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PMD-Unity ~ Team Zeppelin Written App

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EXPLORERS GUILD: Team Zeppelin

Date Joined: December 31, 2013

Current Funds: 7

Merits: 0

Strikes: Not as many as they deserve 2

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

RUDYARD K.R. MCLEAN

Species: Gothita

Gender: Male

Nature: Quirky

Characteristic: Somewhat of a Clown

Age: Five in Gothita years; approximately fourteen in common terms

Ability: Shadow Tag - Rudy can literally grab shadows from off the ground or the walls of buildings and use them to drag people or objects around. He doesn’t do it much because apparently “It’s boring”. It doesn’t seem to work when he’s stressed, either. They’re slippery little devils.


Strength: [X][X][X][X][ ]

Intelligence: [X’][X’][ ][ ][ ]

Agility: [X][X][ ][ ][ ]

Charisma: [X][X][X][X][ ]


Type Bonus -> Intelligence x2

Points Remaining: 0

- - -
:bulletyellow::iconpsychictypeplz:Heal Pulse - Rudy places both his hands on his target and focuses his energy into healing power. His eyes and bows glow an angelic yellow-white when using this move. He doesn’t use it much for reasons that I hope are obvious by this point.
:bulletpink::iconpsychictypeplz:*Psybeam - Rudy brings his hands together to fire a beam of pink energy. His eyes and bows glow pink when using this move. He kind of sucks at it, honestly. These beams are also capable of bouncing off walls, apparently, albeit for a short amount of time.
:bulletpink::iconpsychictypeplz:Telekinesis - Rudy’s signature move, of course! He uses his psychic power to lift things with his mind. His eyes and bows glow blue when using this move. This is used when lifting Marissa, obviously. Because of his intense psychic power, Rudyard doesn't need to focus quite as much as another Pokémon using Telekinesis might have to. To utilize Telekinesis, Rudy channels energy down to his fingertips and manipulates the air, and so when underwater or if his hands are damaged, it doesn’t work well. Apparently people can’t breathe or think when this is used on them? Hmm...
:bulletpink::iconghosttypeplz:Shadow Ball - Rudy fires a shadowy blast of energy at his target, typically from his fingertips, but he can also hold the balls in his palms.

- - -

Inventory

:bulletblue: Rudy has a thick, dark blue glove that he wears on his right hand. He’s taken the liberty of making it as garish as possible with flashy ribbons and shiny gemstones. The fingertips are cut off; if they were covered, Rudy would be incapable of utilizing any of his moves.

:bulletblack: It may also be worth noting that after the events of “No More Salt Puns”, Rudy broke his left wrist. He currently has a thick cast around it, and his moves have been fritzy ever since.

:bulletblue:

- - -

> Deadly Sin: Greed

> Heavenly Virtue: Temperance

> Eye Color: Blue

> You’ve probably met him before

> His Telekinesis almost always leaves his target with no memory of being moved

> Wants to be a songwriter

> Religious fanatic

> Quite racist towards Dark-Types

> Sees in body heat and prone to running into walls

> Last time we checked he was dating an ice sculpture, but it would seem he’s having trouble finding her (or him) again

> Since "'Cue the Music", he has developed an intense fear of going underground

> Likely to get you killed one day lol

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

MARISSA PIP

Species: Wailord

Gender: Female

Nature: Lonely

Characteristic: Capable of Taking Hits

Age: Eight or nine in Wailord years; approximately eighteen, nineteen in common terms

Ability: Water Veil - Marissa can’t catch on fire. This is actually more useful than one would expect it to be. It helps to keep her cool in the sun, a little bit, though on hotter days especially she needs to be “moistened” with a hosedown.


Strength: [X][X][X][X][X]

Intelligence: [X][X][X][ ][ ]

Agility: [X’][ ][ ][ ][ ]

Charisma: [X][X][ ][ ][ ]


Type Bonus -> Agility x1

Points Remaining: 1 bonus

- - -
:bulletpink::iconwatertypeplz:*Water Pulse - Marissa sends a jet of water out of her spout (or, rarely, her mouth), flooding anything around. It won’t work if she hasn’t recently taken in a supply of water.
:bulletpink::iconnormaltypeplz:Round - Marissa sings. Loudly. Very, very loudly. Don’t ask.
:bulletred::iconsteeltypeplz:Heavy Slam - She doesn’t really use this move intentionally, but Rudyard kinda does it for her. It’s like bumper cars, but with whales. Also don’t ask.
:bulletpink::iconflyingtypeplz:Hidden Power - Bright orbs of sky-blue energy gather near her face before zooming towards their intended target. They release a wave of Flying once burst. Marissa’s eyes glow brightly when using this move.

- - -

Inventory

:bulletgreen: One ENORMOUS scarf! It took Chantelle two months to finish. It’s lime green, with brown and dark blue stripes on it.

:bulletblue:

:bulletblue:

- - -

> Deadly Sin: Wrath

> Heavenly Virtue: Charity

> Eye Color: Violet

> Claims to be fluent in every language known to Parai

> Actually isn’t but it’s the thought that counts

> You’ve probably seen her before

> Not shy or socially awkward so much as wisely holding her tongue

> Claustrophobic, but it’s usually not a problem

> Surprisingly good breath

> Overheats easily; usually can be found at the lake

> Monster crush on Atlas (Can you blame her?)

