Eclipse the Moon
Marco, Domenico and Volpe sit around the kitchen table, drinking their coffees, while the kids play in the living room nearby. Marco and Domenico have nice, proper chairs, meanwhile Volpe has a shitty plastic deck chair. One too many nice furniture destroyed by Volpe's unique condition has made taking precautions for his visits somewhat necessary.
Volpe: -After sculling down his coffee- So,what's been up with you for the last few months, Marco? -Turning to Domenico and tilting his mug- Another cup per favooooore~
Domenico rolls his eyes as he grabs the coffee pot and pours Volpe another cup.
Domenico: Mamma mia Volpe, you chug the coffee down as if you were dying of thirst on a desert island! This is a rich, dark roast! You're supposed to savour it!
Volpe: I have to drink it fast, Dom. Otherwise the coffee gets cold! And who wants to drink cold coffee?
Volpe laughs as Domenico chuckles, chugging down the new brew just as quickly as the old one. All the while, Marco was slowly stirring his own coffee with poise and grace.
Marco: Things have been quite well. I was slightly afraid of what this year would bring, considering my current contract will be ending. But I got myself out there and landed a fragrance campaign in Lumiose and after that, another multi-year contract with a designer based in Castelia, Unova.
Volpe whistles, impressed at Marco's accomplishments.
Volpe: Impressive! Hope you don't tread on Elesa's toes while you're over there~
Marco rolls his eyes and takes a sip of his coffee.
Marco: Please Volpe. I've worked with Elesa before, she's actually quite pleasant.
Volpe chuckles, before leaning on the table with a hum and a slightly more serious expression.
Volpe: If your contract is in Unova... Won't that mean a long time away from the kids?
Domenico bats at Volpe's arm, who recoils in an over the top and comical fashion.
Volpe: Gek! Oi, what was that for?
Domenico: Arms off the table, you. I don't want your habit of flash freezing everything you touch to ruin yet another fine coffee table, Volpe.
Volpe rubs his arm and pouts at Domenico.
Volpe: Fair, but still. There are ways to do that that don't involve hitting me, you know.
Domenico chuckles.
Domenico: But you make the funniest sounds when someone does bat at you, Volpe~
Volpe: Oh Fuc-
Domenico cups his hand over Volpe's mouth quickly and looks quickly over to the living room, before looking back at Volpe.
Domenico: Ah, ah, ah~ There are children present, amico.
Marco clears his throat to get Volpe and Domenico's attention.
Marco: Speaking of children, are you two done?
Volpe gives Marco a thumbs up as Domenico unclasps his hands from Volpe's mouth, leaning back with a smile.
Domenico: Yes, yes caro mio.
Volpe: To think I had to deal with your Taurosshit on a daily basis back when we were patrol partners, Dom...
Marco: To answer the question you asked before getting... sidetracked. Yes, I will be frequenting Unova more often now - and for longer stretches of time, too. Not that our children aren't used to their father not being there for long stretches of time, Volpe.
Volpe's hair flips flatten as he looks away from Marco's gaze, which at this point feels icier than anything he's producing out of his own body. He admits, he kinda left his ex out to dry when he broke up with him nearly a decade ago now. But he was only 19 at the time, as well as being an addict and chronic alcoholic (and, let's be real, the only thing that has changed since then was the number).
Volpe: Ouch, Marc. But let's be real, it's probably for the best I wasn't a constant in our kids lives anyway. I mean-
Volpe gestures to himself.
Volpe: Look at me. I ain't the greatest role model for anyone, let alone an impressionable kid.
Marco: I cleaned up my act, am I just setting my expectations too high to expect you to do the same?
Volpe looks back at Marco.
Volpe: Ah, it ain't that simple passerotto. I wish it were. Believe you me, I've tried. But... the job... the hours... the loneliness... the memories... all those little things that gnaw away at you. You just want to feel nothing.
Marco flinches at the use of the old pet name as Volpe stares off blankly into the distance. Domenico quietly sips his coffee, looking at Volpe and Marco awkwardly before looking over to his daughters playing in the living room (which seems to involve Tigre dressing up Franchesca as a princess so she can be her knight)
Volpe shakes out of his trance and smiles back at Marco.
Volpe: Besides-
Volpe grabs Domenico and pulls him over.
Domenico: Ack!
Volpe: If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have met the love of your life o'er here~ I was the one who hooked you two up, after all~
Marco manages a small smile.
Marco: I suppose you're correct, Volpe. -Expression goes back to it's more serious, default state- But back to the subject at hand, that is what I am up to lately. What about you, Volpe?
Volpe lets go of Domenico (who returns back to his seat) and goes slightly serious.
Volpe: Sh-stuff has been... rather tense lately. Of course, the details of the case are confidential, but I've been roped in to a pretty serious case involving an underground criminal organisation that's smart enough to keep itself off the books... for now.
