Pokémon battle! And we'll see who is the better trainer! And we'll see who has the bigger Pokéballs!

[mischiefbreeder]

Who: Gold (mischiefbreeder) and Silver (tsuntrader), plus any spectators!
What: Silver issued a battle challenge to Gold, who accepted.
When: Saturday afternoon
Where: The Battle Dome
Summary: Gold and Silver have been in Luceti together for a year and yet have never had a single Pokémon battle. Deciding it's time to rectify, they head off to the Battle Dome to throw down!
Rating: PG? I mean, it's Pokémon...
[Gold had been anxiously waiting for this day. Sure, the standard format for Pokémon battles involved just battling whenever your eyes meet, but if they did that, there'd be constant battles all day, every day. Therefore, these things had to be planned.

...Besides that, Silver was his rival. Always has been, always will be. That makes this battle special. A battle to settle old scores... No, a battle to determine who's the best trainer out of the two of them, and furthermore... To show everyone just how it's done.

It was time. Their battle lies ahead.]

Comments

[generalflirt]

Huh. [Guilt and pleasure, huh? That's... actually a neat comparison. He nods to himself and then points at fire. also he noticed Shikamaru's phrasing and wonders what that means. Why would he react to blood? He resolves to ask in private later.]

Next is "hi," fire- It stands to reason it's an element of passions and movement. In the natural world, almost all animals actually fall under it because they're all active, moving things. In humans, it's associated with the heart and... metabolism? Things which move and pump blood and all that stuff. In terms of emotions, it's obvious that it represents drive, both for your goals and for the finer things. [...Like sex. He puts on a lewd smirk for that and winks before pressing on] Also and outgoing spirit. [...A beat] Aaactually, now I think of it, "lightning" falls as an extension of fire in these elements.

[endgames]

Tell that to the Kumo-nin.

[But putting aside his thoughts on what Masaomi said on the water business, this part of the conversation visibly captures his interest.]

Aside from the perverted spin you put on it, you're hitting the base of my country's spiritual philosophy. We're driven by the love for our village and comrades: the Will of Fire.

[Man, seeing the kanji for his country there has him all nostalgic even.]

[savedtheworld]

[Aang had missed the "blood" comment, but he focuses again on Masaomi as he delves in to the fire explanation. Only a bit weirded out by his "finer things" comment - Why's he talking about marriage that way? and then he averts his eyes again when "lightning" comes up. But he does smile towards Shikamaru, feeling respect for such philosophy.

...For Firebenders, lightning is an extension of fire. [Pause. He pats his stomach to signify the fire chakra] That does sound kinda like the fire chakra. Willpower blocked by grief. It definitely matches up with that "drive" part. For us, it's located in the stomach. ...Is that why people say "you got guts"?

[generalflirt]

[Okay he doesn't press on the next one now, focusing on both of what they said. The Will of Fire, huh... the power of love and he smiles to himself, nodding. As for Aang's question though-] Ah, probably. Determination and willpower are all summed up in that phrase. Courage and heroism. [He hums] Love is a leveler, as they [he] say.

[endgames]

That's half the reason lightning being an extension of that is weird to me. It makes some sense the way you guys describe it, but they still don't seem especially related. Lightning is the absence of fire's driving force, and the most focused element there is.

[Maybe not the wisest topic to go back to, considering Aang, but he doesn't plan to dwell on it for long.]

[savedtheworld]

[He has to admire Masaomi's sentiments and smiles fondly. But he becomes more serious with Shikamaru's question.]

From what I know... lightning can only be shot by people whose minds are at peace. [Some bitterness slipping through.] I guess that also applies to people without a conscience. It still is willpower, in a way, but in its pure form. Focused without any emotion. So it's called the cold-blooded fire.

[generalflirt]

[...Cold blooded. Snrk. He pets Linda at this, who is sighing dramatically at Aang's explanation. Notably, as a sign of trust, Masaomi is petting her on the cheek ports, where the lightning comes out]

[endgames]

Interesting. Even if that paints it in a different light than what I'm used to.