> Probably going to flatten you someday sry

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

   Teresa - that was the Servine’s name, scrawled across the forefront of her mind like a birthday party invitation - felt entitled to a raise.

   I figured that out when she came out from the square blue building and stood there on the cobblestones to gawk at me, and she touched my hand as I stumbled. And I stumbled because I jumped off my Wailord. I’m usually very good at that, you know- sticking the dismount. There are liars who teach. Oh, would you like it? It’s deeper than you think. No, watch my bum. You have to slide. If you j-j-jump, your slip is showing. Splash! The sound of water.

   Mm… I was saying something else. Sorry, they get like this sometimes. They make me pick and choose, twisting it and now I can see it is my fault. My emotions are everywhere right now. No one’s part can be more powerful than any other is.

   Forgive me if I’m nervous? No one told me you were coming. Supplies! I’ve got a calendar back at home.

   I thought this wasn’t my medium. I’m a small medium at large. I am special and saved for great things. But now it’s this type of window again. I know you can’t see me wave. I don’t want to pretend.

   I thought I Can't Believe I'm Actually Doing This by oORiddleOowould send the other one. We had a deal- crossies doesn’t count.

   I don’t like them inside my head, but it’s better than all arone in de worl’. I’ll shoulder the load and I’ll swallow the shame. She hit me, yes! How much is that doggy in the window? That would be very silly, a talking wall. Might we be a kind of dog?

   Huh?

   I was sliding off Marissa. Yes. The yellow girl caught my hand. She felt entitled to a raise.

   Blinking my eyelids hard, I yanked my hand back and put it against the bow on my chest. “I don’t like to be manhandled.”

   “Hey. New, are you?” The end popped out in a squeak. She - the yellow girl - swayed her thick tail back and forth as its colors flip-flopped between green and blue.

   “Is this the Explorers Guild? Where Cassidy lives? Luke too?” I thought it might be. It was the same shape, or close to, of the place Cassidy brought me when the giant knocked Marissa out of the sky. I liked Cassidy. He understood fish like me. I bent down to double-check with my fingertips that the cobblestones were indeed cobblestones. They were. “I guess we’ll have to go find them.”

   “Yes,” Teresa answered uncertainly. “Is that what brings you here, applying for the Guild? Admittedly I’m not great with this meet and greet stuff. If you saw a sign that said we were accepting new recruits-”

   “Don’t read much now. I’m thermosighted.”

   “You’re thermosighted.”

   “I’m hot, youre hot, hes hot, she’s hot.” I shook my head. “It means I see in heat.”

   “Oh, I know what it means.” Teresa tipped back her head. “I’m just incredibly worried about what it means. I’m not… really sure what the proper protocol is for this sort a’ scenario. I’m kinda new to this whole assistant thing, honestly. Er… Are you just going to leave her there? Hmm, stupid question. ‘Course you are.”

   “Landing gear won’t come dow-”

   There was a raspy chuff chuff! from behind me. I clapped my hands over my bows in an instant, but at that range there wasn’t much point so I couldn’t tell you why I bothered.

   “I am so sorry; I hope we have not caused any problems for you, especially right after we made it to this city. Rudy is a Milotic when it comes to extravagant presentation. Aren’t you, Rudy? I hope you realize we will talk about this later.”

   “Zing,” Teresa muttered.

   “Don’t worry. I won’t get in the way of your presentation.” I took a few sneaky looks around, keeping my fists on my ears. The whole street was stuck. Frozen in time. I couldn’t believe my fantasy had finally come true. Lots of people had already noticed Marissa and come close to examine her, but now even the ones who had tried to ignore her had turned their bodies our way. I couldn’t suppress a glimmer of pride in my chest. No one could miss a Wailord.

   “We were stuck and couldnt get past here, see? Maybe wed better go- maybe we’d better stay. I like it here. I just can’t wait to be king. When I get older, I will be stronger.”

   You know, one of those they scratch behind my ears, I scratch behind theirs kind of deals.

   Hole.

   “Cool, cool… So, you want to register a Wailord in the Explorers Guild.”

   I tilted my head. “Is that against the rules? Are you telling moi what to do?

   “Well, kind of, actually. You’re serious about this, aren’t you?” She took something off her head - a hat - and flapped it at her face to cool it with a sudden wave of green. “Look, I hate to be the one to stick a fork in your plans, but there’s one tweensey problem I can see here.”

   “Which is?” I prompted when she didn’t go on.

   Teresa’s cheeks filled with red as she held her breath. Then she let it out again in a whuff. “The sign shouldn’t be here anymore. I’m really sorry- I meant to take it down. We just filled our last slot in the Guild about an hour ago. Now we have more members than we know what to do with, so we can’t possibly take in any more right now. Maybe another time though, okay?”

   I stomped my foot before I could stop myself. “ I Can't Believe I'm Actually Doing This by oORiddleOo should have let Rudyard be a team of one.”

   “Sorry, kid.” She stretched out one snake and when she found me she was gonna pull my head off. I declined.

