Sparkers looks back at the tank.

<...Have you ever been locked in a cage?>

Stormchaser

Sholto: <Hm... well, I haven't been locked in a cage, but I have been in a cage that was both dunked underwater and set on fire with the door closed.>

<...Right. Well, not quite what I was talking about. I was raised in a cage, only brought out to get beat up and have coins thrown at me. It's just...really easy for humans to put something they perceive as threatening into a cage.>

Aether Paradise

"His trainer's in a meeting?" He asked Lucario, who nodded. Colton realized. The Aura he passively exudes is now enough!

"Well, why not just wait for him here?" Colton proposed, stroking Silvally's neck. "He'll come around eventually."

Not to be rude, but it's spelled Silvally.

Stormchaser

Sholto: <Ah, well, sorry to hear that.>

<But that said... arguments about humaneness of this cage and culpability of the Nihilego aside... unless we find out how to talk with them and reason with them, this sounds more like a case of criminality than what you went through, if I understand the situation correctly?>

Cobalt Chaser Brig

Silas smiled, "Good. We could use a extra hand, care to be that hand?"

<Maybe. But still, it's confinement. As far as we know enthralling could just be a defense mechanism. If a human sticks their hand into a nest of Skorupi and gets stung, whose to blame? The human, or the Skorupi?>

Stormchaser

Sholto: "Well, the Skorupi, but I get the impression this isn't just defense from what I heard in that meeting. But, like, do you want a trial for them? If you're going to argue they're innocent, why not try and find out their intention rather than talk in hypotheticals?>

Stormchaser

Ahe: I want to learn how to control Battle Bond fully. I've only used it once, but I can tell that if I keep using it like I did, I'll burn myself out fast.

Sparkers' nostrils flare a bit.

<As someone who rides the line between man and mon I thought you would understand. There are no trials in the wild. I can run into the woods right now, mangle and eat a Rattata and suffer no consequences. But if I did it in battle I'd be caged, labeled with a disorder, possibly even put down. Besides, putting a pokemon on trial is an idea most humans wouldn't even humour. For simply acting within my nature I would be punished. No trial, no defense.>

Looks back at the Nihilego for a bit.

<...I would blame the human for not understanding that Skorupi sting.>

Stormchaser

Sholto: <Well, as someone who's been more on the side of civilization, my view's a bit colored, but...>

<There are consequences of eating that Rattata, food or not. I mean, if you do that, other Rattata decide you're not safe. You could always see if as 'you hurt one of ours, we'll retaliate.' Heck, your Pokémon would retaliate if someone tried eating you, wouldn't they?>

<And, well, it depends on motive. In the case you mentioned, it's the human's fault, but it's not always like that. It could be the human's fault, it could be the Skorupi's. That's why I suggested a trial.>

edited 20th Aug '17 3:02:42 PM by CorvusAtrox

Silence.

<...We've imprisoned one. Whose to say they won't retaliate? Whose to say they haven't already?>

Stormchaser

Sholto: <Well, point...>

<Then I guess the best thing to do is understand each other? Make friends if we can, deal with the fallout if we can't? I think the meeting reached a conclusion like that?>

<Nono, the humans reached that conclusion. We didn't.>

Stormchaser

Sholto: <Well, Muddy, Ace, and I seem to agree with them, from what I was hearing. We can get more opinions if you want. Ace did seem to trend toward wanting understanding. So, I mean, I'm in agreement with that, and that's why I suggested a trial. I mean, if they're innocent, I'll take the blame, but we should find out one way or the other.>

-Ace and Shaun have meandered over after hearing the conversation.-

Ace: <I agree with Sholto. Perhaps it's afraid and was trying to protect itself. On the other hand - or tentacle, as it were - perhaps it's fully aware of what it did. As for the argument about hunting and such versus battling, the latter is a sport. A human could, say, tackle someone in [football] with no repercussions, yet they could be tried and arrested if they just randomly tackled someone on the street.>

Shaun: "'What is better - to be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?' Granted, this is not good versus evil but instinct and what you learn. The point still stands."

-He scans the Nihilego with his Pokédex.-

Shaun: "I do not view you as possesions or tools. I view you as individuals, allies, friends. I never catch a Mon unless they need help or want to come with me."