[He hasn't met many lightning users, but he can't apply that idea perfectly to Kakashi. And regardless of the lack of conscience, he certainly can't say Sasuke is a shining beacon of someone showing peace of mind.

But with a grin, he'll derail that train of thought.]

I'd say Linda over there is rather hot-blooded.

[savedtheworld]

[He accepts this derailment.]

Yeah, I guess Linda's more like a normal Firebender!

[generalflirt]

Huh... [...You know, Linda, if Explotaro can use lightning, maybe you can use fire in some way? He nods at this deciding to give it more thought later, and thus pats her on the head one more time before taking this moment to move on. To Wind. He points at the fourth symbol down]

"Kaze" is one of the most powerful elements in the physical world, because if you recall as you go down it's stronger. It represents things which expand and and have freedom of movement. In the natural world that's, obviously, air and things like smoke. So in human processes, its obvious breathing. Buuuut, perhaps more importantly than those, it serves as the representation of the human mind. People learn and expand their horizons, gaining intelligence, wisdom, knowledge, experience over time. Emotionally, though, it's supposed to be lined with a freeing experience; elusiveness, benevolence, perhaps even evasiveness at its most negative.

[endgames]

Fitting, compared to the few wind users I know. [And then to Aang:] Though I guess you would count there too now.

[savedtheworld]

[A goofy grin crosses Aang's face as he listens. He's reminded so much of the Airbender way, it gives him a comfort to think that there are others like that out there. His smile only flickers a bit at the "evasiveness at its most negative"; it reminds him of all the issues he's been dancing around, not just with Katara but involving the problems with Zuko from back home. But he quickly clears that from his mind, flashing Shikamaru a grin for his comment.]

That... it reminds me a lot of the air nomads, Masaomi. As for the air chakra... it, uh, involves love. And it's blocked by grief. The monks did frown upon attachments like love, but they did encourage a general love and respect for the world and all of its living things. And... I guess it's easier to be free like that when you don't let grief weigh you down. I... I haven't been the best at that, but the guru showed me a way of looking at it that's not so bad. He told me that even when loved ones have... gone, love was a form of energy that... doesn't die, but it's reborn as new love. Since it's located in the heart.

[Don't look at Katara, don't look at Katara. ...Okay maybe a quick glance. But he then glances at everyone else to try to be less obvious and clears his throat.]

1/2

[generalflirt]

[Grief hu--- oh, oh right. He was the last of them, a survivor of a genocide he never even got to witness. Even beyond that, he awoke in the future, where he never got to experience the life he ought to have had. He knows these things only through Katara's stories and his own ghosts-of-memory from the AU, but it stands out to him, mostly... because of the chat Shikamaru forced on "him." He glances appreciatively at Shikamaru for a moment before nodding and looking back at Aang]

[generalflirt]

Maaah, if you were to ask me, love's the most powerful force that exists in this and any world. Tempered by resolve, it's a leveler that defines a man.

[...Shikamaru knows the dark irony of him saying this with a bright smile. He hopes it doesn't show to Aang, who doesn't]

[endgames]

[It earns him a measured look of disapproval too, gone before Aang should have the chance to catch it.]

Oddly enough, that's also a component of the Will of Fire: the way your guru showed you to see it. That when we die, our hopes and ambitions don't go away, but are instead passed onto the next generation.

[And he smiles.] At the same time it makes sense too. These are all part of a bigger whole, aren't they? Not separate; part of one body.

[savedtheworld]

[He's not really sure what to make of Masaomi's statement and just offers an awkward grin - luckily Shikamaru offers a good transition.]

That's right, Shikamaru. That's one of the lessons I learned back home... that everything's connected, even when they try to be separate. And that's connected to the sixth chakra... the light chakra. It's about insight and blocked by illusion, located in the forehead. I was shown that the differences we make between ourselves, in our nations and in our bending... they're all illusions. We're all really part of one whole.