   “I’m not a woman, dude.” I spun around, grasping two thick handfuls of my hair. I walked with my toes pointing in, like this. Then I walked with my toes pointing out, like that.

   “Perhaps we should go, Rudy,” Marissa whistled at me through her blowhole. “I do not think the little people are very happy with us for blocking their path.”

   They could deal. But where’re we to go? For a bath, probably. Yeah, you should have tried that on first. Irritated grunting noise. I supposed I’d taken a risk at bringing Marissa with me to get registered before we tracked down some Water-Types to hose her off. I’d been so confident in our getting in. Now she’d get overheated if it took us long to find some. The only Water-Type I knew was Cassidy. Do I like Cassidy, and do I think tropical cruises are nice?

   “He needs a shower.” I stretched my arms back so they were over my shoulders and I was brushing my shoulder blades. Then I twirled so I faced Teresa again and marched towards her. She hadn’t moved from the doorway. There was a single stair in front of her. I found that out when I tripped on it during my plea of, “You’ve been on my mind. Wasted so much time. I want to register for your Guild. The Researchers kicked me out and the Hunters don’t get enough attention. It was cool but it was all pretend. I picked up the papers from Cassidy. Look at this stuff. Isn’t it neat? You got six. We got eighteen all together. I just need help filling them out because I’m thermosighted. I wanna know. Can you show me?

   “I’m sorry,” she told me, very politically correct and polite. She held her scrawny hands laced together at her waist. I might have even heard a fake smile in her voice. “This is just the way things have to be. Feels good to know we’ve got Pokémon like you interested in joining our Guild. I guess Cassidy wasn't exaggerating when he said the standouts just keep pouring in. Hey, keep your ears sharp. Just because we’re done taking in recruits now doesn’t mean we won’t get back to you soon, so next time we’re open, maybe you can be first in line.”

   “Things not seen. Things hoped for. Things that are. I was first in line. Ehih, whatcha gonna do?” I rubbed my shoulders as I stood up. “Huh. I thought it was half full.”

   “I’m sorry,” Teresa said again, reaching out her orange hand to her right. “We’ve just about tip-topped our membership capacity. And y’know, maybe you oughta think stuff through a little more before you make such a huge commitment. Could be that this isn’t the right place for you.” She made a swipey movement with her hand. “Just between us, we pro’lly won’t be able to give you the support you need. If you know what I’m saying.”

   We looked at each other for a long time and exchanged many nods and I think some smiles and “Okay, yeah”s. I stood with my arms folded. There were voices- I heard voices, asking after my Wailord, calling to me, just… just calling out.

   “Teresa,” I finally said. “All you’re ever gonna be is mean.”

   “You…” She flinched all of a sudden. “I… didn’t tell you my name, actually, huh? Lucky guess, or… Heard of me… or…?”

   “You’re the Guild assistant. I can tell.”

   With forced cheeriness, “You really ought to come back next month. Rudy, you said your name was?”

   Like an idiot, I stopped. It would distract them. Some red-hot creature I didn’t know came running up, asking about Marissa, and I made the mistake of looking away for half a s-s-second.

   There was a wooden thud.

   She slammed a door at me.

   At ME! Rudyard Kendall-Renyolds McLean! She did not do that to I Can't Believe I'm Actually Doing This by oORiddleOo’s baby! She did!

   Then with a jealous squeal, I jumped off the front stair and streaked around the nearest corner of the dark blue building. But it was a small building. And the cobblestones were rough and broken and sometimes scraped at my heels and made me stumble. That’s why Teresa made it to the window first. She jerked it shut with her vines.

   “I can’t believe that she would leave me on my own!”

   So I raced around the next corner, to the back side of the Guild where the little park was with all its trees. I threw my shoulder into the rear door, wrestling with the knob. Her weight pressed back at me on the other side.

   “Oh, I believe! I believe you suck! If we’re all created equal, that’s us too!”

   “I’m sorry, Rudy McLean, but the Guilds have this unwritten rule against Wailords!”

   “Look, people! This is the world we live in now!”

   “Hey-hey, excuse me. Jake? Jared? Whatever your name was- Can I get some backup here? Cassidy went out, but maybe you can find Marcus or-?”

   Screw it. Screw it with nails and bolts.

   I made a fist with my left hand and plugged my Telekinesis into the lock on the door. Which one, which one? I wondered as I felt for the pins. It’s tough to do ‘cuz you’re made of metal. Even harder when I dug right down to the bottom of my soul and cried, ‘cuz I felt nothing.

   I gave up and blasted through the door with all my Psybeams. It was probably a tough door once, but not anymore; I quit. The Great Being did it in, damages.

   Teresa was shocked, probably. She threw out one of her snakes towards my chest, so I just Oh my gods he’s completely psycho! used that to jerk her closer. My other hand went behind my back. I whisked out the stack of form papers I’d stolen from the drawer in Cassidy’s desk and shoved the first one in Teresa’s face. Then I tightened my fist around her snake vine. It took half a second, but her eyes flipped on for me. My vision snapped from my colors to hers. I couldn’t read - No, not technically - but Teresa could.

   Name, family name (if applicable), and species.

