Pokémon Umbral Discussion 6: Name That Nagarai!

[Dracorion]

Meh, Pierce doesn't have anything to sacrifice except a pokemon or a limb.

And pokemon can't die while their trainer is conscious. I suppose Pierce could get knocked out and Tyranitar dies, but then we'd have to do the whole "friend dies, character goes emo" cliche and who wants that?

And if he loses a limb, eh, big deal.

What I'm trying to come up with is something that throws Pierce waaay off his base but doesn't involve him going emo depressed.

As for the battle, I was actually planning on deploying Kingdra, but if Chizuru's food cures stat decreases I'll keep Metagross.

So I guess I'm waiting until tomorrow for AB's answer.

EDIT: As for Pierce joining Impact, it depends.

If Impact's plan is to force people to give up on pokemon, Pierce will be actively fighting against him.

If people end up choosing for themselves to give up on pokemon, Pierce will respect that. But he won't be giving them up.

[Geminex]

Fair enough. Though if you tell me what you were planning to have him have to do to get the demonic powers, I can see if I can think of something. I'm generally good at plot twists.

One thought I have is:
Pierce has a criminal history, doesn't he? But he's never actually hurt (or, at the very least, not killed) anyone.
Why not have him find out that he was contributing to some really horrible plan by a crime organization? That he's partially responsible for some terrible crime?

[Dracorion]

Originally Posted by Geminex

Fair enough. Though if you tell me what you were planning to have him have to do to get the demonic powers, I can see if I can think of something. I'm generally good at plot twists.

I was thinking Pierce could die. The Kimonos, or at least Chizuru, had to die in order to get into Shizuka's service. Now, the team probably won't have to die to get their demon powers, but for Pierce, dying combined with the fact that he'd have to sacrifice visits to the world of the living (except for business, I.E.: kicking Ruin ass), would force him to sneak out once to visit his sister and get some closure on the past. He'd move on and finally open up.

But now that I'm writing it, sounds like it'd be a little complicated. Or not, I dunno.

Originally Posted by Geminex

One thought I have is:
Pierce has a criminal history, doesn't he? But he's never actually hurt (or, at the very least, not killed) anyone.

Yeah, Pierce has a strict "no-killing" rule. Which includes pokemon as well. You'll notice he didn't actually kill the Yanmega way back when on the rooftop, and AB gave no indication that the rogues the team faced with the tutu-wearing male trainer were dead.

He's fine with killing Ruin-types because he doesn't really consider them pokemon. Like Rio said, normal pokemon eat, sleep, drink, crap and breed. Ruin-types don't.

Originally Posted by Geminex

Why not have him find out that he was contributing to some really horrible plan by a crime organization? That he's partially responsible for some terrible crime?

That might work. He wouldn't get all depressed, he'd run off on his own subquest and kick ass to set things right. And in the end he could realize he's way in over his head and call in the rest of the team.

He'd end up opening up partially rather than completely as the whole dying thing would do.

[Geminex]

Sounds quite excellent actually. Particularly since the team doesn't yet know that he used to be a criminal. Calling them in will require explanation. Explanation will lead to interesting reactions.
Charlotte'll see you as one of her own, fellow criminal. Or at least she'll pretend to, just to taunt you.
Renny'll be shocked.
I'm not sure about Impact. Unless the crime involved both humans and pokemon (which it might have, I'm thinking that he facilitated the construction of an illegal pokebrid creation facility, where hundreds of both humans and pokemon died horribly in experiments, which attempted to turn mob leaders into super-powered pokebrids. We could even involve Faynoc in this, have him either support us to destroy the pokebrid facility (monopoly. ^^), or try to get control over it and fight us.) he'll be indifferent, though of course he'll look upon you with disdain.

Getting ostracized and having to at the very least reveal more of himself to the group to trust him again would be a good way to get him to open up.

[Dracorion]

Now we just need to yell at AB to allow a vaguely plot related sidequest.

Piece of cake.

Though I wonder if other characters should get similar sidequests. Impact is probably the best candidate, anyway.

And I hope you realize Pierce and I still want demon powers.

[Geminex]

Now we just need to yell at AB to allow a vaguely plot related sidequest.

Piece of cake.

Or we could just give him the cake.

As for other character's sidequests...
Sounds quite awesome, actually.
I'm not quite sure what their objectives would be, though...
Renny could
a) have problems with one of his pokemon at home. (As in, Snorlax gets sick, we need to find a cure)
a) be on a quest to woo Chizuru, and have to prove himself to the other Kimonos first, with our help. (I'd prefer if he took the former)

I don't know about Matt...