[He was describing the state of things back home, but as he spoke, he felt like he was talking about the community here as well. This smile was more sincere.]

[generalflirt]

Eeeeh, I think that's too existential for me.

[He said as he petted Linda's cheeks some more, a big grin spreading on his face. ...Shikamaru obviously would know this is not true and he understands. He just might be a bit... selfish. Or not. he might just be being ignorant on purpose]

[endgames]

Makes perfect sense to me, as one of our other elements deals with that.

[And releasing Masaomi's shoulder now, if only to lightly elbow him in the ribs.]

So why don't you get to this "void" one you were talking about.

[savedtheworld]

[He frowns a bit at at Masaomi's disapproval, but feels validated by Shikamaru. He turns his attention back to Masaomi.]

Yeah, Masaomi. What's the last element like? [And how does it shape up to the last chakra?]

[generalflirt]

[He winces at Shikamaru's elbow, but then rolls his eyes before pointing at the final symbol... with some minor reference in spite of himself]

Kuu's the most enigmatic element, mostly because it's the one which transcends the physical existence of things for the most part. As I said, "earth" cover the ground, "water" covers the seas and plants, and "fire" covers animals. "Wind" covers what makes "humans" different than animals. "Void" is beyond all those, representing things we can't touch and probably can't even interact with.

[...He glances at Katara. He tries not to and then shakes his head to refocus on Aang] There's a lot of words for it. "Spirit," "thought," "creativity" - it relates to energy's most prime form, and thus is associated with inventiveness, power, and in a way, language.

[He taps his thumb on the paper now] The void and the heavens... "sora" - it's something you can associate with the quintessential element of the world to make the world worth something beyond just life. In theory, someone strong with it could act without thought, sense without using their senses.

[But that. Is very existential. He smiles at the end of it]

[endgames]

[Oh that strikes a chord with him, for the same reasons Aang's description of the Light chakra did. He doesn't even notice Masaomi's millionth wayward glance that time.]

Yin and Yang.

[1/2]

[savedtheworld]

[Masaomi's descriptions strike Aang to his core with such viid detail. He spends a moment staring as thoughts race through his mind. He did notice the way Masaomi looked at Katara... and he felt sad in a way. Although their situations are completely different, is that what it would have been like if he stayed a fully-realized Avatar? It makes sense. To be "void", able to completely protect the world without truly being part of it.

Now, let all of those attachments grow. Let them flow down the river, forgotten.

That was the one sacrifice he could never make. Aang had bent the truth when it came to his chakra training - since his ill-fated attempt at the Azula incident locked it until the end of the war, it didn't really matter anyway. Given what this Katara knew about what she meant to him, it was risky to mention this chakra at all...]

[savedtheworld]

[...But he found himself saying it anyway, while looking past everyone else.]

That's... that's the thought chakra. Located at the crown of the head. It's pure cosmic energy. Blocked by... [In a lower voice] earthly attachments.

[generalflirt]

[He... hears both of those and neither really makes a whole lot of sense to him. To be fair, Aang's makes more sense and it's clearly something painful for him (why?) so he keeps his gaze fixed on the squirt for some time. He fluttered there and sighs, before-

...Linda you had the same idea, didn't you.

At the same time Masaomi claps a hand on Aang's shoulder she pats his side. Their motions are quite in sync]

Sounds like "nirvana," where I come from. I'm not sure it'd suit a man like me.

[endgames]

[He can only explain it as it pertains to his world, but frankly Aang's sounds more gripping.

Then again, that may be all the more reason to, if the guy's looking for a distraction.]

Yin and Yang is the sixth chakra, the balance of physical and spiritual energies. Different ratios produce different results.

[Which is something he's teaching you, Masaomi, so it actually does apply.]

I don't know about pure cosmic energy, but as such, its applications are infinite. Most people are geared towards one or two of the five elemental chakras instead, but unlike those you don't need to be Yin and Yang natured to use it.