ITT: We are all Pokémon Trainers

Shinobi: <Well at least they're okay>

-Nod-

Pipit: <You planin' to do more gym challenges then Mr Sholto?>

Sholto: -to Shinobi- <Yeah.>

-to Pipit- <I'm... not really sure. Didn't do one here and unsure if I want to do another one or not...>

-Pianis is interrupted from his game by the sound of his door being bashed open-

Pianis: You know, you could just knock.

-Mezzo storms in, slamming the door behind her-

-she looks quite ragged and out of breath, and there are a few scratches on her face-

Mezzo: I'll do that when it's not freezing outside, thanks.

Pianis: Oh, Piano! Welcome back and... what happened to you?

Mezzo: Oh, nothing much, just fought a bunch of glitch mutant things while trapped as a catsnake for Arceus knows how long.

Pianis: Yeah, I remember seeing you—

Mezzo: Oh right, that was when you were totally useless.

Pianis: ...

Mezzo: Anyway, glitch stuff wore off and stranded me on top of Mt. Coronet. Without any team or anything aside from the clothes on my back. I came over here because I figured you were closest.

Pianis: Wait, so you walked through Route 216 without any Pokémon on you? Or a coat? Why didn't you just call someone?

Mezzo: Walked through Route 216 and got into a scrape with a wild Sneasel. That's where the scratch mark came from. And gee, how nice it would have been if I actually had a phone.

The Red Wings

-Orlandeau walks down the hall. His business is his own, and nobody dares ask beyond that.-

-Well, no one save his assistant.-

Orlandeau: You've been at my shoulder for twenty yards, Miss Prokleti.

-The pale girl, her ear-length hair frizzed up in every direction, looks as if she hadn't gotten sleep in the last week.-

Miss Prokleti: I've been trying to get your attention, sir.

-Her voice, even when conversing, barely goes over a whisper. In fact, if he hadn't been able to predict what she was saying, Dr. Orlandeau would have needed to ask her to repeat herself.-

Orlandeau: Then tap my shoulder. What is it?

-He turns around, his tall, lanky frame dwarfing the barely five-and-a-half foot woman. Her goggles shake as she stops on a dime, and she takes a moment to fix them.-

Miss Prokleti: I've located several possible locations for off-ship bases for our department's needs. All have a remarkable variety in local ecology and possible test subjects.

-She hands him a clipboard, a stack of papers on it. Flipping through the pages, Orlandeau's eyes remain cold.-

Orlandeau: Marsh, excellent ecological variety but horribly expensive to create permanent housing and infrastructure... Coral reef, too often patrolled by conservation personnel...

-Miss Prokleti taps her fingers together, her shoulders shaking. Orlandeau is about ready to pass the clipboard back before something catches his eye.-

Orlandeau: ... "Abandoned geothermal research station"?

-Prokleti jumps, shaking her goggles loose.-

Miss Prokleti: W-w-w-well, sir, the station is on a minor island of the Alola island chain, not often visited by people or authorities, and isn't being watched by any of Alola's famous "Guardians". There's also a few local Pokemon with fascinating interactions regarding venom, poison, and the purification thereof.

-Orlandeau looks at it with a little more detail. Abandoned for about twenty years... no regular visitors... and holy crap look at that the entire facility is quake-proofed.-

Orlandeau: ... I will inspect this area personally.

-He takes the paper and hands the clipboard back to his assistant.-

Orlandeau: Good work, Miss Prokleti.

-The little frazzle-haired woman nods enthusiastically as she takes the clipboard and slinks off. Orlandeau blinks - for being such a small, jittery young woman, she moves surprisingly quietly.-

Resort Area

-Knock knock-

Come in.

Ann: -Holding a bottle of Vitamin C tablets, which she then tosses- Got these for you, bro.

-Catches, before going into a brief coughing fit-

Yeah, thanks sis. Normally I'm better prepared for stuff like this.

Ann: How's the Glitch hunt going anyways?

-Preparing a glass of water to swallow the tablets-

Well... there hasn't really been any big activity since Sunnyshore ...

-Gets pensive-

Which worries me.

Path to the Cathedral

-Vierr is taking the long way up north to visit the Cathedral once again, bundled up in several layers. On his shoulder is Elysia, making her usual commentary.-

Elysia: <So, I know you make a lot of bad decisions. A lot of them. But didn't it once occur to you that maybe we could fly with Henry instead of walking like this?>

Vierr: Come on, do you really think Henry would be even the slightest bit helpful in dangerous places?

