[PRP] Volunteer Progress

[Blood_Goddess]

The wind was hot on her face, and the sun overhead was proving to be relentless over the desert sands that seemed to stretch on endlessly in all directions.

Thankfully for the fire horse who's back the pink clad trainer was on, this was more normal and comfortable, making his speed and energy increase considerably.

It was hard to believe that the last time she was in this desert, it had been for much more serious reasons, or at least much more dangerous ones. but since then she had heard of the opening of the newest trainer center, right on the site that the Team Rocket HQ had been discovered, and destroyed.
It was now made into something that would help prepare trainers to defend against these terrorist.

Speaking of the center, as something in the distance started to waver in the distance, the blond trainer perked up, looking to the companion and friend also on Rapidash back and pointed forward
"There is it! See it?"  

[TawnyAngel]

Heat was not Dith's very best friend but he had come prepared with a headscarf to keep the sun off his head, white cotton shirt and pale blue linen trousers and - as defense against the sand - a goggle. A monoggle? Like that guy from Skies of Arcadia had, in fact he'd originally bought it planning a cosplay that had never come to be. Who would have thought it would turn out to be a practical item?

Despite the heat however he was enjoying the ride with his young friend and Dolly was clearly enjoying the chance to really stretch her legs. He strongly doubted the huge heavy Rapidash would be able to keep pace with Rosie's handsome fellow if he chose to push himself to his limits - in fact he knew she wouldn't be able to - but she could match the pace he was making right now and that was all that mattered.

"I see!" he called back enthusiastically, a broad grin lighting his square features. It was hard to make much more conversation than that over the wind of their speed but they would arrive soon and then they could talk... about subjects he wasn't sure how to approach. Ugh.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Pushing herself up a little higher on Pastin's back to look up over his head to the building approaching.
It sure looked like their destination, further proof of that would be the increasing number of a variety of flying pokemon swooping overhead, many of them with trainers of their own on their back.

She was sure that was a trainer with a Hippowdon surfing easily though the sand, as well as a few other trainers with their teams around the building.

Much thanks to the speed of the Rapidash it wasn't long before they were at the font of the building.
Pastin let out an excited nicker, taking the initiative to jump from the sand onto the length of paved around around the building, trotting with his head now held high up to the steps of the building before he finally stopped, pawing proudly at the ground as his trainer slipped off.

"Phew." Rosie breathed, fanning herself lightly. now that they weren't moving, she could feel just how hot and stale the air was. "I'm thankful there will be air conditioning inside." She admitted to Dith with a light smile.  

[TawnyAngel]

It was quite a sight, no denying that! He had thought the congregations around the other center were impressive but this was something else altogether. He couldn't say if it was because the place was still new or because it was to do with the special operatives but whatever the reason it was damn impressive.

Once Dolly had trotted to a halt Dith slid to the ground and gave her a good scratch above the horn as she turned her head in to him to request one. "Me too!" he agreed with Rosie, pulling off his headscarf and swiping his face with it. "I am going to melt out here!" Now that he came this deep into the desert he was less surprised that it had taken so long to find the rocket base, because really who would want to come here? Other than to train themselves of course.

"Shall we get inside then?" he continued, taking Dolly's pokeball from his belt preemptively. "I'm going to burn soon otherwise suncream or no, and you will too!" Alas the trials of a pale complexion!  

[Blood_Goddess]

Using Pastin's side for a little more shade as she shook her hair out of the braid she had put it in for the ride.
Blue eyes moved back over to Dith and Dolly, smiling gently and nodding in agreement. grinning at the comment of them getting burned, in turn caused her to reach up to her bare shoulders, touching to see if maybe they had already gotten a bit too much sun. Seemed like she might start tanning if she makes a habit of coming here.
"Yeah, I think some water sounds like a good idea before we start training." She added, before she started up the steps, Pastin following after her.  

[TawnyAngel]

A shower sounded like a nice idea actually; maybe he could use one before they left. Walk in fully clothed, drench himself, and thus be cool for the ride back. "Hydration is important," Dith grinned as he walked along beside Rosie, calling Dolly back to her pokeball as he went as she was a very large Rapidash. "Last thing I want to to end up with a headache and not able to focus." On what he needed to ask her about. He almost didn't want to now, he just wanted to share a nice day with her but... but... but she had cancelled her wedding! He couldn't not ask, right?

"...Wow." So this was the lobby hu? So many people, and pokemon, and- well it was just as impressive as it had looked from the outside. "They must have spent a fortune on all of this!" He wasn't exactly clear on how the league made their money. Trainer license fees and... donations? Breeding? He had no idea.  

