๐ข๐ฒ๐ญ๐ท๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ธ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ช๐พ
Transmasc (He/They) | 19 | 'Pirate' Captain | Location: Route 218 | Tags: Open
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Sidney docks right next to the tree line on the western edge of Canalave City. Part of him can't help but be a little exasperated at the city's poor design, as despite being a port town, there's hardly any room for incoming ships to dock at that won't block another vessel from exiting. It's a small flare of irritation that settles down quickly though, making way for exhaustion to permeate his being. All he wants to do now is lay on the ground and conk out, but unfortunately for him, that's not only a terribly unsafe idea, but he doesn't really have the time for a nap at the moment.
He deploys the ship's main anchor, peering over the edge to ensure it's secure. Satisfied with its position, he hops down from the deck onto the grassy terrain below, thankful that it was a short drop as opposed to the larger ones he's dealt with before. Looking back towards his precious Vitality, he can't help but wince when he lays eyes on its sorry state. Several boards are broken and missing along the exterior sides, and the top of the mast is splintered enough to sway ominously in the wind, threatening to come crashing down and cause even more damage. A large hole has been seared through the sail's left side, and the deck has a large chasm torn through it that barely missed coming out through the bottom of the vessel.
All in all, it's an ugly sight, and seeing the ship he's poured so much care into crafting in such poor condition makes his heart feel a bit like it's being squeezed by a Machoke. Gyarados are dangerous enough to sail by on a normal day, but one that's been spurred into a rampage by a distortion? Well, let's just say that Sidney feels lucky to have made it out with his life, let alone his ship. It's hardly operable in this state though, and definitely not safe to sail, so it looks like he's landbound until he can get it repaired. Wonderful.
Speaking with some of the local sailors and craftsmen reveals that fixing up Vitality won't be possible for a while. Materials like lumber, steel, and cloth are scarcer than they usually are due to heightened demand and the sudden spike in danger that harvesting their raw components has. No one really wants to chop trees or mine ore for hours in an area that's likely to turn on them at a moment's notice, and those that're brave enough to do so usually sell or donate it to ravaged settlements that're trying to rebuild. Sidney gets it- he really does, since he still remembers Dewford Town's own rebuilding period-, but he can't help but lament the fact that his efforts on all fronts have been completely halted. No materials means no ship repairs, no ship repairs means no travelling or investigation, and no travelling or investigation means he really can't help any sea-dwelling Pokรฉmon that're further out than a few miles from the coast.
The whole situation is sour and hard to swallow for Sidney, but like a cup of particularly nasty cold medicine, he chokes it down and accepts it nonetheless. He books a night at the city's inn, as the Pokรฉmon Center's packed enough to deter him from taking the offer of free lodging. Afterwards, he starts to poke around town, wandering aimlessly in the hopes of finding something interesting to do before sunset. He catches whispers of some sort of meeting taking place in Jubilife City as he meanders, but words like 'hero' and 'legendary' makes him drop the idea of checking it out fairly quickly.
He knows the basics of the 'chosen heroes', or whatever they're called; special trainers that've been specifically chosen by a legendary Pokรฉmon to help restore peace and balance to the world. He doesn't have a ton of information outside of that, as his life at sea doesn't really lend itself well to keeping up to date on the latest news, but it's enough for him to get that they're supposedly trying to help fix things and he's definitely not one of them. Sure, he considers his crew to be pretty legendary in their own way, but he's seen firsthand what a real legendary can do, and it's pretty easy to see that his team doesn't really have that kind of insane power.
After the quick moment of contemplation on heroes and legendaries, Sidney's once again left with nothing to do for the time being. Thinking's a great way to waste a few minutes, but it's not the best long-term activity, so now he's back to where he started. Shifting his gaze around a bit in contemplation, his eyes eventually lock onto the Pokรฉballs on his belt. Maybe he could pamper his crew a little? It's been a bit since he's devoted time to properly groom most of them, as running a one man ship doesn't leave for too much free time. Deciding on his goal, he briefly boards his ship again to retrieve some items before jumping off and making for Route 218. He supposes he could just groom them in town, but having that many eyes on them doesn't sound ideal, plus it's hard to ignore how most townsfolk seem to be wary of unfamiliar Pokรฉmon these days.
The clicking of his boots fades to the soft crunching of grass as he steps out from the gate, the sea breeze mixing with the earthy scent of nature. He decides to bring out Haptera first, as the Dhelmise is surprisingly particular about keeping up their appearances. They let out their signature haunting cry as they're released from their Pokeball, bringing forth a low-pitched and creaky sound not dissimilar to the turning of a ship's wheel as their own wheel spins slowly. From his experience, most tend to find the noise unsettling, but Sidney can't help but adore it for some strange reason.
As he gets to work polishing their anchor, Haptera stares at him with their compass-like eye while they drape their seaweed over his shoulder. After working alongside them for so long, Sidney knows that this is their way of expressing worry or concern, so he decides to talk as he works to put them at ease.
"Everyone's fine 'Tera. Well, Vitality's not I guess, but we'll get her fixed up eventually like we always do. You can't keep us down for long after all!" He grins as he tries to buff out a particularly rough area, showing off his sharp teeth. Haptera sways slightly more as he speaks, taking on a mesmerizing momentum while Sidney keeps rambling, talking about anything that comes to mind. He always feels like he works better when he thinks out loud, and Haptera's always willing to listen. Well, that's the case for most of his crew really, but it still means a lot to him.
In the distance, he picks up on a few voices. A deadpan voice and a more light-hearted one seemed to be conversing, and he can hear the sounds of a battle happening a little further away. A quick glance through the tree line towards the other side of the water reveals just about what he expected: two parties talking amongst themselves while another pair are engaged in a trainer battle.
The only surprises pertain to the Pokรฉmon, as the sight of a Manectric indulging in pets from a young woman and a Steelix facing off against a Luxio aren't quite what he was expecting. He feels bad for the Luxio's trainer, seeing as their companion's utterly outmatched, but that's just the way some battles work. As for the Manectric, watching it wander back towards the man and rub its staticky mane against the guy's leg before being shooed back towards the woman brings a smile to his face. What a friendly little fella.
Still, whatever's happening there's of no real importance to Sidney, and Haptera's getting impatient with his sudden pause if the resumed clacking of their wheel's anything to go by. He grins at them and apologizes for getting distracted before resuming his polishing, humming a little seafarer's tune as he works.
