Josh Devlin
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Player Character
Posts: 360
Player Name: Josh Devlin
OOC Username: RaikouRider
Arena Points: 42
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Post by Josh Devlin on Jan 20, 2024 7:17:59 GMT 9
If the tutorial area taught Josh anything, it was that even the wilds of Briarbane and the surrounding areas had to be respected. The mobs there were more than capable of downing even a full roster of fresh Pokémon, let alone a single Charmander. Even so, it beat going back to the tutorial area to earn experience from the Patrat, Purrloin, and Pidove there, one to two points at a time. Plus, that was mind-numbingly boring. He wanted to see the world.
The shelves at Pinnon's Provisions were stocked with all kinds of useful upgrades for adventurers such as Josh. So many useful upgrades, yet so few Bytes... The young man would have difficult decisions to make. What to prioritize? More HP sounded good. More offense sounded good.
Ares, out of his Poké Ball and next to Josh, had been sternly warned to be on his best behavior. The Charmander's tail, though it swayed back and forth, was not wagging wildly to the point where the place would get stifling hot.
The young man eyed several defensive upgrades, then rolled his eyes when he saw the price; it was just outside his budget. As he attempted to examine one of them, a pop-up obscured his vision:
Information> You do not have sufficient funds to complete your purchase.
Hekate |
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Hekate
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Player Character
Posts: 40
Trainer Class: 
Player Name: Nerea Lovely
OOC Username: hannahs
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Post by Hekate on Jan 22, 2024 0:43:25 GMT 9
Hekate found the shops and merchants in the small town... overwhelming. All the shopping she did in her real life was entirely online, delivery goods she could avoid having to talk to other people to get her hands on. She even avoided talking to the drivers delivering her regular takeout, giving at most a quiet squeak intended to be a "Thank you!" when she couldn't avoid meeting face-to-face. This, on the other hand? Completely different. Boomer memes would have a field day about Hekate's current struggle to know what to buy without a search bar.
So many different shops, each promising useful goods, and she could only know what they had for sure by going inside. But once she went in, she'd have to buy something, right? It'd be rude not to?? But what if they didn't have what she wanted??? And don't even get her started on the prospect of being asked to sign up for a membership card. Just the idea of it kept her outside, no business conducted. Window shopping was her limit, it seemed.
Although, as she peeked through one window, she saw something a little different. Another player, perusing the shelves. Hekate felt a lightbulb above her head. If she just watched this blonde guy's purchases, she could just copy what he got! Then she wouldn't have to worry about whether she was making a bad call! What a perfect decision. Nothing could go wrong!
As if sensing her thoughts, the phantom Torchic in her arms rolled his eyes. Hekate glances down at him, and gasps when she looks back up. She can't see the blonde guy any more! He must've moved!! The hell was she supposed to do now? Go inside the store and follow him? That's ridiculous, Nerea. You can't seriously be considering this.
A few moments later, Hekate is peeking around the edge of a shelf at the blonde trainer. What's he holding? Is that a necklace? Was this a jewelry store?? How was that supposed to help??? She bit her lip in a mixture of frustration and anxiety. Oh, man, this was a terrible idea, wasn't it? How the hell was she supposed to-
"Ow!! What the f-" Hekate yelps in pain, as Lil Guy pecks the inside of her arm. He's had enough of her anxious floundering. She stumbles in shock, bumping into the shelf behind her. The cacophonous sound of the shelf's contents clattering to the floor fills the store. Hekate just stands there, shuddering as every impact rings out, staring at the other trainer. Ohhhhh Nerea, you're really in it now. She lets out a squeak, that might sound like an "oops" if you squint at it.
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Josh Devlin
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Player Character
Posts: 360
Player Name: Josh Devlin
OOC Username: RaikouRider
Arena Points: 42
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Post by Josh Devlin on Jan 22, 2024 1:03:42 GMT 9
As Josh dismissed the pop-up, he realized he had overlooked a simple command in the shop menu. At the very bottom of the list of prompts was a HELP! option. Clicking it, he was able to view what the item in question did. Very useful, and much more clear than the combat descriptions for skills and items. Yes, being concise during high stress situations was important to minimize reading time, but it sure would have been nice to have more detailed descriptions like this available out-of-combat. Perhaps some dev feedback would be needed, though he doubted it would be seriously considered from a player so new.