   … Well, shoot. I didn’t know my own species. Mom never told me.

   (Not I Can't Believe I'm Actually Doing This by oORiddleOo.)

   Regardless, I lunged to the left, where there was an open door and (according to Teresa) a desk where I could find an ink and quill.

   “Stop it! What are you; psycho?”

   “No! In me let! In me let!”

   It was quite the valiant effort on my part, full of scuffling and chewing on leaves - You know, I think I’d like a salad - but the hall wasn’t that wide, so Teresa caught my ankle with her vines and Aha, gotcha, you little nutball! flipped me upside Now to take care of you down.

   I threw a few feeble Is he still trying to hit me? That’s actually kinda cute punches at her. It isn’t easy to land blows Well, time to take out the trash! on someone accurately when you’re That’s mean, I shouldn’t say that just seeing yourself through their eyes. From the looks of things, apparently I needed to lay off the sugar. I still had baby fat on my cheeks, and I didn’t need any more of it around my stomach. Horizontal stripes make you look fat. Zigzags make you look insane, I think.

   Teresa’s backup finally came through for her, but they weren’t needed. She carried me back down the We’d better call Cassidy ASAP hallway to the sound of gentle scoldings and Maybe I ought to ring the Royal Guard too tossed me outside, across the rear path and into the long park grass. It was littered with rubble from the Great Being’s earlier rampage. Down down down goes the trash.

   My vision flashed back to normal when she let me go. I went rolling backwards in the dirt, and bumped my head on a rock. It’s very possible - Possible indeed; maybe even probable, which can happen more often than possible - I was down for a second I think, since swirly stars, but sitting up again I saw Teresa in the back doorway with I think a Honchkrow. I say, some cavalry you are, sunshine. Dark-Types. They always show up to ruin my life.

   Ergh… My moves sucked on Dark-Types. So, temporarily pretending to give up, I turned my back and hunched my shoulders like a cool person with arms together sideways in front of me, and began my wander of enlightenment through the park.

   I tried to stick to the places that felt like dirt and gravel beneath my feet. I met a couple of people while I was there, but those are stories for other days. So I did this wandering thing for a bit and awhile as I tried to think of a genius plan. I thunk my thinker-upper up as fast as it could go.

   And as luck would have it, twenty minutes into my peaceful meandering (forty, actually, if you want to do your math right) I crossed across a big shape, all calm green and splashed with blue in that way of Water-Types. I liked blue. And the body shape itself looked familiar, actually…

   Hmm…

   I wiped at my face and he noticed, and stopped. “‘ello, beauty. What’ve we got here today?” Setting his hands on his knees, the Swampert crouched from his super-tall height so he matched closer to my level. “You th’ boy Cassidy brought back, eh? Seems you’re up an’ about after all now. Name’s Luke, in case ya din’t remember that. Now, whatcha wearin’ th’ poor long face for, mate? It doesn’t fit ya too well.”

   I used the same line on him I’d used on everyone else so far: I crossed my arms tighter and I puffed my chest higher and I stuck up my snout and said, “Teresa won’t let me in.”

   “She won’t let you in?”

   “Into the Guild. Sign here, please.” Reaching behind my back, I drew my papers out again (Luke’s colors flared a bit like he was surprised by this, for some reason). “See, I have these forms. No one’s taking anything.”

   Luke brushed the brim of his hat back with his wrist (I think it was a hat, at least - all dull and unmoving green). “Aw, that’s plum ridiculous. T’resa ain’t th’ kind ta turn anyone away just ‘cuz their forms ain’t gotten filled in yet. It ain’t in her chlorophyll… Ah, where’d you pull those papers out of, mate?”

   “I just keep them in my inventory.” Licking my fingertip, I flipped through a few of the pages. I didn’t know what was important, but rifling at things was what smart people did and I wanted to look like I was smart. I pretended to examine one of the papers, then tilted them upside-down, I think, so Luke could see. “I was hoping to get all registered, but I’m thermosighted. I need healing.”

   “Thermosighted…” Luke tapped at his chin a couple of times with a dark blue finger that turned green with pressure. “So, you’re interested in th’Explorers Guild, are ya?”

   “Very much like him.”

   “Always been a dream a’ yours, yeah?”

   “A dream is a wish your heart makes.” I hesitated a second after that, tapping my fingers down the sides of my papers. “I used to be a member of the Researchers Guild in Geoda with my friend Sourdough, before I came here. I reached the top and I had to stop and that’s what’s been bothering me.”

   No need to tell him the part about how I got kicked out for apparently being ‘unstable’ and ‘dangerous’ and ‘a cold-blooded murderer’. I didn’t much like to dwell on it. Well, I hadn’t liked Kaylie anyway.

   “Well, that’s right somethin’, ain’t it? S’not everymon shows up with a story like that. Ya learn a lot from the Researchers there?”

   “Oh, yes. I learned about churches. Aaand… Water. Just keep swimming. And we talk too. Singing, singing all the day. So I say thank you for the music.” I shrugged. “The desert was bad for me because of my thermosight.”

   If he thought that had something to do with my leaving, that was his own fault.

