in_praetego | .006 | video | Plus points for effort?

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.006 | video | Plus points for effort?

[ This one has Yukio settled under a tree today. His attention is focused on a brand new badge which he holds up to the sunlight -- his second so far. It took a while to get but here it was and it seemed to be worth it. In the background, his houndoom's taking a nap in the sun with his Happiny curled up next to him. ]

Everyone's more or less started going after badges at least once during their stay here, right? I'm just a little curious as to why. Personal reasons? Motivation?

[ He'll just take a while to polish off that badge before settling back down against the tree trunk. Pardon him. Someone's feeling a bit philosophical today. ]

Also, I'd like to know if there's any place to get somewhere to put these badges. If anyone's making them, I'd like to go about ordering one.

[ Argh, these little blips he makes on the network. So hard to end them so... have a hasty little awkward smile. ]

Right, uh... thanks for your time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There were rumors that earning all eight of Johto's badges would allow you to face the Elite Four and return home, a long time ago, though it turns out that even earning all sixteen is not quite enough. But the monetary prizes, the HMs, and the ability to use those HMs are enough of a reason these days.

I have to admit, the money and the HMs help. But the Elite Four have stopped taking challenges, right? Has anyone faced them?

None of us have, which is a shame. They are supposed to be even more talented than the Gym leaders, after all. And their library is the most informative I<ve ever seen.

That is a shame for anyone looking for a challenge...

[ A beat. ]

Have they let anyone access their library? There might be a clue there as to how to get us home.

We could visit it during the prom these last two years, but they tend to send us back to the festivities if we try to settle down too long. They do the same to those who visit their trophy room.

I wasn't aware that was their full library. They did kind of shove me back out once I nearly spent half a day in it.

[ Have a sheepish grin for that. ]

There wasn't much there though...

It's all they have, at least as far as we know. But if you find the location of additional library rooms next year, you're more than welcome to share.

[Preferably before half a day goes by.]

It's still a great step up from the information that used to be available years ago. Why, there was a time where none of us were aware of Kanto's existence.

The more I hear about it, I have to say I'm a little surprised. This world seems to reveal itself more and more over time.

[ Ruffling his hair. ]

And don't worry. If I find something, I'll be sure you let you know.

That would be very kind of you, thank you. With any luck, someone among us will someday find information that would allow us to control the length of our stay here, but... I admit to it seems less likely with each passing year.

As long as we keep looking, someone's bound to find something.

Perhaps we'll have a breakthrough if some of those closed off routes and caves ever become open to the public.

As unpredictable as things are, you really can't tell if and when those will ever open if at all...

Still, you'd think the locals would request the free use of their own roads, at the very least.

It's a little odd, really. Maybe they've just found a way to adapt not using the roads. Most of them don't seem all that eager to get anywhere...

True. It sometimes feels as though we are this land's sole source of tourism.

Given how many we are, I wouldn't be all that surprised. That and the number just keeps increasing. For everyone who leaves, there seem to be more coming in.

It's true that arrivals happen much more regularly than departures... But sometimes it feels as though there were more of us, years ago. Some days, the network almost feels too quiet.

So the numbers have dwindled.

[ there's a frown as he considers this. ]

Um... would you think that would be indicative of something? Whatever's pulled us here being weaker? Maybe?

That's a strong possibility, considering that new arrivals used to be twice as common. But that was so long ago that most would not remember it.

There has to be a connection to all of this.

[ A sigh. Maybe he's overthinking things. ]

It seems the more we find out, we get more questions than answers.

Is it so surprising? As our vision of this world enlarges, so does the pool of questions we can ask. None of us question Johto's boundaries, before we were allowed to visit Kanto.

I guess it's kind of expected. But it's a little surprising how much the environment changes.

[ A beat. ]

I mean a whole new region no one's been given access to yet...

For Kanto, it was merely a matter of making the Magnet train and the ferry available, but I have a feeling reaching other regions is not so easy. They'd have to be beyond the ocean, or over a mountain chain...

Maybe they'll allow us on the SSAnne even if we haven't beaten all the Gym Leaders yet.

[ And he's still considering the possibilities. ]

Either that or if it's over the mountain... The only guess I can make is if there's some sort of mountain path that we uncover.

The SS Anne only travels between Vermillion and Olivine, sadly. I have the ticket to prove it.

[Not that a cruise doesn't sound nice, but it doesn't help them in this particular situation.]

A cave, perhaps. Caves are wonderful for travel, as long as you don't mind the bats.

.006 | video | Plus points for effort?

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