Poni Island

-Ludmilla dusts herself off and waves to Satele, who is now sitting on the edge of the Seafolk Village dock.-

-She turns to head to Hapu's house just as a bundle of possessed seaweed reach up to snatch the Ralts from the dock.-

Celadon

Megan: ...then I guess we should try really hard to make sure that doesn't happen?

Vee: <Do you know this person we're supposed to avoid? Would we need to fight them?>

No mind to think. No will to break.

Celadon City

Echo: Indeed... did you get a good look at your mysterious assailant?

Ersatz Alliance

-Kai smiles and goes to pick out some of the gold-and-white stuff for Pent, as well as a few pastel things she thought he might like for variety.-

Solana: Aye, we all have blotches on our permanent records. And mistakes in our minds.

Would you like a drink? I'm sure I could shout you one.

Remy is calmly impressed. Amber, not-so-calmly impressed

Amber: WOAH! That's so cool!

Remy: Indeed, your powers are impressive - especially when paired with your noble goals.

Remy makes a kissing motion with his hands.

Remy: Like [Scallops] with white wine~

Amber begins tugging on Creepfrog's arm.

Amber: Hey! I can do impressive stuff like that too! C'mon! I'll show you outside!

Remy: Amber please.

I'm having to learn to pay the price

Ersatz Alliance, Past

-Pent ducks off to get changed, this time he does feel it's nessecary and it takes longer for him to get the new shirt on. Yep he's looking super Valor right now-

???, Slightly less past

-Okay Pent's here, likely in his usual outfit despite the recent shopping trip and he's holding that wrapping bag gift thing yep-

It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.

Artoria: "No, they were definitely humanoid, but anything else was almost impossible to discern."

All are significantly abnormal in a normal world... All are significantly normal in an abnormal world.

???

-Selene perks up at the sound of Pent nearby.-

Selene: Penti! There you are. I just dropped off Ludmilla.

-Shun has now returned to Nimbasa, and is currently wandering towards the Ferris Wheel with Tara and Dani.-

Tara: I know we didn't say it before, but thanks for putting us up over Christmas, Shortstack. Can't think of where we'd have gone otherwise.

Shun: No need to mention it. At this point I've resigned myself to accommodating your presence at all hours.

Dani: Aww, you know you love us really~

-She points towards the Ferris Wheel in the distance.-

Dani: So who's up for a ride~?

Shun: You two go ahead. The flight left me somewhat jet-lagged, so I might join you later.

Tara: If you say so, dude.

-She starts walking ahead, Dani skipping behind her. Shun smiles briefly as he watches them go, but it fades as he surveys his surroundings.-

Shun: ...I know you're there, you know.

-There is a faint noise of distress from somewhere above, following by the sound of something landing in a hedge. Shun looks over to see a visored helmet sticking out of a nearby bush attempting to look like they've been lurking there for a while.-

The Avenger: ...How did you know I was there?

Shun: Shingeko and his Greninja used to pull much the same trick. Eventually you start to know when you're being watched instinctively.

The Avenger: Ah. I see.

-The statement comes out level, but beneath his helmet, the wearer of the Avenger suit is freaking out.-

The Avenger: Oh gods Lilli you could've mentioned that this guy was cute and now I've totally embarrassed myself in front of him aaaaaaaaaaaaa

Shun: ...Are you alright?

-The Avenger blinks behind his visor.-

The Avenger: Of c-course. Why do you ask?

Shun: ...The fact that you stood stock still for five seconds making an "aaaaaaaaaaaa" noise suggested that something was amiss.

The Avenger: O-oh? I mean, oh. Helmet malfunction.

-He taps the side of his helmet a couple of times.-

The Avenger: There we go, fixed. In any case, if you knew Shingeko, then you'd know me.

Shun: Yes, you were his partner. The Auric Avenger, correct? I don't recall him ever speaking particularly highly of you.

The Avenger: It's just "the Avenger" now. And times have changed.

Shun: That they have. For instance, there are a lot less vigilantes now, and for good reason.

