Multimuse OC/Semi-Canon blog, attached to arcanaanima. Delivered by Lotus. Major Content Warning, you MUST read rules before interacting. Still a WIP, sowwy.
Yeah, Soyi's insulted--and Ground Spider is insulted, as well.
"What kinda Metagross runs Stone Edge over Rock Slide? There's a reason we call it 'Stone Miss'--it's not even close to being mitigated by a Wide Lens, and if you miss your move against a Fire-type, your ass is cooked."
"Seriously, if you're going to run physical Rock coverage and run the risk of a move that is more likely than not something that has a chance of missing... At least do yourself a favor and run fucking Rock Slide. If you're WILLINGLY running Stone Edge over Rock Slide? You're absolutely insane. More so than you or I, Soyi." And neither of them were sane. Soyi especially so.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
"I can sense something on the horizon. I don't like it, not one damn bit." Her words were snarled, bitterness seeping into every spoken syllable.
Of course, one would expect this more from her counterpart, who had a more relevant ability to predicting these sorts of things, but when one was as used to being in the thick of every conflict as she was, experience builds instinct as sharp as any disaster sense.
Quietly, she took a sip of her hot drink, drinking both the bittersweet liquid and their words as they spilled out their deepest woes. It was a familiar feeling in their aura. Feeling tired, driven into the ground, wanting to just... disappear. Of course, Agni's situation was not a 1:1 of what it was like for her in her darkest moments, but the same emotions were there, and there were certainly parallels. She could still see a part of the girl she used to be in Agni, even if they were older than she was.
After Agni had finished speaking, she would sit next to them quietly. Her response was solemn, but gentle, with a voice akin to softly-fallen snow.
"It might be weird to hear it from someone who looks like she's in her late teens, but I understand how you feel." Of course, she was older than that, but not by much.
"I can't say I'll always be there for you. I'm only here for a job, after all, and I'm not from this world. But as long as I'm here, I want to be here for you. Not just because you've been extremely helpful to me as an information source, but because I see a part of who I used to be in you. I had people who cared for me, sure, but back then, I felt so alone. I was depressed, dragging myself through every day because I felt like I had no other choice, having one career that was detrimental to me, and another I only had to appease someone else. I was too cowardly to want to die, but I definitely wanted to just... disappear. To vanish into thin air, go somewhere far away where nobody would vilify or idolize me again. I still wanted to be close to people, but... I wanted to be forgotten by the masses." Of course, she could never escape people idolizing her for too long, but at least nowadays, it was far less than what it used to be.
"Things aren't fine for you. I can tell. But I do genuinely want to help, so that someday, things will be fine. You say people haven't bothered to look deeper? I'll let you in on another secret of mine, Agni - I can see your deepest depths. I can feel what you're feeling, I can feel how you're fraying at the seams and crumbling by the second. I can't claim to 'fix' you, that depends on you in the end. But if you cooperate with me, tell me what's wrong... I can at least make your problems easier to deal with. I feel like the job I've been given aligns with helping you, anyhow, so don't feel like you owe me anything. Ask away."
What she said could be seen as absurd, sure, but in equal measure, it was sincere. It was heartfelt and honest in a way that was almost unrelenting in its sentiment, but still not forceful.
...You know, Agni has never felt that relaxed before (which is saying something); headache gone, eyes...heavy? A big yawn, shoulders drooping. Rubbing their eyes as they drank more of their tea to get that sweet sweet caffeine into their system.
"...Not that I" big yawn again "don't appreciate it but...is it supposed to make me feel this sleepy...?" rubbing their eyes again. Oh fucking Cardinal and the goddamn Companions they can't fall asleep they have hours until they can go home. Doesn't help that Agni rarely gets good sleep, no wonder this gamer is always sleepy and depressed.
"Still...I guess I don't really have a choice but to believe you..." they're going to choose not to think about what those flashy or unpleasant things Miwako could've done--too sleepy to. You know. Deal with that.
Another yawn. Another drink of their tea (might have to switch to coffee later; they really do not want to though).
"Alright, I'll help you. Just...maybe after work. Or a quick nap." Oh fuck. They're so fucking drowsy.
"...That's because you're lacking sleep. Normally, it just makes you calm down. It's useful for people suffering panic attacks, though it isn't perfect." Obviously, that excluded herself, but that's what her Pokémon were for. "Don't worry - I'll wake you up if a customer comes in, so feel free to take a nap while business is slow." She'd grab a chair for Agni to sit in while they were slowly falling unconscious, easing them into the seat until the exhaustion lay claim to Agni.
