in4apounding | [002]

[002] - Video

Jiminy evolved today! I was honestly getting a little worried, he's been gaining levels so slowly, between the weather making it hard to train and just not having many effective attacks, I don't think there's much around here that's weak to Bug types. Not much that offers a good challenge, anyway!

[If the Kricketune in question is offended by any of that, it's not showing it. Since the video began, it's been happily chirping away away in a weirdly rhythmic tune. The overall effect is probably best described as 'hip-hop violin', accented by the Chatot hopping around excitedly and adding her own chitters and vocal contributions. Whatever your opinion, at least it's covering the usual background music?]

He's having fun with Reina, at least! I wasn't sure having them out together at the same time was a good idea since he's a bug and she's a bird, and Jiminy's level is so much lower than hers, but it looks like they've found some kind of common ground! It's sort of strange that Pokémon that would be natural enemies in the wild can get along so well once they've been captured. Do you think that's a side-effect of the Pokéballs somehow, or just comes from even really basic training? Most of my other Pokémon aren't the kind who'd seem like they'd be more inclined to fight than usual in the wild, so this is the first chance I've gotten to see something like this. I mean, Amber's a spider too, but she's also electric-type and much stronger than Reina so that's not really a fair comparison?

[Please remember to breath, Penny.]

Whatever causes it, I just think it's great that Pokémon and trainers have such a chance to make friends in so many unlikely places. I have more friends here than I ever had back home, and I'd hate to think of my Pokémon missing out on the same chance.

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Oh, I can see how that would be confusing. My family has many servants, and I was always unsure of how I should address them as a child.

[Well, things changed since then. Kai and Gerda might as well be her aunt and uncle at this point, with how much they've dedicated to helping Elsa and Anna on a personal level.]

But that's good that you had a friend to be there for you, at least!

We only met very recently, but we got close very fast! She's the one from home I miss the most, I think. I'd love to show her Johto, and I bet she'd like it here! Even if there aren't really any weapons here, but they're not really needed like they are back home!

And if she were here, we wouldn't have to say goodbye after the Vytal Festival ended and Father and I had to go home.

... This friend would be... disappointed that there aren't any weapons here?

[Sheesh, what kind of girl must she be to be upset over that kind of thing....]

So you must live far apart, then... is there no way to keep in touch with her?

She's VERY enthusiastic about weapons technology. She even designed her scythe herself, not many students can say that!

[Is there something weird about being a tech nerd, Elsa?]

Yes, she's a student at Beacon Academy in Vale, I'm part of the Atlas Academy. That's a whole other kingdom! I'd need to use the CCT tower to talk to her reliably, and father and Mister Ironwood don't like me talking to people that much-

[HOLD UP-]

Not for bad reasons or anything! They're really very nice people, they're just also very worried about my safety!

[SORRY PENNY, ELSA KIND OF. LATCHES ONTO THAT RIGHT THERE.]

Why don't they let you talk to people often?

They're worried about my safety!

[Not defensive at ALL.]

I've spent most of my life inside the Academy, they don't want to risk people from other the kingdoms taking advantage. I know I can take care of myself, but they just don't want me to take any unnecessary risks!

And I can do things that not everyone at home can! They don't want people finding out too soon.

[And that's getting just a little too close to some very uncomfortable truths.]

They're good people, really! But Mister Ironwood is head of the Atlas military AND the academy, he has lots of responsibilities to think about!

[Hoooo boy this is. Hitting way too close to home, so unsurprisingly, Elsa looks mildly horrified at all this.

The... Academy? You were kept in a school all your life? Because you had a unique ability?

Atlas was all I knew before we went to Vale for the Vytal Festival! And it's not just the Academy, it's also the center of the Atlesian military.

And there are lots of people with abilities in Remnant. Mister Ironwood just thought mine in particular might scare some people, so he wanted to make sure I'd proven myself before the public found out the full extent of my abilities. It was going to be very important someday!

[The military. So this cheerful young girl spent her life in a military facility? God, and here Elsa thought her situation was awful...]

... What sort of abilities did you have, that this "Ironwood" man was worried others would be afraid of?

I was capable of artificially generating an Aura, no one knew that was even possible before I existed!

[And that- what-]

[Nope.]

...I wasn't supposed to tell anyone that, Ruby was the only other one who knew! I-

[Elsa might also recognize what rising panic looks like.]

[Oh... yeah, Elsa can most definitely recognize that. She's felt it a lot over her lifetime, after all.]

Hey.

[Her voice is firm, just enough so that she can get Penny's attention back. After that, there's nothing but a soothing gentleness to her tone.]

I can understand that. I don't know what an "Aura" is, but... I had an ability of my own that made me unique. One that I needed to hide.

I won't ask you any more questions if you don't want me to, but... I think I know what you're going through.

[And possible meltdown averted, at least for now.]

You did? ...did you ever get to stop hiding?

[Absolutely not saying a word against her father or the general, but even she can't pretend that hiding was very fun.]

Edited 2016-02-03 19:28 (UTC)

[Oh, don't you worry about anything, Penny. You have a kindred spirit here in the MY FATHER DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG department.]

I did. It was a bit frightening, at first. I wasn't sure how everyone would react...

[Her smile changes, then. To something much brighter.]

But my live has been completely different ever since; it's gotten so much better. And not a single person has said a bad word about my abilities.

[She's sure there are naysayers out there, people who are scared, and that will always worry her... but nobody's said anything to her face yet.[

~~[Twice the dads, twice the denial?]~~

Ruby- the friend I mentioned earlier- she knew. She found out, anyway, it was an accident. I jumped in front of a truck to protect her, and in the aftermath there wasn't much I could do to hide it.

[Turning a bit red in embarrassment, she STILL can't seem to shut off her mouth.]

But it was better, after she knew! She still accepted me without question and promised to keep my secret, I still can't quite believe it myself. I just wish shr didn't have to, or that I could be sure everyone else would do the same.

[Elsa knows by now that something's up, with how the poor girl's getting flustered, but if there's nothing she can do to stop it, the least she could do is make sure Penny keeps talking about happy things.]

It's very freeing, isn't it? Even if you've fought so hard to keep something secret, knowing that this person accepts you and what makes you different no matter what...

[There's a pause, and Penny's previous words finally sink in.]

Wait a moment... you were able to stop a truck? That's amazing!

[And now turning REALLY red at the praise.]

Oh, thank you. But yes, that was part of my, um, ability. I did get a little scratched up, but no one was hurt.

You don't have to tell me, but... I must say, I'm quite curious over what sort of ability lets you do that.

But only tell me if you want to, please! I know things have been awkward enough, and I don't want things to get any more so.

It's how I was built- I mean, that is to say, back home I was a lot stronger than most girls.

[Fidgeting a bit, but still going. That was a good recovery, right?]

And it, um, would've taken a lot more than normal to hurt me. Physically.

[... Built? That's... odd. But Elsa doesn't want to invade the poor girl's privacy even more than she already has, so. She'll let it drop for now.]

That must have been quite a useful ability to help people with!

[Obviously just meant in the sense of 'very muscular'. Clearly.]

That was the idea! Mister Ironwood thought it was going to be VERY important one day.

...I'm sorry, I completely forgot to ask your name! I'm Penny.

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[002] - Video

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