-He turns and starts to walk away.-

The Avenger: Wait! I know you don't think that highly of costumed crimefighters, but I don't think you're as opposed to us as you're making out with me.

Shun: ...Pardon?

The Avenger: Making out to be. That's what I said. In any case, we'd be better off working together than apart.

-Shun raises an eyebrow at the Avenger and folds his arms.-

Shun: It sounds to me like you are simply trying to get me to divulge classified information to further your own goals. You've yet to give me any reason why I should trust you with such secrets.

The Avenger: If you want proof, then all you need to do is wait. I'll be in touch.

-He slinks back into concealment in a manner that looks far more like this◊ than he intended.-

The Avenger: ...Okay, note to Liam: Leave this negotiating stuff to Lilli in future.

-Alice is still hanging around the city after the party, her nose in a book and a Sunflora wandering behind her.-

-Lucius is sat in whatever the base's equivalent of a common room is, looking at the journal Lawrence left him.-

Kirk: <...Y'know, you're gonna have to read that at some point.>

Lucius: Yeah, I know. I just need to get a minimum amount of procrastination out of the way first.

edited 27th Dec '17 3:39:53 PM by Herbert40k

Trans rights are human rights. JK Rowling preaches hate. If you sit at a table with five bigots and say nothing, there are now six bigots.

The Airship picked up speed and approached the Grand Articuno, several warriors landing on the deck of the airship, the webbing in their arms retracting.

The Guardians wished to fight.

The feeling of controlling the camera would have been a odd one, as Pent would feel nothing but the Camera's body itself, no limbs, no heart, no lungs. Sight and sound worked though.

The Airidos looked at Spinme, <Just do it or leave. Nobody will buy that.>

<Yes Molph. There is no further point in my attempts to overtake your Kingdom. It is long gone, and I have my own now.>

Ganon smiled, <Reincarnation, quite useful, especially in the case of the mad Glitch Jester.>

The ground begun to shake, peering through the window was a glowing blue eye, from it voiced, "HI!"

Bubbles began to appear throughout the room.

"SEEMS YOU'RE GETTING AHEAD OF YOURSELVES... BETTER RAILROAD YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU FINISH THE JOB!!!"

Hacks readies a aura sphere while Silas draws his blaster. ~Really the weapon?~

"I had others, didn't bother taking them back."

~Why not?~

"5 shots is all I really need."

~Showoff...~

Ace: <So have you decided what we're doing now?>

Shaun: "Veilstone, then Jubilife, then Vaniville, then somewhere in Unova."

Jessica: "Shopping, shopping, Fenne-cuties, then adventure!"

Shaun: "Essentially."

Ace: <Ah.>

"Dang that sure is totally poggers my good bitch"

Let's just go with a city area, slightly less past

-Without too much of a word Pent holds out the present to her-

M-merry Christmas, sorry it's a little late been trying to get in touch...

It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.

Celadon-ish

Selene: Aaaaaaw, thank you! Here, I got YOU something, too!

-She pulls out a soft bundle - definitely a T-shirt wrapped without a box.-

Sure, Celadon

-Pent takes the clearly shirt-gift with a smile and just carefully tries opening it-

H-hope you like the gift dear. It's not much but I'm frankly terrible at thinking of gifts that aren't big enough to require messing with the fabric of spacetime...

It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.

Celadon-ish

Selene: Oh, don't worry about it so much! I have simple tastes~

-She likewise tries opening her present.-

-The one she gave Pent, however, is definitely a T-shirt. It's black and has red "newspaper cutting" letters on the front reading "STEAL YOUR HEART" on the front, with a familiar mask on the back.-

-Oh, also the mask has stylized bunny ears. But you'd only recognize them as such if you know what they were.-

Celadon

-Pent knew what the shirt was about. It had been quite hard to not notice all the memes and marketing surrounding it, but it wasn't really something he'd actually gone and looked into yet. From what he knew of it there seemed to be little to no chance of the events repeating themselves without being forced to... Still! Really neat shirt and... Actually pretty nice fit with one of the outfits he grabbed recently so might be really useful-

Thanks dear!