Elysia: <I'm not helpful at all either, but you still have me here.>

Pipit: <You don't? Why not?>

-The shiny Ralt's green cap is ruffled by Shinobi-

Shinobi: <Not everyone that does a challenge wants to beat all of them like Jason, you know>

Sholto: <Yeah, that.>

<Plus... I'm wondering if maybe I should start focusing more on International Police stuff.>

Pipit: <oh

-Shinobi does the anphibian equivalent of raising an eyebrow-

Shinobi: <You with the interpol? Well that sounds like a story, didn't realize you were interested in police work>

Sholto: <Yeah, I got interested in detective stuff a while back and... yeah, stuff happened, I'm part of an Interpol detective's team and yeah.>

Path to the Cathedral, further behind Vierr

-A group of people are also making their way over to the Cathedral-

Elder Gentleman: -Looking ahead- We should be there soon enough, even with that recent snowstorm.

Young Woman: -Leading in front- I heard it was so bad, even the Battle Zone got snow. It almost never gets snow.

Elder Woman: We'll be there soon enough Lizkit, will we be running into Tagg again?

Young Woman Lizkit: -Shakes her head- Nah, he texted to say he was still too sick to make the trip, even by flying.

Elder Woman: Hmm, such a shame.

Road to the Cathedral

-Vierr keeps trudging forward, until Elysia tugs on his hood.-

Elysia: <Vierr, you might wanna be aware of that.>

-She gestures in a direction, and Vierr's gaze follows her pointing toward a wandering Teddiursa.-

Vierr: ...Okay? It's cute, sure, but it's not important.

Elysia: <It's alone! Y'know, separated from anything that might be taking care of it?>

Vierr: ...Aaaaaand? I'm not going to catch it or anything.

Elysia: <Ugh, you're hopeless, you'd think an Auric would be more aware of problems around him.>

-She climbs over his head and jumps, kicking him and making him stumble to the side just in time to avoid an Ursaring attack from behind.-

Vierr: Agh! What the hell?!

-Elysia clings to the Ursaring's arm.-

Elysia: <I knew we shouldn't have taken the long way! You just had to end up between an Ursaring and its cub! Especially with these Vow-less guys!>

Vierr: THAT'S NOT MY FAULT!

Ursaring: <Get off me, you pest!>

-The Ursaring grabs Elysia from off her arm and throws her directly at Vierr, knocking them both flat on the ground, dazed and prone. She starts to attempt to lunge at the two again, but may be stopped by external forces.-

edited 8th Jan '17 7:31:09 PM by BittersweetNSour

Path to the Cathedral

Elder Gentleman: -Looking ahead- Wait, is that?

Lizkit: -Pulling out a small telescope- Some poor fool about to get mauled by an Ursaring? Yes, grandfather.

-Running towards the "fool" in question, pulling a Poké Ball out of her coat-

Pick on someone your own size!

Floatzel: -Is released, and immediately counters the lunge with a Brick Break- <Come on now, there's no need for violence!>

edited 8th Jan '17 8:34:05 PM by rmctagg09

Path to the Cathedral

-Vierr regains his senses just in time to watch a Floatzel knocks the Ursaring aside.-

Vierr: ...I had it all under control.

Elysia: <You almost ended up becoming a ghost just like me.>

Vierr: Weren't you a Sableye from birth rather than a reincarnation?

-The Ursaring, meanwhile, staggers and looks at the newcomers, now very outnumbered.-

Ursaring: <Grr... this isn't worth the time. You got lucky. If I see you again, your head's coming off.>

-She scampers off, picking up her clueless cub on her way out. Vierr groans and pushes himself back up.-

Vierr: I probably could have shielded myself in time, but... thanks.

Path to the Cathedral

Floatzel: -To Vierr- <Not from where I'm standing.>

Lizkit: -Sighs- Likely story, outsider. What brings you out here anyway, we rarely see people like you so far into the island's interior unless they're researchers, and you don't bring to mind one of those.

Path to the Cathedral

-Elysia climbs back up onto Vierr's shoulder, earning a few winces from being poked by her claws.-

Vierr: I, uh, was off to visit a Cathedral up here, that a friend-mentor-figure once introduced me to. For reasons.