"Rest well. I'll wait here until I have to wake you up, alright?"
Agni has heard a lot of things: a deity is in them, dragons nearly froze Unova over, and the fact that their ex plays Guilty Gear Strive when said ex is an Xrd player. They have heard some bullshit in their life, you see. But someone from another world? In this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the region, sitting here in this cafe? Unbelievable! Inconceivable, even!!
But something in the way Miwako lowered her voice to tell them that? That...has to mean something, right? It would explain why she has a lock on the South-West Deity stop fucking pounding on the door it's WAY too early for that.
"...alright." normally, Agni wouldn't really like people touching them...but it's only their hand. It's fine, they've had dealt with worse (hot liquids being thrown on them, for one). Holding out their left hand, warily looking at Miwako. It's fine.
"I'll make this quick, I promise." Gingerly, she took their hand, and would carefully, subtly use her aura manipulation to allow Agni to relax a bit easier, slowing their heart rate and perhaps even ease the pounding in their head. Lower their tension, but in a way that didn't feel forced. A nice, gentle transition into a less wound-up state. When she was done, she'd let go, stepping back and return to her drink.
"You could feel that, right? It's not much, since it's a bit on the fringes of what I can do. And, well... most of the other things I can do are a bit... flashy or unpleasant, so I wanted to keep it to the most practical option. Either way, you can believe my previous claims a little more now, right? Or, some of them, at the very least?" Asking for them to believe everything she said at face value was a tall ask, and she knew that. But this would hopefully add some more credibility behind her words.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
"Victoria Mortimer" is not Commander's "real" name. It was a name she took up after the war, and while she's open about her "civilian name" not being her original name, it is the only "real" name other than Commander that she goes by.
According to her, her surname was taken from the surname of one of the few soldiers that figured out she was a woman, but actively helped her keep it under wraps. He perished in the conflict, fittingly and ironically due to waterborne pathogens, so she took up his surname to honor him after she left the army. As for her first name, it's both generic enough to not stick out too much, but also quite apt for a former soldier, so she figured it was good enough.
Many of the surnames of her aliases also come from her closest fallen comrades, with her given reason being that she doesn't want to forget their names after over a century of peace. The various members of her team were also frequently named after the fallen whose names she wanted to remember, be it ally or enemy.
When Gloam talked about Neo Plasma splinters on her end, it definitely was something to note of, especially since her Neo Plasma also definitely had that too, but... The main issue is where most ended up in.
For the record, Angelica's glad that Gloam has essentially the same sentiment as her. That whatever comes out of the CEO of Keraunos' mouth is just corporate bullshit... which wouldn't be frustrating if Unova didn't buy whatever she's been peddling... Unfortunately, a good number of the people of the region is strung up, enough to cause a divide between pro-Keraunos and anti-Keraunos... and also those who don't really care much.
"Well, at least we both share the same sentiment here." Really, she wouldn't admit much about it, but its really nice, being able to air her thoughts out to someone who is able to listen. That said... She definitely had to ask now.
"If, by any chance, our shared quarry is actually involved in Keraunos related activity, I can already tell you're in on getting your hands a bit messy, yeah?" After all, there should be a non-zero chance here that said shared quarry would be involved.
"Oh, I have no qualms with helping you out in the slightest, and me being a 'unique' individual whose identity can't be traced in this realm is a boon that you're more than free to take advantage of." It was something she's used to her advantage in previous missions as well, so it was fair game. "But I also have a boss to please, not to mention I'm an errand girl of Lady Dinah and some others like her. I probably can't be there as often as I'd like to be, but I can probably find some time on some slow days." In lieu of drinking from the cup that was currently being refilled, she would lightly drum her fingertips against the table for a few moments, before speaking again.
"...Or, if you were to formally request for my assistance, you could borrow myself or even my coworkers to help you. We don't usually take money, especially not from mortals, but my boss does like information. Learning about the differences between realms and how they operate is part of why we work the way we do, after all."
Hidden Power...That was a move Amethio had only heard of in other Regions.
It didn't see any use in the Paldea Region whatsoever...So, it was understandable now why Hamber hadn't educated him about its relevance to Individual Values. In fact, Amethio had never even considered its relevance until just now...But, to think that Hidden Power with a Dark-type was that rare...Zirc and Onia seemed to be doing their best to pay attention, but it was clear that Zirc was having a bit more trouble following Gloam than Onia, and she wasn't doing much better.