-Okay, time for hugging. Selene's gift is just some very ordinary-looking sugar cookies. Homemade perhaps but really just look perfectly normal-

It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.

In Chronological Order...

Sporbs

-Creepfrog croaks in surprise as he's dragged along-

Creepfrog: <Hey whoa easy!>

Clavis Party

Echo: Oh, thank you, I'd love one.

Ersatz Alliance

-Kai smiles as Pent comes back out-

Kai: Looking good! Hell of a contrast.

Celadon

Echo: Hrm. Any odd effects in your surroundings? Static or pixellated visuals are a telltale sign of a glitch, but not all glitches do have it.

Iron Aux Base — The Anemos-Cain Room

-Out of the corner of his eye, Lucius might see someone duck into the room with a badly wrapped box, deposit it next to him, and duck right back out. The gift box has a note attached.-

Salvation

Phaz: "Yknow what? Screw this! I don't need no goodie two scarf to do the job now! Let's finish that like we always do, like I always did! Blast our way apart!"

He shoots even more of the Guardian on the wing before going for the jump!

"Let's do thiiiiiiiiiiiis!"

Dominion Forest

Spinme: "Alright, fine!"

She removes the bandana and braces herself.

"Just fuck my shit up, fam. I gotta do that job."

What's the use of money if you ain't gonna break the mold? Even at the center of fire, there is cold All that glitters ain't gold

Artoria: "No, but then again everything was foggy and it was difficult to tell. The thing itself was... sort of, yes? But it seemed more to be some form of concealment of its true nature and form than anything."

All are significantly abnormal in a normal world... All are significantly normal in an abnormal world.

Celadon, Megan

Jackie: -blinks- What are you guys talking about?

Airship

-Kass sighs and throws up a Stealth Rock-

Oron Fortress

Gudrunn: ...Shit.

-Egghead and Molph lob Dragon Pulses and Shadow Balls, respectively-

-Gudrunn conjures an Obscura bow and starts firing Obscura arrows that burst into Dark Pulses on contact-

Forgotten Cave

-Arika immediately goes into stealth mode-

-Zumi resists the urge to poke the Yamask-

Contact Me!

Salvation

Rolling his eyes, he donned the scarf and sealed his jacket pockets. Talbain’s agility was perfect for leaping for the hole. He created a platform for Phaz to land on should he not make it.

[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]

Christmas

Psyche let's out the Steenee.

~Oh my, hello! I've not seen your species before.~

The Steenee head tilts. <And I've not seen a human dressed as a Pokémon before. Today is a day of discoveries.>

Psyche grins. ~I like you, you're a smart Ass~ What's your name, friend?~

<Elana. Charmed, I'm sure.>

Psyche curtsies. ~Call me Psyche.~

Pizza, Parlor, sometime in the Past

Psyche sighs. ~Kinda wish we could go back to that naïveté. But we're stronger people now.~

"If I am to be met with disrespect, then I must first love myself with a fierceness no fool can take away." - Vraska, Gorgon assassin

Poni Island, Hapu's House

-Ludmilla raises her hand to knock at the door.-

BOOM!

-Oh goshdarnit.-

-Ludmilla puts her hand down, tilts her head back, and takes a long, deep breath.-

-Don't be distracted, don't be distracted, don't be distracted-

BOOM!

-Okay that one was closer than before. Goshdarn distractions. Gosh darn them to heck.-

-She goes off to investigate.-

-...-

-Hapu slowly opens the door.-

Hapu: Uuuuh Ludmilla? Hello?

Celadon

-Selene gives a big smile.-

Selene: I love sugar cookies! Especially when they're fresh and chewy and have that great texture!

-She does indeed go in for the hug - and a peck on the cheek.-

edited 27th Dec '17 5:52:03 PM by DuneTheWanderer

Ersatz Alliance

Yeah! That's good right..?

Celadon

-Pent declines to mention that they were made a few days ago but yes so much hugging-

No problem dear ^_^

It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.