   “I getcha there, mate.” Luke put one hand on the ground and adjusted his weight so he was sitting cross-legged instead of crouched. “What kind a’ skills you got under your chin?”

   I smiled. “Well, I’m really strong. I’ve been practicing my Telekinesis for a long time.” To demonstrate, I pointed down at my feet. On my second try I found a pebble, so I tossed it into the air and caught it in my hand when it came down. “It was as big as a Donphan, you see. I have to eat every day so I can grow and grow. I can do Psybeam and Shadow Ball. I can Heal Pulse too, but I don’t like doing it. Then I like to think I’m ahead in navigating for a thermosighted person. And I like peanut butter chocolate.”

   “Aw, it sounds like you’d make a great Explorer, mate. Mind lettin’ me see them papers of yours again? What d’ya say I help getcha signed up, and I’ll make sure t’ put in a good couple words ta Teresa. She’s just havin’ a bad day, what with t’day’s attack by the Great Statue an’ all. We’re still pullin’ ourselves back t’gether again; she’s run herself ragged, I s’pect.”

   “I don’t know. It was just an idea.” I gave him my blank application and my brightest smile. “I’m Rudyard K.R. McLean. I came from the Highwoods. Little town.”

   “How d’ya spell that, Rudyard McLean?”

   “I don’t know. I can’t read.”

   “Hmm… Well, I’ll jus’ make my best guess, and Teresa can mebbe spellcheck it fer us later, eh?”

   I pricked my ears at the light scraping noises of quill and paper. “I don’t… have a pen?”

   Yes. A two for two.

   “Aw, but I do. Any Guild leader worth his button-hat oughta. Keep it tucked away right here so’s I’m always prepared. Comes in handy sometimes- there’s lots a’ stuff you can do with a feathe’. Now, lesse… Am I wrong to s’pose you’re a young man?”

   “And I am.” I bit my chubby lower lip. That… that felt wrong, somehow, like I’d just doubled up on buying junk I didn’t actually need, like socks or soap, with someone else’s cash. It made them uncertain. Cheapened the deal. I should’ve used a different phrase. So many, so many.

   I tapped my pointer fingers together. “Um, Luke? What species am I?”

   He raised his head and peered me over with his eyes, I guess. “Well, ya look like a li’l Gothita boy ta me. Unless you’re a Ditto or a Zor’ hidin’ beneath that skin.”

   I mouthed the word Gothita and smiled. “Do you know things about Gothitas?”

   “Shore, I know a good bit.” More scratching sounds of the quill tip. “Not too much, but a’ bit, from what I’ve picked up on over th’ seasons. You’re pretty good at sniffin’ out things in people’s pockets, though since ya din’t pick up on my pen, I’m guessin’ that ain’t your Ability after all… And a’ course, there’s that thing people say your ribbon size is s’posed to mean, but that’s-”

   “What’s he say, what’s he say?

   “Well…” Suddenly Luke’s colors took on a warm yellow around his face. He touched his wrist with the fingers of his other hand. “Just, they say bigger ribbons means bigger… power, an’ all. S’all superstition, mind. Don’t get cocky or anythin’ ‘bout it.”

   “Are my bows big?” I touched the one just above my left ear-hole, feeling the pulsing beat and swirl of my energy mixing about in there. Rats. I was still only half-full. For the best though, I suppose… It wasn’t like capping off and spilling over was that much fun.

   “Mmhm. An’ they say Gothitas see things about that ‘lot a’ others can’t. Did’ja come up with a name for this team you wanted, mate?”

   “Oh, yes,” I said, and put out my hands. “I wanna be Team Zeppelin. It’s a word I made up. Spell it like it sounds- I’ll get back to you on that. I really love to spell.”

   “Z-E-P… Er, I guess another P… L… Hold on, that don’t look right. Let’s slip an E in there somewhere… Tah! And there ya go, mate. All that’s left ta add is your own signature. Here, hold out your Here’s my pen hand. Here’s my pen.”

   I listened for a second, but no one had any ideas, so cautiously I said, “I don’t know how to write.”

   “Well, that’s why X-es were invented! Just make a li’l crossy mark. Right here where my finger is. Y’can see that, can’t ya? Thermosighted as y’are?”

   I made a little crossy mark. Luke took back his quill and stuck it through the brim of his hat. “Well, you’re all signed up now, mate. We just gotta run our typical li’l background check on ya, but I can personally guarantee you’ll pass it with flyin’ colors.”

   I pointed at the paper. “Don’t forget to put down my Wailord. She’s the star in this scene. There’s no way to deny she’s lovely.”

   “… What Wailord?”

   “Well, I do like things that are ultimate.” I pointed with my left finger at my right hand. “Think of a magical thing. It’s the same as having wings. Come fly with me, let’s fly let’s fly away. I can fly; can you fly?

   Luke’s head stayed up a few seconds longer, and then it tilted down towards my papers, still cradled in his lap.

   “Welcome aboard, Explorers!” I saluted. “Joy to the world.”

   The Swampert rubbed his snout with one thick finger. “Er, Rudyard… Listen ‘ere a sec. Wailords is big. They’re big jobs. What Wailord you’ve got?”

   I yawned. “Her name is Marissa. I fly her with my Telekinesis. She floats, I’m very strong, lots of practice; it isn’t hard.”

