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The Hiver Warrior Tk'tlz expected to continue being on a spaceship for the next nine days, then serve on the personal guard of Princess Hllzt, a very prestigious position. It doesn't understand the gates work, it just knows that they take ships across the black sea in an instant. This is the first time it will experience gate travel, so it is waiting attentively, curiously, at the moment of transfer.
This is not a spaceship.
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allforthehive
the_very_best
"So do you need to eat before we try that, because of all the running, or are you good for now?"
allforthehive
"Hiver warriors have an awareness of their own bodies, so I know I am in acceptable condition. I will become uncomfortably hungry in about five hours, and uncomfortably thirsty in about four."
the_very_best
"Well, water's cheap. There's a fountain over here, you're allowed to drink from it." She nudges Fireflower along until they're at a fountain in a city square.
allforthehive
It drinks from the fountain.
It's probably getting a lot of looks and they're 'curious' rather than 'suspicious' or 'afraid' because it's next to a trainer, right?
It's probably getting a lot of looks and they're 'curious' rather than 'suspicious' or 'afraid' because it's next to a trainer, right?
the_very_best
Yup. It's a very exotic Pokémon but its trainer is right there and everything is normal.
"What is that?" someone asks Bella.
"You know, I'm not entirely sure I can pronounce it," Bella says.
"Where'd you catch it?"
"I didn't. I traded for it."
"What is that?" someone asks Bella.
"You know, I'm not entirely sure I can pronounce it," Bella says.
"Where'd you catch it?"
"I didn't. I traded for it."
allforthehive
"I am tk'tlz." It still can't really be pronounced by humans, the closest they'll get is 'tektools'.
the_very_best
"I can see why you wouldn't be able to pronounce that," nods the passerby. "What'd you have to trade to get it?"
"A Sawsbuck. But I'm going to trade it away again and try to get the Sawsbuck back."
"What? Really? What do you want for it -"
"No, nothing like that, I just don't think it fits in with my team, I don't want to trade it away to be somebody's conversation piece, I'm going to the Rangers."
"A Sawsbuck. But I'm going to trade it away again and try to get the Sawsbuck back."
"What? Really? What do you want for it -"
"No, nothing like that, I just don't think it fits in with my team, I don't want to trade it away to be somebody's conversation piece, I'm going to the Rangers."
the_very_best
"Is it talking?" asks the passerby.
"Yep. Haven't you ever heard of 'mon that can learn to talk?"
"I never saw one though."
"Well, now you have."
"Wow."
allforthehive
It would be difficult and somewhat pointless to convince this person that it's a person. So the Hiver goes back to drinking water.
Two minutes later, it's done.
Two minutes later, it's done.
the_very_best
Bella and her Rapidash (who drank a little water too as long as it was there) trot on. "Ranger station isn't too far from here."
allforthehive
It follows, keeping close track of all 'mon and trainers and considering tactics as a calming exercise.
the_very_best
A few other people want to know what it is. Bella keeps telling them she can't pronounce it.
Eventually they get to the edge of town. There is not exactly a wall except for some fencing here and there, but there's a pretty clear border: town, then open space, then denser wilderness. And there is a tower on the end of one of the sections of fence. Bella goes up to that, slides carefully off Fireflower, puts her away, and knocks.
Eventually they get to the edge of town. There is not exactly a wall except for some fencing here and there, but there's a pretty clear border: town, then open space, then denser wilderness. And there is a tower on the end of one of the sections of fence. Bella goes up to that, slides carefully off Fireflower, puts her away, and knocks.
allforthehive
The Hiver studies the border. "The fence could be sturdier. Are there motion sensors in the fields?"
the_very_best
"No. There are a lot of wild 'mon. The idea behind the fences is to make sure they go through in the most convenient places so we know where to expect them, not to keep them out entirely, and it does nothing against fliers. And the rangers can't be getting excited about every wild Starly."
allforthehive
"Interesting." Yes, that would make for different considerations. Especially if most potential threats are very low-level. "Maybe I think wild 'mon are more dangerous than most actually are."
the_very_best
"Don't get me wrong, a wild Starly can kill a person if it wants and the human doesn't have help. But it's not likely to want to engage a human in the first place, and almost anybody can fend it off - so even if only one in four people bothers carrying a 'mon while they're inside a city, there's always someone around who can handle it. The Rangers are for the bigger threats that a random townsperson probably can't fight."
Someone answers the door. He blinks at the Hiver. "What is that?"
"Can't pronounce it," Bella says. Again.
Someone answers the door. He blinks at the Hiver. "What is that?"
"Can't pronounce it," Bella says. Again.
the_very_best
"A Hiver," blinks the Ranger. "Okay."
"Bug/Steel, it talks, it doesn't fit in my team and doesn't like being in a Pokéball and eats a lot but it's pretty autonomous and really strong. I was wondering if the Rangers wanted to trade me for it. You'd have to promise not to put it away, and feed it non-chow, and bear in mind that it's really smart and can talk and would be more like a Ranger itself than a 'mon that way."
"...I see."
"Bug/Steel, it talks, it doesn't fit in my team and doesn't like being in a Pokéball and eats a lot but it's pretty autonomous and really strong. I was wondering if the Rangers wanted to trade me for it. You'd have to promise not to put it away, and feed it non-chow, and bear in mind that it's really smart and can talk and would be more like a Ranger itself than a 'mon that way."
"...I see."
allforthehive
"I can't go home and tournaments do not particularly appeal, so I intend to make myself useful here somehow. Bella suggested the Rangers."
the_very_best
"Well... I'd like to think the Rangers are useful, yes... I'm not sure we have the budget for a new Ranger."
"Hiver, what sort of conditions do you need to sleep?" Bella inquires.
"Hiver, what sort of conditions do you need to sleep?" Bella inquires.
the_very_best
"So it doesn't need to be paid enough to make rent, it can just sleep in one of your outposts. Until you have more budget. I don't think anyone's going to come after you for not paying the Hiver what you'd pay a human ranger."
"Well... maybe."
"Well... maybe."
allforthehive
"While you consider it we can ask other towns. Does this area have radio communication? If not, I'm no scientist but I could make a spark radio easily enough."
the_very_best
"We have long-distance communication, some of which uses radio," confirms Bella. "Ranger, can you ask some other units if they want the Hiver?"
"I can ask around."
"Great, thanks, I thought I'd have to fly all over everywhere to find a place to put it."
"I can ask around."
"Great, thanks, I thought I'd have to fly all over everywhere to find a place to put it."