Ace: <He asks. Even when he caught me, it was just because I was alone and had a hurt wing.>

Stormchaser

-Maggie checks er email and sees the interview-

Maggie: "...Well, that's a thing. Hope the thing about 16 isn't current, but..."

Cobalt Chaser, Gym

Star is here training with some nondescript dummy, and contemplating what she's going to do after all this is over.

Guess I'll be alone again, huh..? I can't exactly keep following Daydre around if she doesn't want me there..

Well, I could. But that would be creepy.

edited 20th Aug '17 9:20:47 PM by Daydre

Falconian

Phaz winces a bit.

Phaz: "...Right... Y-Tou're burning a lot of steps right now... I-I'd like to right now to be fair, but you know... I-I'm a slow burn love..."

Meanwhile, Alola

Amélie is somewhere. Possibly close to someone to interact with?

Cobalt Chaser

Seeing Phaz wince resulted in a comically large Sweat Drop on Alyesha's forehead

Alyesha: "Heh, sorry, didn't mean it like that" ;^_^ "Of course you'll do it in your own speed, that was more of a joke than anything else." :P

Cobalt Chaser Gym

In stepped General Drakos followed by a secrurity detail, a few of them were Starraptors as well.

Cobalt Chaser

Phaz: "R-Right. Anyway, gym incoming."

He heads in...

Gym

...And immediatly notices all the peoples in. He fumbles a polite salute and turns to Alyesha.

"...Uh... General Drakos is here Alyesha."

Thanks to Bittie for asking me to do this spag with them~

FAR Northeast of Orre, Camp Grounds

-A Skarmory is startled from its nest as the sound of hoverjets tears up a nearby road. She caws before settling back down, shaking her head in disapproval. Whatever is this world coming to?-

Dune: Dezi, I think we're going a little fast for a back road…

Deziree: That just makes it more fun!

-Deziree laughs before throwing the wheel into a full lefthand turn, causing the hovercar to spin once, twice, and three quarters again before stopping at a sign labeled "Gypsum Sands Camp #3".-

-One of the doors opens up, and out topples Kaito, right onto the ground.-

Kaito: Once again I almost died on my birthday. But I didn't. I'm alive.

-Two other doors open and subsequently close as Dune and Deziree step outside. Dune offers Kaito a steady hand to pull off the ground with.-

Deziree: Oh please. This is one of my civilian models.

-She practically skips away as a sense of nostalgia washes over her. Kaito shakes their head as they get up.-

Kaito: Guess I really should have known what I was getting myself into when we agreed on this road trip. Same old Dezi.

-Dune merely smiles and nods.-

Deziree: Hey, Dune! They replaced the old table!

Dune: Can't say I'm surprised. That thing was barely holding together ten years ago.

-The campsite is a simple thing, barely twenty yards across with a fire pit in the center and an array of bald spots in the dirt around it. A weather-worn table sits a distance away, which Deziree is now looking at the bottom of for some reason.-

Deziree: Oh! But someone remade the "Jeremy <3 Rhonda" engraving on the bottom!

-Dune laughs.-

Dune: We used to come camping up here… ten, eleven years ago? Man, I feel old.

Kaito: I can't even remember the last time I went on an actual camping trip. Closest I've gotten was makeshift campsites in Ilex Forest during my first year with the J-Team. Back when I was dating Psyche. I kept forgetting to pack a sleeping bag.

-Dune smiles before popping the trunk on the car, revealing three sleeping bags, two tents, four dozen total bottles of water, and a portable long-range radio.-

Dune: Oh, woops. That's not the camping gear, that's the emergency kit. HEY DEZI! Where'd you put the gear?!

Deziree: Under the back seat!

Dune: Okay, thank you!

-Dune acquires the gear from a shockingly large compartment and, with a measured throw, tosses the tents in their intended positions. He turns to Kaito to answer an unspoken question.-

Dune: It's not paranoia if it's happened at least twice before.

-Kaito just shrugs-

Kaito: At that point, it's entirely justified. I've been on the other side of the equation enough to know.

-Dune smiles. Deziree hops over, a massive smile on her face.-

Deziree: Duuuuuuuuuune! There are baby Buneary nearby! They're sooooo cuuuuuuuute!

Dune: Please don't chase them.

Deziree: *Overly exaggerated gasp* I have no idea what you're talking about!