   “Where is she right now?”

   “By the Explorers Guild, up where they walk, up where they run.”

   “Mm… Have you been takin’ care of her long?”

   “Just one year of love.”

   “What does she eat?”

   I put out my fingers so I could count. “Basculin, Crawdaunt, Krabby, Ducklett, Farfetch’d, Barboach… Anything that fits in her mouth, really. Not me, though. I’m always real careful. She could have berries too, but that seems wasteful since they’re too small for her.”

   Luke shifted his arm so he was rubbing behind his neck. Still on the ground, he gathered my papers back together and held them out to me. “Now, y’know y’can’t be killin’ guys ‘round the city and feedin’ them to her.”

   “Oh, no, they made that clear in Geoda. Clear as air. No, we only chase the ferals. Fog, Dungeons…” On that note, I parted my hands and shrugged. “I don’t feed her every day either. Just every few days. There’s not enough food for her if I don’t spread ‘em, Pops.”

   “Hmm… She move much by herself?”

   “She can do the wiggle wiggle.” I flapped my arms like Wailord fins. “Crawling’s really hard for her, but she can float a tiny bit by herself, when she’s fully fed and strong enough to do that.” Though, she did tend to be lethargic these days.

   “Well I’d like ta meet her, I think.” Luke pulled himself up to his feet again. “Shall we head back? You’re a twitch small ‘nough ta ride up on my shoulder easy, bug.”

   I sighed and shut my eyes to press back the stinging. Of course I wanted to. I wanted to so bad. But going unconscious again wouldn’t get me anywhere.

   “Lead me, guide me, walk beside me.”

   Luke held my papers and walked with me as we spiraled back through the park and out to the front of the Guild building.

   One problem. Marissa was gone.

   At first I was just in shock. I thought to myself, “Hey, maybe her body temperature warmed up exactly right to match the road and buildings - it’s been hot all day, and more heat is just going to come tomorrow.” I walked out to the middle of the street, my arms outstretched.

   The whirring sound of cart wheels that clacked. Someone, “Get out of the road, kid!”

   I didn’t recognize the voice. I promised myself that one day I would.

   Luke pulled Watch yerself, mate! me back out of the road and beside him. “Tah,” he said, fanning his face purple with his hat. “If you’re shore this is where you left her, t’s a possibility T’resa may’ve called in the Telekinetics ta move her someplace else. I’ll go on in and ask her. Sit tight.”

   I couldn’t sit still, though- Not right then. I was used to misplacing things. Legally I was blind, so that shouldn’t come as a shocker, but I’d managed to lose a Wailord in ten minutes? Yeesh, that was a new record even for me. I was getting sloppy.

   I zig-zagged across the street, listening for carts and calling Marissa’s name. I even shot Psybeams into the air like flares for help.

   My Wailord was gone.

   It wasn’t that I was nothing without her. Youre less- you’re just less.

   I sat down on the step (on a step, at least, because I didn’t think I was in front of the Explorers Guild headquarters anymore) and put my hands to my cheeks. I wasn’t sad. I just needed to think for a minute.

   Maybe someone had stolen her. Maybe I had an evil twin. Of all my possibilities, that one seemed pretty likely. It’s what I would have done if I had seen a Wailord for the first time. It’s what I HAD done when I saw Marissa for the first time.

   Hmm… I tried to picture the city map in my head. I’d gleamed a good shot of it through Marissa’s eyes earlier that day. Now, where would a Wailord have gone?

   Nowhere. Wailords never go anywhere, they never do anything, and they never meet any new st-

   Boy. You, boy.

   I looked up.

   She was standing there. Fluffy ears flicked up, then down a little again.

   You’re a Psychic, I said back in my head. I thought it was polite to, and to see if she could read my mind. Not responding.

   “You’re a Psychic,” I said again, taking my hands away. “You’re not golden. No, I’m like you.”

   Yes, so you are.

   “Have you seen my Wailord?”

   Yes, she’s difficult to miss. She was moved. Teresa had the Telekinetics bring her to the lake.

   I frowned. “There’s a lake?” Marissa hadn’t noticed a lake. Not a big one, anyway.

   There is. It isn’t far.

   “Where?”

   Cut through the series of alleys between Lowlyer and Fintail. Then walk along the Trotpath - it’s the quickest way through the grasses. Well-beaten under many feet.

   “This one’s for the beaten down. Is that a street? I’m… blind. Thermosighted, actually.”

   That’s fine. I can take you to her. Without so much as a “Follow me”, the girl turned and walked away. Never one to be left out of the loop, I hurried after her until we were walking side by side.

   “I’m Rudyard. Call me Rudy.”

   No reply.

   “Your name here?” I prompted.

   Autumn.

   “Is there a family name that goes with that?”

   No.

   “Darn it. Do you want to use mine?”

   No, that isn’t necessary.

   “It’s McLean. Y’know, if you want it. Have you been here long?”

   Yes. I’ve never left this city.

   “I’m from Carvecliff Quarry. In the Highwoods.”

   Your Wailord is hungry.

   “Someone’s always in trouble. Her name is Marissa.”

   She’s hungry.