[Blood_Goddess]

"I wonder how this one is going to be different then the easter center." Rosie pondered, turning to look at her friend as they stepped into the building.

Here Rosie paused, taking in a content breath as a wafting of air conditioner blew over the trainers. "Ohh that feels much nicer."
with a bright smile Rosie stepped in, looking around for a place where they could buy some drinks before they got into the training arias.
"They must have, its so amazing in here! and look at all the trainers!"
the blond added to her friends comment. "And to think, this is where the Rockets used to be for so long."  

[TawnyAngel]

"Yeah... I wonder what it looked like then." It was hard to imagine this place being anything other than bright and shiny and full of excited bustle, the image of whatever sinister base had been here just wouldn't come to mind. Even so it was satisfying standing here, this had been Team Rocket's territory and they had taken it from them! After all the harm Team Rocket had done it felt good - so good to have such a major victory against them.

"The cafe is over there," Dith added after a moment with a gesture towards it, able to see over the crowd as ever. "And I know there is an obstacle course and things here! It's supposed to be aimed at people who want to join Special Ops, or other practical things like that rather than traditional battling.... Now it's really satisfying to think that we're using the location of their old base to learn to fight them better!" He would learn, do better, and next time things might not go so badly for everyone.

He would also think of a way to ask Rosie why she wasn't getting married anymore.  

[Blood_Goddess]

"I don't know." Rosie said with a light air of puzzlement, It certainly was difficult to imagine what this place would have been like before the league built over it.
It unsettled her a little, thinking of what might have happened in a place like that, and that it wasn't long ago that this site was used for something much more terrible then the League would ever permit...

When Dith pointed out the Cafe, Rosie turned her attention over to it with a light smile,
"I wonder if special ops uses this place for their training," she wondered, looking around for the brown jacket the officers usually wore.
"We should get something to drink, then see how well we do in the training." the idea perked her up and she reached out to take a hold of Dith's arm.  

[TawnyAngel]

"I don't see any officers," Dith replied, smiling warmly as Rosie took his arm, "but I don't suppose they spend much time hanging out in the lobby!" Right though, drinks. With his usual benevolent disregard for crowds the huge man made his way directly towards the cafe like a cargo ship casually parting the waters of a calm dock. People had always got out of his way when they saw him coming by and large (ah-ha, large) but the effect had been amplified somewhat since everything that had happened in the desert. Not only was he a giant now, he was a giant apparently cheap action movie villain. Still, it was what you made of it and what he chose to make of it was the fact that it was very easy to get from A to B and for his friends to do the same.

"I think the lead representative is uh... oh, what was her name? She was the one we were with in the desert." Names! "Uh... Petra?" He was pretty sure that was right.  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Yeah true... unless they're on break or something." She offered with arched eyebrows.
"Hmm, I should ask Luke is they've been training here yet. It seems ideal for their kind of service."

She looked over to Dith as he started talking about the Special Ops commanding officer "Yup, her name is Petra Ral, she's the one who was with Alder leading us in the desert. She's so wonderful."  

[TawnyAngel]

Well that was an in... sort of. Well to would have to do, he wanted to get this out of the way and just ask. There was really no point beating around the bush. "How is Luke, speaking of him?" Dith asked slightly tentatively. "And how are you I mean, the two of you." She obviously bore no ill will but something must have happened to make them call off their big day. "I understand if you don't want to talk about it but if you do, or if there's anything I can do to help, I'm here," the large man added, reaching over to briefly squeeze the hand Rosie was attached to him by.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Rosie had reached out for a water bottle to buy, slipping it into both hands to let the condensation cool her palms. At Dith's question though she turned back to him, looking a little surprised.
"Oh- He's doing good." She gave him a smile after that "we're okay, it just... seemed bad timing really. I'm sorry if you made plans about it ahead of time."  

[TawnyAngel]

...Hu. Okaaaaaay. Well he supposed that was fair enough, maybe they had felt it was just too rushed?

Looking distinctly puzzled, and a little worried, Dith smile and shrugged. "So long as you are both okay that's what matters." Getting some water of his own Dith cast around, trying to work out where they should head next and also what he should say next.

"Where do you want to check out first then?" That seemed like a safe bet.  

[Blood_Goddess]

His confused look waan't hard to miss, and Rosie blushed a little with a somewhat awkward smile.
"We uh... we were attacked by a Rocket on our way to Sandalwood, and something really terrible happened... so we've kind of just taking some time to be able to deal with that."
she told, this time a lot more truthfully.
Rosie knew she hadn't been lying to her friend to begin with, but it still felt like it.

"Mmmm" she hummed lightly as she glanced around the main room, pointing to one of the training aria.