OOC: Yeah, seriously. You see, saunas have been used as a place for giving birth to children for many centuries in Finland, and the practice only dissapeared from the countryside for good in the early 1960s as I recall, so there are actually still living, healthy individuals who were born in those places. It's quite easy to imagine why they'd want some respect for the sauna, ne? Anyways, the fact that you had towels alone proves that it wasn't a truly genuine sauna (Because wearing clothes in one of those is a big no-no). The only approved possessions to be taken into a really orthdox sauna, excluding the stuff you need to use it, are beer cans or bottles and sausages (I think there is a restriction on what kind of sausges too). As traditionally, you only go to a sauna together with family or very close people (Usually of the same gender unless they're your parents/grandparents or you're quite far into a relationship with them) and making out in any way is strictly forbidden (Although you'd probably end up burning yourself if you tried). In the public places you're allowed to use swimsuit/towel if you want of course (Real enthusiaists don't, though =P), although there's one exception...an old orthodox sauna, somewhere in Helsinki as I recall, where no clothes at all are allowed, and get this; it's a unisex one. And you're calling me a naughty boy. xD Still, I'm thinking that there's not much space for hormones in the temperatures that those saunas are maintained with (75 degrees celsius or higher), unlike the common misconception that most people seem to have about them. Still, I suppose understanding that requires actual experience from one of em' really heated saunas.
Anyways, before I fill the whole page with my rant about this, that phrase is pretty similar to what we had to say too. Oh, and you had to get down on one knee in front of the person you were speaking to as well. Then it was all about funny expressions/accents/additions after the compulsory phrase. ^-^
But seriously, it's time for...
IC:
At Maxie's statement, Kaika's eyes widened with fear, {No...} he whispered quietly, {No tellings the old master that Kaika bes here, no...} the Vulpix let out a sigh in forfeit as the girl crouched down next to him, there was no way that Railey could fail at spotting him now.
"Big words, missy!" Railey growled, glaring furiously at Maxie, "Who the hell do you think you are coming into my gym and insulting me? How I train my pokémon is my bussiness, something which you bleedinghearts probably don't have the faintest clue about! And besides, what would you know about-" he paused, finally spotting Kaika who had been covering and trying to look as small as he could, a slight grin spreading across the gym leader's face.
"Vulpix?" he asked, taking a step forward.
Kaika let out a heavy sigh, {Y-yes...} he managed to utter at last.
"So you did make it here after all." the boy continued, nodding in approval, "You're stronger than I thought then."
Rai had remained diplomatically quiet this far, but at this last statement, he couldn't help feeling his temper building up. Stronger than I thought? he echoed furiously in his mind.
"Just a minute!" the boy cut in, an uncharacteristically furious expression spreading across his face, "Are you telling me that you left him in that forest on purpose?!"
{No...} Kaika repeated quietly, more for himself than anything else, {No fightings with each other, please...}
There were far too many tempers boiling in the room for such words to be acknowledged, however;
"As a matter of fact, I wasn't telling you anything, goldylocks." Railey snapped at Rai's comment, "Maybe you should have those dainty little ears of yours checked so you'll know when you're being adressed."
"Answer me!" Rai growled, by now completely oblivious to the heat, his pulse increasing rapidly, a soft pounding inside his head.
"I did." the gym leader replied nonchalantly, "He was weak and needed to learn how to survive on his own. Got a problem with that?"
"You've got that right!" Rai thundered in response, glaring furiously at the other boy, "Of all the cruel, irresponsible things I've ever heard about that is the most disgusting! How dare you call yourself a trainer?!"
"Oh spare me your self-righteous indignation." Railey said in a bored voice, "The Vulpix is fine, isn't it?"
"No thanks to you!" Rai retorted, "He could have died in that storm you reckless little-!"
"The real world isn't nice, oh prince charming." the gym leader replied mockingly, "Something which you'd know if you would ever go five feet away from your little fairy tale castle, the sooner people and pokémon learn to accept that the sooner they can start growing strong. Now enough of this yabber. Come on, Vulpix."
Kaika, who had been standing on his spot and trembling for the duration of the whole argument, let out a frightened yelp as he was adressed.
{C-comings?} he echoed, {But we-weren't you just sayings that Kaika was too weak?}
"Oh I don't think you're weak any longer." Railey stated, guessing the Vulpix's meaning through his body language, "Like I said, I just left you there to test you, and you passed the test." he reached his hand out to the Vulpix, "You can be a real part of the team now."
Kaika's eyes widened, {R-really?} he asked, {Kaika fightings the challenger peoples?}
"You could become truly powerfull." Railey continued, "The strongest even. Now what do you say...Vulpix?"
{I...} Kaika stuttered, his eyes darting back and forth between Railey and Rai.
"Don't listen to him Kaika." Rai said, giving the Vulpix a pleading look, "He's saying that now, but once a stronger pokémon comes along he won't give you another glance."
{I...}
"Don't listen to that fairy-puff priness and his drivle." Railey said, "You trust me, don't you Vulpix?"
"He doesn't care about you." Rai interjected, giving the boy a distasteful glance, "He just wants your power."
{You...} Kaika turned his attention to Railey now.
"Don't listen to that bleedingheart." the gym leader retorted, "He's just trying to get your power for himself. Come on...you know I'm the better trainer."
{You...} Kaika repeated, {You-you might bes bigger and stronger than Rai, but...} the Vulpix's eyes narrowed, {You bes mean! And-and...and Kaika no likings you anymore!} the last words flew out of Kaika's mouth with uncharacteristic volume and determination, the fox pokémon puffing up his little tails in the usual attempt at intimidation as he cast one last glare at Railey before trotting over to Rai and settling down by the boy's feet.
"You-" Railey fumed, his face ill-red as he glared at the boy, "You've turned Vulpix against me! Fine!" he growled at Kaika, "Stay with him then! Losers belong together!" he turned his attention to the battlefield, finally noticing that Kayley had sent out her Ghastly already, the ghost pokémon watching him with suspicion.
"I'll deal with you later, prettyboy." he scoffed at Rai, turning his attention to the battle again, and hurling the pokéball from his hand onto the arena.
"Houndour! I choose you!"
With an agitated series of yaps, the dog pokémon materialized on the ground, his eyes quickly darting across the battlefield before they settled on Hazy, a slightly sadistic grin spreading across the Houndour's face as he recognized a familiar opponent.
{And so we meet again...} the fire type said mockingly, his white teeth glinting in a treathening way.
"Houndour!" Railey called out, now becoming completely immersed in the battle, "Taunt and Will-O-Wisp! Now!"
The fire type immediately took up a mocking tone, sending out a spree of insults towards the Ghastly to prevent her from focusing on the battle before gathering up a small ball of fire in his mouth and launching it towards its target, a constant flickering motion occuring on the surface of the orb as it soared through the air, radiating an even greater heat around itself.