   “I do my best, but it’s really hard to find everything she needs, especially when we started moving inland. I gotta make cuts somewhere.”

   I have a proposal for you. I think I can help you with your problem, if you’ll but help me with mine.

   “Huh? Can you fish? She eats fish like I eat birds and eggs and things. Someone, anyone- What gets the smell of fish out of hair?”

   I don’t fish. But that won’t be necessary.

   “So your idea is to bring other food? Stars, there is no food.”

   I cut it pretty close with that one, I think. A chill traced down my spine. My shoulders shivered.

   That’s right.

   This was starting to make me uncomfortable. I locked my arms behind my back as we walked, but I kept my fingers crooked at the ready. Carefully I said, “Why would you spend your money on food for my Wailord?”

   It costs me nothing to assist you. I choose to do it, because the poor creature will starve if I don’t. You haven’t been taking good care of her. I’ll come every morning at sunrise and every night as the sun sets.

   “Wow. That’s a lot of potato salad. Fish, fish for sale!”

   She’s hungry, and I can help. So I should, and I will.

   I took a deep breath. “If you’re doing this because you, y’know, like me like me, well, in that case you’re fired. Fired, fired! You are fired, fired! I’m not interested. Ever.”

   No, you’re too young for me. So I won’t show feelings towards you if you would prefer I don’t; it won’t be difficult.

   I had no pre-scripted responses for that. I was on my own.

   Starsparks, I was on my own.

   “Um…” I scratched at the tufts of hair that brushed the back of my neck. Static silence. “S-so you’re just doing me a favor?”

   You’re a child and you need help. Your Wailord needs sustenance to survive. All I ask is that someone believes in me and my abilities. I need daily practice that feels meaningful and challenges me; I have grown bored. Simply put? I’ve been on the lookout for fulfilling work for weeks, and I’m interested in the job security I see here. So I want to help you before you find someone else who could do the same job. I want you to be mine, and only mine. And, if it comes along as part of the bargain, I also want to have powerful friends.

   I couldn’t find fault in that logic. Apparently no one could.

   “Hey,” I said as I felt the cobblestones turn to grass beneath my heels. “Aren’t you going to buy some fish from the market? Fifty cents a cap.”

   No, that won’t be necessary.

   “Well, then how are you going to feed my Wailord?” A sudden, horrible thought made me freeze like cold stone. “You won’t feed me to Marissa!”

   Autumn turned her head. You don’t know anything about Mr. Mimes, do you?

   It would be against the rules to say I thought I did.

   She’d moved on. I hurried after her. “Do I pay you in starcoins? Imagination? Fishhook?”

   No, it isn’t necessary. All I ask is that you believe in me. You do believe in me, I hope.

   That response sent my eyebrows into my hair. “But that doesn’t cost anything.”

   Neither do the fish I’m bringing you. Not really, anyway- Not anything more than a little pain on my part, but I’m learning to tolerate it. I welcome it, if it means I can grow.

   “It’s a huge deal, though. That doesn’t seem like it’s enough. I don’t want you to chase after me someday saying I owe you for all this, so speak now or forever hold your peace. ‘Cuz everyone wants to know they’re not alone.”

   … If you’re insistent, I suppose cookies would be nice. Chocolate chip, perhaps. My mother used to make me those.

   I thought about the Lumberry pie I’d picked up from the ‘Sorry the giant robot crushed your house’ party. Let’s make a trade.

   I smiled.

   Lacing my fingers behind my neck, I showed that smile to Autumn. “I’ve got no strings to hold me up. If you can pull them into hooking me up with a purple cape and mask and a floppy black hat, you can just leave that to me. Wait until dark.”

   Autumn cracked each knuckle individually as we crested the rise above what must have been the lake. Do you believe in magic, Rudyard?
Sorry, Papa Smurf, but the urge was just stronger than me.


This team has a Wailord and a character who speaks only through references. You're welcome.

You can find out more about them if you wander over yonder to their drawn app.

Table of Contents

INVENTORY

Let's Talk Rudy
Let's Talk Marissa
:icondivider1plz::icondivider2plz:

These guys are always open for:

:bulletred: Cameos - Drawn or written, no need to ask
:bulletorange: Friends - Feel free to offer
:bulletyellow: Tumblr Asks and Such - Here
:bulletgreen: Canon and non-canon RPing on Skype - "RiddleBeingRiddle" is my account name
:bulletblue: Battling these dudes in X and Y; aw, yeah - Click here for more
:icondivider1plz::icondivider2plz:


:icongothitaplz: Rudy’s Yard of Refs 
:icongothitaplz:

“Facade”, “Jekyll and Hyde” musical x1

Total Drama x10 (“Rapa Phooey”, “For-Gwen and Forget”, “Picnic at Hanging Dork”, “Bigger, Badder, Brutal-er”, “Who Wants to Pick a Millionaire?”, “Dodgebrawl”, “Runaway Model”, “I Triple Dog Dare You”, “3:10 to Crazytown”, the Total Drama x4 Special… Someone stop me.)