But...That was a tough question. Honestly, Amethio didn't know if he knew the right answer to that, or not. He knew his team, yes, but...What might he need on a purely mechanical level? That was quite a pragmatic question...There would be a bit before Amethio answered, his right hand to his lips in thought before he spoke.
"To...Round out one's team and cover weaknesses, correct? Synergy is important for those Trainers who go on to compete on a global scale. Coverage Moves, Abilities...Though, beyond that, I'm afraid I can't answer you, Gloam. Even a Pokémon's Types are considered, aren't they?"
Of course, Amethio didn't know if he was right or not...But, he was going to share what he thought it was, regardless.
"You're not entirely wrong. Those are all things you have to take into consideration. A passing answer, though I was looking for one more thing. If you're going to fill out the rest of your team, you need to take everything into account. I'll give you an example, and walk you through it, so it'll be easier to digest. But this is where I want you to really pay attention." She would pull up a pair of images on her Rotom Phone and project them so that the trio could see them clearly.
"Here's two example teams for you, and I've included their types in case you've never seen them before. You'll notice that on the surface, they both seem pretty balanced - neither team has any major type-based weaknesses to exploit, and neither of them have any type overlap, either, unless you count Staraptor before Mega Evolution. But one of these teams has a glaring flaw that the other one doesn't, which you wouldn't realize unless you know how these species tend to operate." Pausing her speech, she pointed to the first team.
"All of the species in the first team are physical attackers with bulk that's mediocre at best. They have type diversity and good coverage, some members with good speed, and even a few utility options, but it's severely lacking in bulk and is pretty straightforward, meaning that there's several different ways someone could dismantle that team. The second team has a bit more going on, depending on how they're built, but it also has way more options in most situations. So not is it only more balanced stat-wise, it's also a bit more unpredictable." Well, some of it was, at least, but she didn't have time to be more nuanced about it at the moment. This was a hypothetical, and figuring out these example teams was already not the easiest thing to do. The examples weren't perfect, but good enough.
"This is what I think about when I pick a team for a situation - offense, defense, and support. That's the barebones version, but you can also break it down further into offensive versus defensive support, and the physical-special split for both offenses and defenses. You always want to have options, no matter what your opponent has on their team. But ultimately, you have to take into account what your team is missing. What can you add to support your team, and what is it that your Pokémon are best at doing? If the line between victory and defeat is as thin as paper, then you have to make the best use of what you have at your disposal. Everything matters."
Such a practical, yet holistic mindset. Were all high-rank Trainers like this, behind whatever personas they wore in public? Or was this part of what Gloam meant when she said she was an outlier? If all skilled Trainers had the same attention to detail she did, or perhaps even more, then perhaps what she was doing was less teaching them how to battle, but how to think.
"Zirc, Onia, you've been pretty quiet. Any questions, or anything you want me to elaborate on?" Well, she could already tell where they were stuck, considering she could read their thoughts, but apparently Amethio hadn't told them what she was. They saw her using Psychic to write on the board, so they knew she could use telekinesis, so she was probably just a psychic. So she'd hold off on tipping them off on her mind-reading and empathic capabilities for the moment.
"Well, overall combat would be the better place to start." Soyi nods.
"I was also told that my Chosen form and human form were practically one and the same, just with subtle differences--this way, it won't mess with my disguise as 'Artemisia'. The last thing Gene wanted to do was make things more difficult for me, after all. But since I'm more accustomed to fightin' as a human, learning what I can and can't do in Chosen form when it comes to a fight will make things go smoother."
"Right, that makes sense. Having the ears would make the costuming a bitch." No method of disguise was without its shortcomings, not even a Zoroark's illusions. She of all people knew that well.
"If we're starting with the general stuff, then I want to see how well you can use moves. In some cases, I can use my aura manipulating abilities to facilitate things, but sometimes, it's just a matter of practice. Either way, it helps me if I can see where you're at." Not only that, but it would help her refine her approach in showing him the ropes. When it came to things like this, the teaching method had to be catered to the individual, and even if the instructor was the same, the method could be wildly different depending on the species and how the individual learned best.