Charlotte...
There's a lot Charlotte could be doing in her spare time, but nothing that she'd enlist the help of the Watchmen for, since it'll probably certainly be illegal.
Maybe her criminal past could also catch up to her, she betrayed her associates when she joined the watchmen, didn't she? Yeah, perhaps she gets recognized during a mission, and has to ask the rest of us for help. The important bit here would be less the revelation of her criminal past, and more the fact that she has to admit that she needs help. This'll either make her humble, or make her more resentful.


Impact's main objective is the PHS (Pokemon-Human Separation, I'll be using that more often from now on) agenda. His sidequest would probably involve something along those lines...
But really, the only thing you could make a quest out of (involving that, anyway) is demonic ambitions. Which, I guess, would also involve proving himself to the kimonos. Perhaps they get transported to the netherworld, so Impact can see what it's like, see if he could survive there. Though why'd the rest of the team come along?
Needs more thinking.

[Dracorion]

Renny only has one option for sidequest, and that's the first one. There is no second option.

Would it be an acceptable compromise if Impact got to go full on Demon, rather than half-demon, with obscenely buffed up stats and perhaps special abilities like some weak mind control (basically, he could make a decently convincing argument and mind control would do the rest, except it wouldn't work on the particularly stubborn)? Or other passive kind of special abilities. And everyone else has the option of going half-demon.

Or perhaps the super-suit that AB suggested and half-demon. Or super-suit and full demon.

Impact's sidequest could involve getting said supersuit. It'd be some kind of experimental technology. Perhaps being developed by Faynoc. Or not.

[Geminex]

I'd prefer if his quest involved the demon thing.

And yeah, no need for supersuits. That'd be dependence, again.

Though I like the option of everyone going half-demon and Impact going full demon. That'd work quite well. He could get the combat upgrades and the Voice of Power (+200 to all persuasion rolls).

In fact, why not do it this way:
Every character's side mission will end with them getting their class upgrade.

Pierce can get all his pokemon knocked out while he's still alone, and have to defend them himself, using... I dunno, improvised weaponry? That sort of thing. Thus, the seeds of becoming a master of battle are sown. After the mission's over, he decides to take up the arts of a slayer as well, gets instructions from Rayleen (or Impact) and voila, battle master.

And everything else could happen in the same vein. Depending who wants which extra class, the sidequests can plunge them into situations where they'll have to improvise a dual-class, and after the mission they'll use the dual-class for good.

Impact's mission could come last. It'd involve the Kimonos extending the offer of becoming half-demon to the entire party, this involves visiting the Netherworld. Halfway through the mission, they'll all be half-demons with the appropriate stats boosts and signature moves. But in the end, Impact wants more, talks to... probably Mika. Tells her about his desire for power over minds, somehow persuades her to let him go full-demon.

He still has to quest, though, either, again, to prove himself worthy (I'm using that phrase a lot, aren't I?), perhaps to find some ingredient, maybe a combination. I'm thinking that during the first part, when they're all obtaining Semidemon status, they just dick around in the Netherworld, get used to it, fight random encounters, or perhaps just get shown around by various Kimonos.
In the second part, the party accompanies Impact to the throne/alter/temple of the demon god, whose approval the Kimonos need to turn Impact into a full demon. It'll involve combat, of course, and in the end Impact returns with some token of worth, they use that token to turn him full demon.

[Menarker]

^^; Hey hey, don't think that Renny is sidelined only to one sidequest. Like I said, I'm dealing with everything on a step by step basis. :3 Plus, AB might open up some additional options.

Beside, I never said I wanted the demon blood thingie!

I'll deal with those things when the time comes. :3 It's all fun and good that you're looking forward to all this, but this is still AB's RP and you're already suggesting how it should or likely should be done. :3

[Dracorion]

Originally Posted by Geminex

And yeah, no need for supersuits. That'd be dependence, again.

Oh come on. If Impact doesn't like being dependent on a badass-powered mech suit, why is he willing to depend on Slayer weapons and armor? He should just run around buttnekkid punching pokemon.

... I'd watch that.

Anyway, there's really no difference between the suit and Slayer equipment.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by Menarker

this is still AB's RP and you're already suggesting how it should or likely should be done. :3

I like to think of it as brainstorming. It's still AB's call if he wants to use our suggestions or not.

And he fucking better shoot down must of the crap we've said, or I'll fucking punch him in the balls.