All of a sudden, Josh heard a yelp from behind him, followed by the sound of a crashing shelf. Thankfully, there was nothing breakable on the shelf; it would merely be an inconvenience for the staff running the store. Cleaning up was part of how they were earning their Bytes to begin with. More concerning to him was the lady's health. "Are you okay?!" he asked out of concern, extending a hand if she needed help standing.
Hekate |
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Hekate
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Player Character
Posts: 40
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Nerea Lovely
OOC Username: hannahs
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Post by Hekate on Feb 5, 2024 4:06:52 GMT 9
She could see his hand extended, offering help. She could hear him asking if she was okay. But between her perception and her brain a thick, staticky barrier had formed. All her thoughts were awash with white noise, as a million different thoughts all raced for priority. Currently in the lead were two potential responses; a simple and polite thank you, but I'm okay - what's your name?, as she stood to her feet, and a pleading I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I wasn't following you, I promise! As the two opposing thoughts approach the finish line, they collide. A mental wreckage of flaming thought barrels through instead, and Hekate's response is... well.
First, she shoots to her feet, completely ignoring the hand offered to her. Realising she was supposed to take it, she quickly and firmly grasps it - perhaps a bit too firmly. This was a handshake, right? "S-sorry!" She barks out, suddenly vigorously shaking his hand up and down. "But I'm- I'm so okay!" Her hand is so sweaty. She's still shaking it. "What's your- your n-name, I promise??" Nailed it, Hekate.
Her phantom Torchic has, meanwhile, been climbing up her back. He comes to a stop on her shoulder, looks down at her still-shaking hand, and then up at the blonde stranger. Lil Guy rolls his eyes, as if to say Are you seeing this too? to Josh.
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Josh Devlin
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Player Character
Posts: 360
Player Name: Josh Devlin
OOC Username: RaikouRider
Arena Points: 42
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Post by Josh Devlin on Feb 9, 2024 2:07:21 GMT 9
The quick ascension took Josh by surprise. She must be one tough cookie if she could get back up so quickly after such a spill. The sweaty hand reeked of nerves. It made sense to him; a complete stranger had offered to help. With the size of the player base, she had every right to be wary.
The firmness of the handshake took Josh by surprise as well; either she was strong, or her nerves really were shooting through the roof, he felt. "Name's Josh, aspiring Pokémon racer," he introduced himself, trying to visually get the attention of a clerk or two to help get the mess cleaned up.
The phantom Torchic would go unnoticed, whether it would be by invisibility or by the man simply not noticing it in the heat of the moment. "Just started playing this week," he tried to drum up conversation. "Any suggestions for new players, long as it doesn't break the bank?"
Hekate |
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Hekate
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Player Character
Posts: 40
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Nerea Lovely
OOC Username: hannahs
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Post by Hekate on Feb 14, 2024 12:46:52 GMT 9
She spies the clerk, beckoned by Josh, coming over to clean up the mess, and quickly looks away. Should she help?? It was her mess, right??? She tries to avoid making eye contact with the clerk, assuming that they're probably staring daggers at her. (They aren't.)
"J-Josh! Nice to- to meet you!" At this point she realises she's still shaking his hand and quickly lets go of it. Oh, man, was her hand really this sweaty?? She goes to wipe it on her shirt, then stops mid-motion, remembering she's in a public space with real people and not alone in her room. Unlike the stained vest her real body was wearing, her avatar's clothes looked nice. Very nice. Too nice to treat as sloppily as she usually did her wardrobe.
Nice enough that, apparently, Josh had mistaken her for an experienced player. Ohhh no. Oh no! Ohhh no no no. She opens her mouth to retort, and then her brain bluescreens. She'd already embarrassed herself this much already - was she really going to reveal that she was just as new as he was, but knew even less about what to do?? She'd be the laughing stock of the entire store, and who knows how many other people would hear about it- no, no, no, no, that wouldn't do, that wouldn't do at all!
