13 [VIDEO | ACTION FOR ECRUTEAK]

[enjoymyatelier]

[Well, between winter not really being winter and Ecruteak being a vastly more interesting city than the last one he wintered in, Kayneth has decided to take in the sights... well, again. After all, he was all over the place ever since he got there, even in the cold...

...however, admittedly, he's not just doing it to look into the cultural highlights. He's a bit restless, actually. It's not so much that he dislikes Ecruteak or wants to move on --- indeed, far from it, particularly given that it's still winter and he doesn't quite know when the weather will become less pleasant and more seasonally appropriate, and... well, he could stand to stay here until spring just to see how the city looks.

He can't quite place it, really. He's been dealing with some vague sense of melancholy since November that he can't trace the source of.

Or, perhaps, he doesn't want to place the source of it.

So, as he goes through the Ecruteak Museum (again), an annoyance strikes him, and he decides to focus on that instead, because really, it's been giving him a headache for quite a while and sometimes you really just need to ramble to the internet for a while in front of the Burned Tower.]

You know, having spent over a month in Ecruteak, I'm really wondering why it isn't a more popular destination for travelers, given that it's absolutely stunning. Even in the slightly unfortunate drabness of a midwinter thaw, I can't think of a place I've been that's more impressive. Certainly not Goldenrod; one really has to wonder why that city's so popular, given that it pales in comparison to what I'd say is Johto's cultural center.

Perhaps it may have something to do with the fact that the local organized crime syndicate seems to enjoy using it for target practice for reasons I can't quite determine, as it just appears as though they're bored out of their minds.

[is it casually shittalk team rocket week or something...]

...Granted, on the subject of culture... I'll admit, I'm starting to miss works of art and literature that don't completely revolve around Pokemon. It's not like this place has nothing of cultural value, but every so often I come across something vaguely familiar... and it is, but there are always Pokemon awkwardly wedged in. Perhaps the natives don't find Whirlipede Heights and Mary Shellder vaguely offputting, but I certainly do. What I wouldn't give for proper literature...

[He pauses for a second, his expression flickering to... something else.]

...and here I am talking about it to some machine. I've really been in this place for far too long...

[He ends the feed, having kind of embarrassingly sort of maybe admitted he was homesick in the most pretentious way ever.]

Comments

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[doitrockapella]

Speaking as someone who knows the feeling, have a little piece of home, on me.


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[enjoymyatelier]

[...you're good people sometimes you know that ]

Well, I'm glad someone managed to find a few reminders of Earth.

Well, Earth proper, at least.

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[doitrockapella]

You can thank Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for it.

I'm jealous of you; I miss the sights and sounds of Ecruteak.

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[enjoymyatelier]

Oh, those. Looking back, I really should have caught one to see what I'd get, but I think I was far too busy being offended by their very existence.

Hah, I can certainly understand that. I think I missed the place before I even visited it for the first time, which I wasn't even aware was possible.

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[doitrockapella]

You didn't bother to catch one? You're no fun.

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[enjoymyatelier]

Given that Stantler are known to cause hallucinations, I wasn't sure much would come of it... well, that, and my usual curiosity about these sorts of things was extinguished when I ran into one that was... overly affectionate.

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[konpeitoqueen]

[Saionji contemplates on going into anonymous texting just to mess with him, but he is saying something she agrees with.]

I've been meaning to go to Ecruteak! But my Pokémon aren't strong enough, and the only people willing to travel with me are going in the opposite direction first. Uuuugh.

I guess Violet will be better, though, Goldenrod's just too noisy.

The Pokémon world is a mess of my original world and what comes with having Pokémon in their lives. It's alright, I guess, but I still wanna go home!

[Not that she can, but, still.] I mostly wanna go to Ecruteak for the Kimono Dance Theater, though! Go there and see what they do!

[enjoymyatelier]

[ugggh why are you saying things he kind of agrees with you brat...]

Honestly, of all the places I've been so far, Goldenrod really is the worst. All the other cities I've been to so far have their own charm --- I believe Violet had a bad reputation for being something of a bottleneck for a while, but between Sprout Tower and the ruins it's far more interesting than anything Goldenrod has to offer. Azalea isn't bad either, though it's out of the way and...

[...he pauses, just kind of looking at who he's talking to here]

...well, you wouldn't have to worry about there being no decent alcohol for miles around.

Really, though, this world would be lovely to visit every so often on a voluntary basis, but it certainly grates when you're stranded here.

[konpeitoqueen]

[Same thing here.]

All Goldenrod has is a big shopping center and pseudo-capital status. You could probably pull off scams and muggings there easily too, but that's it.

[Ew, alcohol! Technically she's never tried it, hangovers are gonna be shit to deal with even if it was legal.] This place is just one big uncanny valley. Familiar, but not really.

It's still nice, though! Just like my world.

The people on it are a different matter.

[enjoymyatelier]

Given what the natives are like, I think you could pull those off anywhere --- provided you were willing to go that low, of course.

