friendyousohard | 11th Spell: [Video/Action for Union Cave]

[The gear clicks on in steady hands, focusing directly on Twilight's face. She checks it out a moment before nodding in satisfaction.]

Looks good, Starswirl. Make sure to keep it recording so I can review this later.

[She clears her throat and goes into scientist lecture mode.]

Date: September the Seventh by Johto's Calendar.

Location: Outside Union Cave, Azalea Town entrance. Preparing to re-enter the cave.

Experiment: In order to test the effectiveness of the Repel item sold in the shops, I wore the fragrance through the Cave and am now going to return into it as the item has worn off. I will document the difference in the frequency of encounters and use this data to determine a rough estimate of the effect. Further experiments may be necessary depending on my results.

The experiment begins now. Come on, Starswirl.

[She turns and heads inside the cave, walking along at a sedate pace. Soon enough there's the sound of wings flapping.]

Hmmm, we seem to have Pokemon already. Well that's a fairly large difference in and of itself.

Wait, just how many of them are-

[She's cut off with a shriek as a Zubat flies by, and another buzzes the gear. Starswirl quickly drops the gear and goes to help his trainer, causing the image to drop to the ground and start showing nothing but rock. Before the gear shuts off, Twilight shouts:]

It's in my hair! It's stuck in my haiiiiiiir!

[It clicks off after that.

A few minutes later, the gear clicks on again, showing a very grumpy Twilight sitting outside the cave with a bandage on her face and her hair looking like it just went through a wind tunnel. One full of various debris.]

Conclusion: There is no need for further study. The item clearly works, and works very well.

Also, a personal note here.

I hate Zubat.

Can't believe I had to catch the rotten thing to get it out... [She mutters a few more inaudible things as she switches the gear back off. Well, no one ever said scientific research was easy.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I don't know how anyone manages to make it through there without it. At least the Pokemon usually have the decency to come one by one!

I assume it would involve ludicrous amounts of patience. Really, does anyone actually bother doing that?

Good question. I'd have to post up a survey to find out for sure. Though I do think I've heard people complain about having to enter caves before on the gear... whether it was this cave or another one I can't recall.

At any rate, patience may be a virtue, but like they say, you can have too much of a good thing. I'm taking the lesson I learned here to heart.

I can hardly imagine how they would have managed it without going mad. There's challenging yourself and then there's putting yourself through hell for no conceivable benefit.

Unless you really like bats.

... I think I heard a story like that once, actually.

[Danananananana Batmare!]

I can't say I have a problem with bats under normal circumstances, but this just seems ridiculous. Granted, it wouldn't surprise me if there were people out there who actually enjoyed that sort of thing.

I'd simply question their sanity.

Fluttershy could probably deal with it...

Then again, with her it would be a lot less "swarming" and a lot more "gently nestling on her" after a few moments.

[...wait, what]

I don't believe I've met this person you're talking about. Does she have some sort of particular affinity for animals?

That would be an understatement. Fluttershy's rapport with wild animals, which does indeed extend to Pokemon, is nothing short of astonishing.

Is that so? That must be an incredibly useful skill in a place like this.

[THIS FLUTTERSHY MUST BE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH...]

[Oh Kayneth, if you only knew...]

You have no idea. I'm extremely grateful to have her around. Even if she does make me worry sometimes.

No, I can certainly understand that. I'm sure it's made things a lot easier for the both of you.

Very much so. I really don't think I could deal with it if she wasn't around.

Do you have any friends like that? People who you can rely on here in Johto?

...I suppose so. Admittedly, though, I've never really been in the practice of relying on anyone but myself, and I don't really intend to start that anytime soon.

[what is friendship, is it something you can use as a mystic code]

[... Depends. Do you have five friends, each of whom perfectly represents Honesty, Loyalty, Kindness, Generosity, and Laughter?

Because if so you can totally use it to beat up chaos spirits with rainbows. That counts, right?]

Well, there's definitely a lot to be said for self-sufficiency. But having someone you can trust along with you, well... Personally, I can't recommend it enough.

I do have a trustworthy traveling partner at the moment, although...

[early mornings

shirtlessness

exercise]

He has some irritating habits.

[That gets a mild little laugh out of her, though it's not actually directed at Kayneth himself.]

Oh, I know the feeling. I'm pretty sure, when it comes down to it, that we all have habits some people would find irritating. But you know... sometimes that can be part of the charm, once you get used to it.

Oh, I'm well aware of that. [EVERYONE HAS ANNOYING HABITS except him] Granted, there are some habits that you never quite get used to.

Yes, I can't really deny that either. Though now you've got me curious. What exactly does your partner do that's so obnoxious?

He wakes up at an ungodly hour every morning to train, which would be all well and good if he didn't expect me to join him.

... Huh. Sounds like one of my friends, only replace "train" with "work". And she doesn't expect anyone else to join her.

[Rainbow might wake up early to train too, but somehow Twilight doubts it.]

Why does he want you to join him, anyway?

He seems to think it's good for my health, which really couldn't be further from the truth.

[...Kayneth, you're just out of shape, man...]

Well, a good training regimen would be. That's what they're for, after all. But waking up at that time of the morning and going through... whatever routine he's made for himself would probably do more harm than good.

This sounds like something that really warrants some serious discussion between you two. He clearly just wants to help, maybe he's genuinely worried about you. But if he doesn't understand how you feel about it, he's going to be the opposite of helpful. Who knows, you might end up actually being able to put that particular habit to constructive uses.

I've tried to discuss it with him, believe me. He's not exactly prone to listening to me on this particular subject, though, given how much I've protested it in the past.

Wait, so he doesn't even respect your boundaries on this? That hardly seems fair... A little teasing or suggesting is one thing, but from what you're saying it sounds like he's bound and determined to force you into this, and at his speed instead of your own at that.

[video]

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