

Just to clarify again though, my A levels are in less than 12 days. If you dish out a post and proceed within the week we can get stuff done as I can be rather responsive due to it being self-study period without distractions like school and all, and I'll even spare some days on and off. If you want a date, I think the safest I'll go on leave (unless I get super bored and decide that checking this out is fine) would be 3rd November; not to bug you, but I'd appreciate some activity in the RPs I signed up for rather than them being stagnant long period.

I only watched EP 8 for the cool animation. I don't like Archie's VA, the contradictory statements and all. Shelly was really cool though. Yandere Courtney would also be cool if she didn't sound like claws on a chalkboard.