"Believe it or not, Neo Plasma was thwarted for years now." Angelica pointed out. But even so, there were rumors that they never truly left, just under new skin and management, with most of that being on the criminal underworld. Though she only heard most of that on Castelia's Lower District, so she wasn't really able to verify much on how legitimate those rumors were. After all, her focus was on making sure none of Keraunos' 'poison' does too much damage on the Lower District. Even after she had clawed her way out of there, she still knows several good folks there.
"I haven't dug deep much on Keraunos yet, though all I know when I got back after traveling is that they have established themselves for a while now. Trying to render the usual medicinal items for Pokemon as outdated using their own brand. Then along came Keraunos-X, or KX. The 'poison' they're peddling as the replacement for the X combat enhancers. The moment I heard that some KX products are intended for Trainer use is the moment my distrust just got worse for them. 'To deepen human to Pokemon bond' they say."
As Titania would take Gloam's cup for a refill, Angelica would cross her arms. "I too have seen some KX side effects in the media that were addressed. The CEO herself answers these, see. She claims that those KX incidents were either caused by “physiological incompatibility”, “malpractice or misuse of product” or a “bad batch of the product having been used”. Of course, since they're a well known name, at least in Unova, the media ate it up. I haven't trusted them much before, and I sure as hell don't trust them even more after that press statement."
Which means even Angelica knows that there's more to this than meets the eye. At least more than she lets on.
After all, 'Morgan' has been a thorn to Keraunos' side for a while now.
"...Huh. Interesting." What was spoken was noteworthy enough, but what Angelica wasn't saying was even more so. "Truth be told, our realm's Neo Plasma still has a few splinters around, as far as we know. Other than the rare instance their remnants getting up to things, they're effectively gone." Of course, one could never be too sure, but with how things were going, it was next to impossible for a third Plasma incident to happen.
"Back to Keraunos, though... I don't buy a single word from that CEO. That's the most blatant corporate bullshit I've ever heard, and one of my coworkers quite literally runs one of the largest businesses in our realm. And as someone who grew up in a wealthy family? She's one of only a handful of the elite I've met who gives more of a shit about morals than money." After all, outside of Interpol's involvement with the Proxies, it was Queenpin who provided most of the funding and resources, and it was entirely her idea. Gloam had nothing but respect for her, especially with how she was the sole reason why Freewings didn't follow the path of other large brands.
"Well, that being said, money talks, but so does a paper trail. Whether or not she finds that out, time will tell, but I'd certainly love to watch a titan be toppled."
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
...And, it seemed Amethio wasn't the only one who didn't know the answer. Zirc's face was scrunched up in what he could only assume to be deep contemplation, like he'd had a bad sandwich. And Onia's thoughtful expression wasn't much more inspiring...This was something Hamber hadn't mentioned during his lessons.
Well, Amethio supposed he wasn't surprised that there were things he didn't know. He was no Pokémon Master, after all. And while Zirc seemed to be getting frustrated with his lack of an answer, and Onia looked to be getting a little heated herself...Amethio would take it upon himself to answer Gloam, clearing his throat before speaking up.
It was safe to say that they didn't have an answer for her, wasn't it?
"...No, I believe I speak for all three of us when I say I can't begin to fathom a guess. I can guess why somebody might want minimal IVs, to exploit moves such as Trick Room, but...Your question is one I don't believe we can answer, Gloam. As for my education, you can thank Hamber. He was the one to teach me what I do know about Pokémon, personal experience notwithstanding."
"Hidden Power. The way one can figure out any individual's Hidden Power type is by the specific sequence of odds and evens in the IV spread. Notably, artificially augmented IVs don't change the Hidden Power type, so there's no way for a person to alter it. Incidentally, Hidden Power Dark is the rarest of them all - the only possible combination for it is odd numbers across the board. I will give you credit, though, the Trick Room part is correct. Special attackers will also prefer a 0 in Attack to lessen the damage taken from Foul Play." For someone who could pass as a teenager due to her aging having been tampered with since she was 14, she was incredibly well-read on the topic of training and battling. Perhaps she grew up in a well-off household where she was tutored, or maybe she had a voracious appetite for information on the subject.
Perhaps it was both, and then some.
"Back on to more applicable topics, I said earlier I wanted to start not with what you do have, but what you don't. If you're going to fill out your teams in the future, what might you be looking for on a purely mechanical level? In other words, if you were to disregard things like personality or care required, and focus solely on battle performance, what do you think you should be looking for?"