[You can just hear him turning his nose up at the very thought]

It's not quite as familiar to me for obvious reasons, but we are limited to a relatively small area. I've heard interesting things about other regions, but they're not particularly useful unless it was possible to get there.

[konpeitoqueen]

The only good thing about pulling those off are to see their faces when they realize what's happened. [Still a huge asshole? Still a huge asshole.]

Ehhhh? Other regions? Why aren't there ways to get there?

[islandshore]

[Ugh. Thank you, Kayneth, for saying what's been on Riku's mind for ages now. Having grown to see Goldenrod as obscenely overrated. When Riku replies, he holds up both hands, shrugs his shoulders, and shakes his head.]

I'd say it's just laziness. A lot of people hate having to travel on foot, and unless you catch a train down to Kanto, the only way to get the Fly HM's to hike all the way down to Cianwood. I'd say a part of it probably has to do with people living in big cities back home and Goldenrod feeling familiar.

[Doesn't make it any less irritating, though. Johto and Kanto have plenty of other cities. Why stick to just one?]

And you know, if you're that frustrated with the books around here, you could always write your own. Maybe the people here need a reality check to prove that good stories don't require Pokémon shoehorned in.

[enjoymyatelier]

Well, I can honestly sympathize with not wanting to travel on foot, especially during the winter months. Theoretically, I could get more traveling done this month, but I'd rather not end up trapped somewhere I end up hating.

Really, though, there are cities other than Goldenrod. I'd say I even prefer Violet.

I would consider it, but... well, there's a difference between having a craving for an old favorite and wanting to write something yourself. It simply isn't the same.

[islandshore]

I'm gonna have to disagree there, but I'm probably one of the few people here who wouldn't touch that place with a one hundred foot pole.

[Which he knows is kinda irrational. Blame being stuck there on and off for his first few months.]

Pewter's pretty cool, though, and Cerulean's not bad during the warmer weather. Besides, it's got a water park. Goldenrod's got a sports arena, but that's so passive by comparison.

[Darn it, he'd take slick water slides over watching people hit balls around.]

But I guess you've got a point as far as books go. Too bad there aren't many up and coming writers around-- they really could use more variety.

[enjoymyatelier]

In fairness, I have heard the reasoning for people having something against the city --- perhaps from you, in fact? While I strongly disagree, I have to admit, I sympathize on some level. I'm sure it would be possible to become tired of even the most interesting of locales if you spent enough time there.

Well, perhaps I'll consider it. I'm admittedly more of an artist than a writer, though... granted, the art seems to have roughly the same issue, so at least I'm contributing in that sense.

[islandshore]

Probably doesn't help that every place has a short background track on constant loop. Tuning it out's helped a little, but sometimes it's hard to ignore the same old melody playing again and again.

[He emphasizes this with an exasperated sigh, running a hand over the top of his head.]

I'd be down for some non-Pokémon art, though. You ever thought about hunting down a gallery?

[video]

[usedfeatherdance]

Some of us prefer the crowds. Back where I'm from, the number of people is a few orders of magnitude greater than here. Even in Goldenrod, this world still feels quite lonely to me.

[video]

[enjoymyatelier]

There is that, I suppose... but I've never been fond of crowds, myself. I actually find many places here rather pleasant for that reason, but it'd be nice to have more meaningful conversation than just the natives at times.

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[usedfeatherdance]

[ Ugh don't even get Joshua started on the natives. Most wouldn't know good conversation if it slapped them in the face. ]

It always feels empty to me. I left Goldenrod because there simply isn't enough to do, but sometimes it seems even the whole world here can't offer as much as what only my city could. Not to mention the travel times are insufferable.

[video]

[enjoymyatelier]

...no, I would agree with you on that. Even the cities I have a fondness for feel a bit... sparse, both in inhabitants and attractions. And let's not even start on the fact that you're expected to travel on foot unless you're lucky enough to receive a Pokemon large enough to ride or, if you're lucky, one that learns Fly.

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[timelymaid]

Oh, you're in Ecruteak? I just left there the other week...if I'd have known, I'd have come to visit you more. John and Rose have a house there, you know; it's where I was staying the past few months.

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[enjoymyatelier]

Oh, really? I should have announced it sooner, then. ...Actually, in theory, I could have gone to your party...

[well not really because that would be weird, but]

Well, given that you have friends here, I trust you'll be this way again? I don't trust the weather to remain as pleasant as it has been, so I'll likely be here until March.

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[timelymaid]

Oh, undoubtedly! Certainly around March, since that's when my birthday is, and I was going to circle back there for that.

[ LOOK AT THAT SHE AVOIDED THE TERM WIGGLING DAY ENTIRELY. ]

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[enjoymyatelier]

[YOU DID IT, ARADIA

YOU DIDN'T USE A TERM THAT HONESTLY SOUNDS KIND OF GROSS]

Ah, really? I'll have to keep that in mind, then... what day, if I may ask? I may have asked you before, but I'm not sure if I put it o any sort of calendar.

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[timelymaid]

The twenty-fifth! I picked it myself, since our calendars don't exactly line up neatly.