She quickly straightens her back, standing to her full height - not the tallest she could've made her avatar, but pretty close (and the heels help). Hekate clears her throat. "Yes! G-good question! I, uh, always, f-find it helpful, to, uh, stock-" She glances around the room for ideas. Something that looked cool. Something that looked useful. Something... she has no idea what any of this stuff is. What does she remember? From when she played as a kid?? "P-potions! Can't, uh, can't get enough... potions! Always useful when you, uh, wh-when you need... a potion!"
A pause. Wait, she didn't- "I'm Hekate!!!!!"
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Josh Devlin
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Player Character
Posts: 360
Player Name: Josh Devlin
OOC Username: RaikouRider
Arena Points: 42
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Post by Josh Devlin on Feb 14, 2024 13:56:30 GMT 9
Even Josh flinched a little at how sweaty, almost slimy, Hekate's hand was. Was she really that big of a nervous wreck? He felt bad for her; he imagined there had to be hundreds of players that came to the game to escape real-world anxiety, only to have that fear rear its ugly head again within the first few player-to-player interactions...
As the two carried on their conversation, two workers came by to clean up the mess Hekate had created. "Sadly, restoratives are out; I already asked about them, and healing is done mostly with Pokémon. It's... very different than what I'm used to."
Hekate's volume made Josh flinch, as though she yelled in his ear, even though she may have not intended to. "It's okay, it's okay!" he tried to calk the nervous Nelly down. "Why not look at some of the... upgrades together? A lot of what I saw, like weapons and armor, requires you to be in a specific class. There's gotta be something just anyone can use, though."
The upgrade shelf was lined with all sorts of merchandise: move vouchers, HP Up, and plenty of ways to strengthen both the players and their Pokémon. He had an eye on Kindler upgrades. More fire damage seemed wonderful, given how quick Ares was to get into fights...
Hekate |
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Hekate
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Player Character
Posts: 40
Trainer Class:
Player Name: Nerea Lovely
OOC Username: hannahs
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Post by Hekate on Feb 15, 2024 5:31:46 GMT 9
She was so proud of her Potions play. She definitely remembered them from when she was a kid. There was no way there wouldn't be Potions, right?
Wrong!
Hekate immediately deflates. "H-huh??" The wind is quickly leaving her sails, as any semblance of confidence she was pretending to have vanished. And as Josh continued talking, it was clear to her that he'd seen through her play. Whatever ideas he'd had about her potential experience seemed to have disappeared. Ohhhh, man. She'd really messed this one up, huh? Hekate lets out a long-drawn out sigh - an admittance of defeat - as she slouches forward.
"...yeah. Th-that sounds like... like a good idea." She mumbles, seemingly too tired now to have a full-blown panic attack. She is, however, still quietly whimpering. "U-upgrades? C-class? I, uh..." She glances aside nervously. "I-is- is there, like, a school we're s-supposed to be going to? I- I didn't sign- sign up for any c-classes..." Hekate looks around the shop - still carefully avoiding looking at the clerks cleaning up her mess - and tries to make some sense of it all. She could read the labels, of course, but she just couldn't process what it all meant.
"D-do you- uh- do- d-do you know... what all this stuff m-means?" She idly picks up an HP Up. HP was... health, right? But this wasn't a healing item??
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Josh Devlin
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Player Character
Posts: 360
Player Name: Josh Devlin
OOC Username: RaikouRider
Arena Points: 42
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Post by Josh Devlin on Feb 15, 2024 8:14:26 GMT 9
Josh was new, but he was a quick learner. Hekate, on the other hand, looked positively overwhelmed, both by what Josh was trying to convey and by the selection. They would be clueless together! "I know only the very basics, so I don't know how good of a teacher I'll be, Hekate," Josh answered, even the young man growing a little flush. "I've been going back and forth between the store inventory and my Help menu all morning."
When asked about a class, Josh educated Hekate with what little information he knew. "It's that thing that makes you better with a certain type of Pokémon. Kindlers for fire-types, and so on. You can buy upgrades for them here, and they'll make Pokémon of that type stronger."
The HP up in Hekate's hand appeared to be for one of the three Pokémon classes. "Do you see Tank, Sweeper, or Support anywhere on it?" Josh asked. "It makes Pokémon of that kind tougher. Able to take more hits." What Josh was looking for wasn't an understanding of what items did. He was more seeking build advice. "Might be a good idea to go into the help menu together for a bit."
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