Another test of logic, though this time, a simpler one where she was, in fact, looking for right answers.
"I'm used to high-impact situations when dealing with Rocket anyway." Soyi remarks, also keeping his voice low as they walked--no need for anyone else to overhear the conversation, even as he turned to lead the way into the nearby park.
"Although I'm guessing this is a bit different than what I'm used to, considering the species. Given Mabosstiff's size, weight, and muscle structure... I'm guessing swimming lessons. It can work out, because I've got one of my own--I have a convenient excuse."
It was something he'd considered for his own Mabosstiff, honestly--he wanted to keep the canine in top form for if Rocket ever needed chunks ripped out of them, and he didn't want to risk injury to any of his Pokemon that weren't of a Legendary persuasion.
"Bingo, that's the best thing you can do. Failing that, walking, running, and any low-impact forms of exercise are acceptable substitutes, but in human and Chosen form, you have a little more leeway as long as you don't push yourself too far." Joint issues weren't uncommon in larger quadruped species that weren't Legendaries, and Mabosstiff was probably one of the more notorious cases. It made it easier for her that he caught on so quickly, as it helped move things along.
But, as they wrapped up that bit of small talk, it seemed like they'd arrived to where they had planned on going, and luckily for the two of them, the surrounding area was completely empty. Not a single human soul in range to hear a muffled gunshot. Perfect. Hopefully, it'd stay that way.
She would rather save the gun for last, though, all things considered. Of course, she could start with the knife of hers he still had on him, but it would be better if she asked him if he wanted to start there, or with something more basic. After all, he knew better than she did where he was having trouble.
"IVs are what doctors put in you when you're in the hospital! That's obvious, lady. They've got nothing to do with battles, though."
Zirc's answer was almost laughably self-assured. In fact, even Onia was staring at Zirc like he'd grown a second head or something. But...Amethio couldn't help but to shake his head fondly at his subordinate's attempt at guessing. Well, he couldn't blame Zirc for trying, at least, now could he? Even if he'd missed the mark totally...
No, he'd learned about these while studying under Hamber.
"That's not what she means, Zirc.
IVs, or Individual Values, are a sort of metric on the potential of one's Pokémon. For example, Deino has maximum Special Attack and Speed IVs due to her lineage. EVs, or Effort Values, are a metric of personal growth gained through battling. These affect a Pokémon's base capabilities...And Base Stats are the innate capabilities of a Pokémon, unique to its species. Is that correct, Gloam?"
Zirc was a bit disappointed to be proven wrong, if his expression was anything to go by. But...While Amethio didn't mess with this sort of thing typically, he was grateful that Hamber had made learning of such a part of his education as a Trainer. A day had finally come where this would be useful...Honestly, he never thought he'd see the day.
But, there was no need to complain about it. If what Gloam had to tell them would allow Amethio to better his own understanding of the topic, then he was ready to learn. Especially if it allowed him to deepen his bonds with his companions...To grasp the strength he needed to walk the path he had chosen.
"Someone's taught you well. Full points, Amethio. EVs are easy to alter, and even if you cap them out, you can use various methods to lower unwanted EVs or even reset them completely. IVs, on the other hand, are a little more of a done deal - it ranges from 0 to 31, and while there's means to max them out, there's no way to freely manipulate them, or even lower them at all. This means in certain cases, the most valuable number to see on a Pokémon's IVs isn't a 31, but a 0, and in more niche cases, even numbers in general."
As she spoke, she would start writing down various things on the whiteboard using Psychic, just like she had with the instruments earlier. After all, the whiteboard was taller than she was, and writing this way was faster. A bulletpoint version of what she was speaking aloud, as well as additional notes about how to manipulate EVs and IVs would promptly appear.
"Now, because it's a very specific situation, you'll likely never have to use this information, but it's not a bad tidbit to have in your back pocket. Regardless, have a challenge question they don't often teach in-detail at Trainer Schools - can any of you guess why an even-numbered IV might be sought after?" She wasn't expecting any of them to know, even Amethio, but it would serve well to show something seemingly simple as IVs could matter in more places than they'd think.
Luckily, Soyi had finished the last of the coffee in the mug, so he'd set the mug down on the table before standing to his feet and glancing over to some of his Pokemon--the Mewtwo especially--as he headed for the door.
"Keep an eye on the place until I get back, and don't go eating all the cookies. Save some for the kid, would ya?"