Elysia: <A capital-C Cathedral.>

edited 8th Jan '17 8:54:23 PM by BittersweetNSour

The Red Wings

-Orlandeau stops. He was on his way to deck to fly to the prospective base site. He was almost there. He can smell the sea salt from the nearby door.-

-Unfortunately, a small body wielding a massive ego was leaning against the wall in his way.-

Aulstyne: Tsk tsk tsk, Doktor Orlandeau. Going out so late? Vhat vill the personnel say?

Orlandeau: I am going at night to make sure that I spot any possible authorities before they spot me. This location is too valuable to squander on rash decisions.

-Aulstyne shrugs.-

Aulstyne: I vill admit, hy did not expect hyu to have such a good answer.

-She pushes off of the wall and raps the brim of her hat.-

Aulstyne: Hy am not so egotistical zat I vill push to go on some minor recon mission. Und hy know about your past vith Doktor Bunansa.

-Aulstyne shows remarkable remorse at that last remark. Orlandeau blinks and makes a slight reconsideration to the usually sociopathic Germanic.-

Aulstyne: However. Vhen hyu finish vith your project, ve vill need to discuss accommodations.

-Orlandeau tilts his head.-

Aulstyne: Hyu are ze only administrator to really take initiative regarding your plans. Doktor Bunansa vants me to make sure hyu are not... interrupted.

-Orlandeau's brow furrows.-

Orlandeau: You want to play nanny?

-Aulstyne spits on the floor, a darkness shadowing her face.-

Aulstyne: I'd rather have sex vith ze business end of a lawnmower. But success for hyu means success for me. My department's objectives are "Security, Combat, und Acquisition", und zwei of zose drei require infrastructure.

-Orlandeau waves a hand at the pink-haired woman.-

Orlandeau: And you haven't started planning for your own base, because...?

Aulstyne: Money. As necessary as my department is, hy can't guarantee zat ve vill produce enough resources to support further growth.

Orlandeau: So you want us - or right now, just me - to grow the organization enough to where you can become independent?

Aulstyne: Yes. Now...

-Her face grows dark, but her eyes glow a devilish red.-

Aulstyne: Don't. Fuck. It. Up.

-She shoves past him and heads deeper into the ship. Orlandeau rubs the spot where her shoulder impacted his gut - that hurt.-

Lizkit: -Eyebrow raise- Cathedral? You must be one of those J-Team people, only Tagg calls the temple that.

-Gesturing to the rest of the party-

We were on pilgrimage ourselves.

Resort Area

-a Gastrodon sits at a café table, reading a newspaper-

Read: <So, you finally showed up.>

Bartholomew: <We didn't know you were planning to be here!>

Read: <We always meet up for the holidays!>

Revy: <It wasn't officially a tradition!>

edited 8th Jan '17 9:30:08 PM by Tangent128

Road to the Cathedral

Vierr: Oh, so you do know him. And, uh, us. Cool, cool. He mentioned you guys, too, come to think of it. You don't mind if I join you all for a bit, do you?

Elysia: <It would certainly help us to not die, and by "us" I mean him.>

Vierr: Thanks, I love being reminded of my own mortality.

Resort Area

Klavazazel: <Well, if you really cared, you'd have shown up on time.>

Nero: <We don't, though.>

Klavazazel: <Maybe you don't. But I know someone who does...>

-there's a burst of light, and an Arcanine appears, with Vilkas on his back (though notably, the Magma Admin does not look like he was prepared for the teleport-

Duirel: <I do hope we're not late.>

Vilkas: -falls off of Duirel, before jumping to his feet and making an attempt to organize himself- We're...very late.

Resort Area

Bzzzt! A Cloyster warps in a woman wearing a Team Aqua Admin uniform over her bathrobe.

Ryklys: I would have appreciated more warning, Grace.

Grace: <Well I'd appreciate getting this meeting over with!>

Teach the Blastoise: <Didn't that business with the flipped ocean Glitch count as our meeting for the year anyways?>

Resort Area

Bloodworth: <It did not. We didn't even fight.>

-Duirel nods politely to Grace-

Vilkas: ...Evening, Ryklys.

Lizkit: Grandfather, grandmother?

Elder Gentleman: I don't see why not.

-To Vierr-

I am Palgun.

Elder Woman: And I am Nygvik.

Lizkit: -To Vierr- I'm Lizkit, you got a name there stranger?

edited 20th Jun '17 12:33:02 AM by rmctagg09

Resort Area

Ryklys: Vilkas. Your collaboration against the Glitch was... appreciated.

-she sits at a table-

I suppose we can sample the local cusine.