-Dune rolls his eyes with a smile.-

Dune: Let's just get things set up. Quietly.

Kaito: There's always time to fawn over the fauna later.

-Dune and Deziree both give wry smiles before getting to setting things up. Dune takes only a minute to have Kaito's tent up, while Deziree insists she can handle her and Dune's.-

Kaito: You sure you don't need any help with that, Dezi?

Deziree: I got it!

Dune: You sure-

Deziree: I got it!

-A tent pole launches into the air with an audible *sproing!*-

Deziree: I got it!

-Dune shrugs.-

Dune: I don't think we're gonna convince her otherwise.

Kaito: Well, I'll keep the offer open anyway. Good luck~

-The tent pole comes down a few yards away, sticking end-first into the dirt. Deziree runs over and grabs it.-

Deziree: Got it!

Dune: How about I get you your presents while she wrestles with the tent?

Kaito: Ooh, right, that's a thing that happens on normal birthdays.

-Dune pops open a compartment under the passenger seat and pulls out a couple of boxes. One is wrapped in simple multicolored wrapping paper, while the other is so spangled and reflective it might be a hazard to passing aircraft.-

Dune: Guess who wrapped which.

Kaito: I think I'm gonna need the eclipse glasses before I open Dezi's so I don't go blind. Let's, uh, start with yours.

Dune: Yeah, now you know why I wear goggles.

-He sets the boxes down on the old table. Dune's is rectangular and fairly normal in dimensions - it's almost painfully obvious that it's clothing. Deziree's, on the other hand, is a perfect cube. Kaito takes the rectangular box and starts to open it.-

Dune: I'm perfectly willing to admit that I did not know your measurements and just eyeballed it.

-Inside the box is a jacket. Despite its apparent lightness, it carries an unusual heft to it.-

Dune: Which, in retrospect, I maybe shouldn't have done with reinforced kevlar. Not like you can just hem it like you can with a regular jacket.

-Kaito just sorta blinks a few times, before promptly trying it on.-

Kaito: I keep forgetting you guys always go above and beyond with these sorts of things. Not just Dezi either, evidently.

-They smile.-

Kaito: I definitely appreciate it. And I think you got it more or less the right measurements?

-Dune gives a thumbs up.-

Dune: I hoped I might have. Now, Dezi told me what her present was, and… well. It's… Hm. I'm not quite sure how to put it. Just… just take a look.

Kaito: I trust Dezi with my life and yet your description of it strikes a fear in my heart that I've never experienced before.

-They pull out a pair of sunglasses before grabbing the shiny cube of wonder that Dezi's present consists of, and opens it as well.-

Dune: It's gonna look a little weird, but…

-Inside is another box, this one made of metal. It pops open by itself, revealing an armband covered in odd bits and baubles that looks completely random at first. After a few rounds of rolling it over, though… no, it still looks freaking weird.-

Dune: Deziree made a… well… Hey, Dezi! What'd you call this thing again?

-Dune ducks under a rogue, flying tent pole as Deziree runs over, a ground tie wrapped around her ankle.-

Deziree: That's my Auto-injector Mk. III! It passively scans the bloodstream via these panels on the inside, and if it notes any significant abnormalities, toxicity especially, it'll deploy a stabilizing antivenom and mild medical steroids that will keep you on your feet for… at least a solid fifteen, twenty minutes. Depending on how well your metabolism takes it.

-She plants her hands on her hips and puffs out her chest with pride. Only slightly sullied by the mangled tent she's dragging around with her foot. Kaito chuckles.-

Kaito: I take back what I said. You two really don't want me dying after all. I.. wow, thank you. So much.

-Deziree beams and gives Kaito a hug. She stumbles over the tent as she pulls away, falling flat on her rear end onto the pile.-

Deziree: … Okay, I don't got it.

-Dune rolls his eyes with a wry, knowing smile.-

Dune: Here, lemme get you untied and I'll take care of it.

Cobalt Chaser, Gym

Coming in Alyesha saluted as well

Alyesha: "Good Morning"

Cobalt Chaser Gym

The general took notice, "Calm down, I'm just looking about. Security detail insists though."

Drakos turned to them, "I've heard good things, managed to stop a saboteur and take on Stellar Doom. Impressive."