Seems like he wanted to at least share in some of the sweets that Yuuzuki had brought.
As they walked to their destination, the Lucario Shifter would fill the silence, though she kept her voice low.
"Before we even get to anything, there's a couple precautions I should give when it comes to your species. While it's true that having muscle helps offset strain on joints to some degree, and the species is mostly muscle, muscle is also heavy. Battling is an impact sport, too, and the high risk of injury combined with Mabostiff's physique and being a physical attacker means that if you use that form, it should be as sparingly as possible because of the high risk of damaging your joints. Obviously, there's going to be times where it's your best option in a high-risk scenario, but it's something to keep in mind." Depending on how much he knew about her, perhaps her having this knowledge would be a shock, but in context, it made perfect sense.
"One of the Shifters in Interpol's Shifter Department in my realm is a Mabosstiff, and it's one of the things he's most conscious of. Considering his age, the only reason he hasn't had more complications than he has is because he did his homework and reacted accordingly. Of course, you're luckier than he was - you have me." There was a bit of a shine to her almandine irises, perhaps because she was in her element. "I never told you this, but this kind of thing is something I'm very familiar with, since it's something that I focus on when I train my team. Movement first and foremost - minimal strain, efficient, and practical. It's not an easy thing to master, but it pays in dividends."
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
"I can only imagine how much Legendaries must've struggled when they first took on human form." Soyi ponders--although perhaps he might have gotten some internalized amusement from imagining the first time something like Giratina tried to walk on two legs. Palkia at least had an advantage.
"I know there's a special area of the nearby park that no one goes to. We'll do our training there--it keeps us from possibly breaking somethin' and keeps me from having to explain shit to my old man."
Because that's the last thing Soyi wanted to do, honestly--never mind that he might have questions if someone sees him leading a girl somewhere. He probably should have thought this through a bit more, but too late for that now.
"If it was anything like some of my coworkers? Like watching a baby Deerling. Something tells me that wasn't the case, though. Pretty sure my realm's Pantheon were given their shapeshifting from the start, so they had that baked-in." Still, she could agree that it was a funny image.
"But a park? Sure, lead the way, then. As long as it's far enough away from any people, it should be fine to practice, since I brought a silencer, too." Last thing they needed was a random passerby thinking a murder just happened.
That was a surprise, Amethio had to admit...But, it explained the level of strength that Gloam's Pokémon possessed, at least. Or, what he recalled of the battle they'd shared on their first meeting, at any rate. But, while he'd taken the reveal more or less in stride, complete shock notwithstanding...
Both Zirc and Onia seemed to pale a bit.
"W-Wait, a Champion-ranked Trainer!? You're way out of our league, lady..."
It was a good thing they weren't here to battle Gloam seriously...Right? Zirc could feel himself sweating bullets underneath his casual attire at the thought. He'd be out in no time flat, seriously...! And while she said nothing, it was clear Onia shared the same sentiments.
So, it fell to Amethio to calm his trusted subordinates down...And to ask a question that had just come to mind.
"That's why she's extended this invitation, you both. To help us grow stronger, and to build synergy with both us and our Pokémon. So, we can relax; we're not here to battle Gloam seriously, so neither of you have anything to worry about.
Is that not correct, Gloam? Now, when you speak of theorycrafting...What do you mean by that, exactly? Do you speak of trying to predict how an opponent will behave in battle?"
She would lead the group from the Performance Hall to a nearby meeting room, marking the room as occupied before closing the door.
"For your first question, yes, you won't be facing me. The closest you'll come, if we get that far, is watching me how I train my team. As for your second? Not quite. Training is an art of its own - there's no single right answer, but there's plenty of wrong ones. Teambuilding and the theory end of things, while also open-ended, is at least a little less vague. With that in mind, nothing I say should be treated as gospel or a hard rule. I want you taking notes, sure, but individually, your mileage will vary, depending on a variety of things. At the very least, though, I want you to use what I tell you in a manner that suits you and your circumstances best. I can tell you something, but it's meaningless if you can't use it, whether it's applying it yourself, or using it to understand your opponent."
There were already notebooks and writing utensils ready for the three of them, as well as a whiteboard for her. Seems like she prepared ahead of time.
"It might sound counterproductive, but before I help you with what you do have, I want to talk about the things you don't. In order to do that, though, I need to gauge where you are in terms of the raw numbers. Base stats, EVs, and IVs. Do you know what those are?"