Studio C x9 (“Would You Rather” (This one I referenced twice, apparently), “Season 3 Opening”, “A Man’s Brain”, “The Real Bully”, “Police Confused by Political Correctness”, “New Taken 3 Trailer”, “Google Translate”, and “Everything Sounds Nicer When You Sing”)

Kid Snippets x1 (“Camping”)

“The Letter Factory” x2 (I’m sorry, I had a childhood once)

Some Bugs Bunny that I can’t remember; it involves Yosemite Sam and the devil and the desert x1

The first ever haiku x1 (It's about a frog)

“It Took Me By Surprise” song x1

School House Rock x3 (“Three Ring Circus”, “I Got Six”, “Sufferin’ ‘Til Suffrage”)

This joke x1 

“The Adventures of Brer Rabbit” x1

Whatever the small medium at large joke is from x1  I think I got it off a Laffy Taffy

The Cat Master by Bonnie Pemberton x1

The Wall and the Wing by Laura Ruby x3

Disney’s “Meet the Robinsons” x4

“Thoroughly Modern Millie” musical x1

“Devil’s Backbone” song x1

“How Much Is That Doggy In the Window?” x1

Alex and the Ironic Gentleman by Adrienne Kress x2 (The talking fridge is really quotable okay leave me alone)

Gossamer by Lois Lowry x1

“Night at the Museum” x1

“The Foolish Frog” Scholastic book or short or whatever x1

“A Study of Reading Habits” poem x1

“Hot Hot Hot” song x1

“Frozen in Time” song x1

Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga x1

Disney’s “The Lion King” x4

“Wavin’ Flag” song

“The Far Side” x2 (There’s a dog in court; lion wants a salad)

My dad’s first word was “Hole”. Just… Hole.

Phineas and Ferb x3 (“Hawaiian Vacation”, or one of the Hawaii episodes, “Flop Starz”, and “Vanessasary Roughness”)

“Kootie Pie Rocks” Super Mario cartoon x1

Age of Mythology x2

“The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats x1

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke x2

“Since You Been Gone” song x1

“Part of Your World”, Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” x2

Spongebob x2 (The one where he rights the extra credit essay, “Krusty Towers”)

“Strangers Like Me”, Disney’s “Tarzan” x1

The Andrew Clements “Things Not Seen” series titles (Which are themselves a reference to the Bible, I believe)

Timothy and the Dragon’s Gate by Adrienne Kress x1

“Finding Nemo” x3

“Mean” song by Taylor Swift x1

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan x1

Dealing With Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede x1

“Thank Goodness”, “Wicked” musical x1

“Don’t Bother Me” song by the Beatles x1

Disney’s “The Emperor’s New Groove” x1

“Robots” x1

“Nothing”, “A Chorus Line” musical x1

Disney’s “Wreck-It Ralph” x2

Smurfs x2 (“The Hundredth Smurf” and “The Masked Pie Smurfer”)

Whatever the garbage truck Scholastic is… It was called “Trashy Town” or something? x1

The Rescue Guardians of Ga’Hoole by Kathryn Lasky x1

The Day of the Djinn Warriors Children of the Lamp by P.B. Kerr x1

“The Glunk That Got Thunk” Dr. Suess x1

Disney’s “Dumbo” x1

Day of the Tentacle x2

“A Dream Is a Wish”, Disney’s “Cinderella” x1

“I Wanna Be Like You”, Disney’s “The Jungle Book” x1

Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog” x1

“Give, Said the Little Stream” song x1

“Thank You For the Music” song x1

Five Children and It by E. Nesbit x1

I think there might be a reference to that Little Einsteins movie with the caterpillar, “Our Big Huge Adventure” but I can’t confirm that

Disney’s “Aladdin” x2

The Secret of Monkey Island x1

“Belle”, Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” x1

The next ref is technically a Wall and the Wing ref, but it’s very close to being a Total Drama ref, which is what the “Two for two” Meet the Robinsons joke is about.

“Super Why” x1

“Girl Next Door” song x1

“Fight Fighters”, “Gravity Falls” x1

“You Can Fly”, Disney’s “Peter Pan” x1 (I seem to be overdoing it with the Disney songs today)

“Come Fly With Me” song x1

“Joy to the World” song x1

“Just One Year of Love” song x1

“Monsters University” x1

My sister plays on a little softball team and “Do the wiggle wiggle” is one of their cheers

“I Am a Child of God” song x1

“The Scrambled States of America” x1

The “Not responding” error message x1

“Rock What You Got” song x1

You could argue that I referenced Moby Dick here

“The Incredibles” x2

“Caps For Sale” x1

One of the Dan Gutman “My Weird School” books… I think it was “Ms. Coco is Loco”. It’s the poetry one.

“If Today Was Your Last Day” song x1

“Thinkin’ Things 3” computer game (Stocktopus, specifically) x1

Ive Got No Stings”, Disney's Pinocchio” x1

“Wait Until Dark” x1



Plus the obvious or broad ones like “Your name here”, etc.

How many were you able to spot? I hope so many, so many, or we can't be friends anymore.
© 2015 - 2024 oORiddleOo
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TheWarOfTheRing's avatar
Nice app!

Out of curiosity, why the weird speech patterns for Rudy? I don't recall him talking like that elsewhere. Made it a bit hard to follow, tbh :P