Pizza Parlor — Pre-Party

Kaito: Yeah. We're stronger. And... again, we shouldn't stay in the past. Time does not stop. We've hopefully got at least three quarters of our lives left, maybe even four fifths if we're lucky. Just gotta survive to meet it.

-Beat-

Kaito: Wow, that got, like, super somber for a bit. Lighter subjects?

Ersatz Alliance — More Recently

-Kai giggles more-

Kai: In Ho-oh's name, Pent, I just said "looking good", of course it's a good thing!

Celadon — Even Moreso

Echo: Right. Well, unfortunately the best advice I have is to wait until there's more information to go by.

Poni Island

-Ludmilla reaches the edge of the breaker shore to see one familiar sight, and one very unfamiliar one.-

-The little star from before appeared to be fleeing with all speed as a bizarre, rainbow ball bounces behind him and-

BOOM!

-Ah. That would explain what was exploding.-

-The little star- oh, right Kartana goes flying, slamming against a rock.-

???: {Heeheehee...}

-The other thing approaches.-

-Walking with a jerk and a tug, the bizarre party decoration with the same rainbow ball that was used as a projectile for a head saunters up to the Kartana.-

???: {Why do you run? I only wish to create laughter!}

-The Kartana remains silent, and shoots the weird clown-like creature a scowl... or is it a glare? It's hard to tell when it looks like the mouth and eye are the same thing.-

Ludmilla: ~Hey! Stop picking on him!~

-The clown-like creature jerks away.-

???: {What?! What is this voice in my head?!}

-He turns to Ludmilla, his head spinning slowly.-

???: {Creatures on this world can communicate like this...? My, how bizarre. If you can understand me, then, stay out of my way. This matter doesn't involve you.}

Ludmilla: ~I don't think so! You jerks from GEAPHDARK have already made a mess around here!~

???: {Did you say... GEAPHDARK?}

-The strange clown-thing jerks and jitters. Is it... shivering?-

???: {They came here?! They've marked this world?! Here! You can take this little scrap, I don't care anymore! I gotta get out of here!}

-The thing lopes away, his head dragging behind like a balloon on a string. Ludmilla steps onto the breaker shore, and goes over to the Kartana.-

Ludmilla: ~Now, please don't panic. I'm not gonna hurt you.~

-The Kartana looks at her, but doesn't say anything.-

Ludmilla: ~You don't say a lot, do you?~

-A general sense of admission.-

Ludmilla: ~No worries. Here, eat one of these. It'll heal you up quite a bit.~

-She holds out a Sitrus berry. A feeling of uncertainty.-

Ludmilla: ~Don't worry, I'm pretty sure you can at least eat part of it.~

-A sense of resignation. The Kartana bites with it's mouth/eye thing. A feeling of confusion, followed by relaxation. A few bites more, and the Sitrus berry is gone.-

Ludmilla: ~... I wonder where it all goes.~

-???-

Ludmilla: ~Never mind, silly question. Anyway, what... are you going to do now?~

-A sense of longing. An image of a bamboo forest. Another image of a familiar Guzzlord with a massive glowing sword.-

Ludmilla: ~GEAPHDARK attacked your home?~

Kartana: *nodnod*

Ludmilla: ~Well, I wasn't kidding when I said that they'd attacked us here. We fought them off, but I don't think they'll be gone for long.~

-Mulling. A decision. A nod.-

Ludmilla: ~Wait, what?~

-A kindred bond. Enemy of my enemy, and savior besides.-

Ludmilla: ~Oh. Uh. I mean, wow. I didn't expect you to-~

-A blue orb, with four fins on it. A container necessary to travel.-

Ludmilla: ~Oh, I know what that is! That's a Beast Ball! I think I can get one of those.~

-The Kartana nods. The image of a nearby cave. A signal to wait.-

Ludmilla: ~Alright! I'll get one, and see you there!~

-A dignified bow. The Kartana returns to the winds.-

Ludmilla: Well... wasn't that something.

-...-

Ludmilla: AAAAGH I STILL HAVE TO FIGHT HAPU