Domenico raises an eyebrow at Volpe as he pours himself and Marco another coffee.
Domenico: Aren't you retired from Interpol work?
Volpe: Ostensibly, yes. But in this particular case, they need my... *ahem* expertise on the matter. So I'm pretty much leading it.
Volpe downs himself another coffee.
Volpe: It's not very fun, I can assure you that...
Marco leans back as he pours a dash of milk and adds a bit of sugar to his coffee.
Marco: Don't fret about it too much Volpe, I'm sure it'll be over soon and you can go back to your soft retirement back on Akala Island.
Volpe's hairflips depress.
Volpe: I hope you're right, Marco...
Domenico looks at Volpe with a curious expression, which Volpe catches on to.
Volpe: What's gotten your attention, Dom?
Domenico: Oh. Something that I have been curious about for all the years I've known you, but never asked due to thinking it might be, well, rude to ask.
Volpe: -Raising an eyebrow- And that would be...?
Domenico points to Volpe's hairflips, which have resumed their usual upright position.
Domenico: How do you do that with your hair?
Volpe: What? This?
Volpe wiggles his hairflips into a variety of positions, bamboozling both his best friend and his ex.
Marco: Honestly, how do you do that? They're not ears... (at least, as far as I know)
Volpe just shrugs.
Volpe: I don't know, I've been like this since I was a kid. My brother can do this too, so I assume it's a family thing.
Domenico: So you got four ears, lucky you.
Volpe: Three.
Domenico: Hm?
Volpe: I only got three ears, Dom. If you count my hair as "ears".
Volpe lifts up the hair on his left side, revealing nothing where an ear should be.
Volpe: This one fell off about... a year and a half ago.
Volpe drops his hair as Marco sighs and Domenico looks on in awe.
Domenico: Wow, you really are falling apart amico.
Volpe: Yep! But eh, I'm not too flustered about it. -Lifts up the right side of his hair and tugs at his earlobe- After all, I still got one ear still in ta-
As Volpe was tugging on his earlobe, it breaks off. Leaving Volpe staring surprisedly at it, Domenico reeling and Marco facepalming at the ordeal.
Volpe: ...partially intact, at least. Anyway, I better dispose of this.
Volpe gets up from his chair and grabs a paper towel, wrapping his ear up in it and then disposing of it. As he returns to his seat, Domenico looks slightly grossed out while Marco just seems resigned.
Domenico: Are you sure that doesn't bother you, Volpe?
Volpe shrugs at Domenico with a smirk.
Volpe: Call it a sad state of affairs, but I've accepted it by now. I'm a dying man, Dom. Doctor's only give me a year and a half to live. So, may as well accept it and enjoy life while I can~
Domenico and Marco exchange worried glances at each other, while Volpe just gives a comforting smile at them.
Volpe: Anyway, Marco. If you're gonna be going over to Unova with high frequency, organise one as a joint holiday with Dom and the kids and after you're done, come down to Alola for a while. I can show you all the cool and fun places on the island for you two and the kids to hang out at~
Marco gives a genuine smile to Volpe.
Marco: That sounds wonderful, Volpe.
At that moment, the pitter-patter of little feet can be heard bounding down the stairs.
Leone: I'm done! I'm done! I've finished my homework!
Leone runs into the kitchen and begins to tug on Volpe's shirt.
Leone: Now you can play with us Papa!
Volpe: But Leone, I'm having a conversation with your other papas right now...
Leone pouts and folds his arms, staring right into his father's matching icy eyes. Volpe sighs and gets out of his chair.
Volpe: Oh, alright. I'll go and play with you and your sisters.
Leone: -Smiling- Heheh! Yeah!
Leone runs into living room. Volpe gives a knowing look and a nod to Marco and Domenico, as he follows his son into the living room with a smile.
Yeah, there's gonna be a part 3 to this shit.
edited 28th Feb '18 3:30:24 AM by PippingFool
I'm having to learn to pay the price
Lilycove
Chum: -to Pent- <Uh, more of a rat problem, apparently.>
Jones sees Thespi's crew come in-
Jones: <Oh, hey, you the ominous allies we heard about?>
He also waves at Colt's team.
<Oh, Nice, there's a lot of you!>
Slliuq: <Arbmu dna Ymma sevael tsuj taht...>
She then notices that they are around and waves to them.
edited 28th Feb '18 7:24:20 AM by CorvusAtrox
"life is just a series of increasingly canon-eluding ao3 tags" ~ everydunsparce "Keep your hellfruit away from me, tempter" ~ also Every
No voice to cry suffering
Thespi: -very excited- <Given the mysterious cryptic all-knowing entity who sent us here, probably!> ^_^
Ceal: <Wait what>
Tripod: -chirp-
-a Voltorb blips in with a Plusle and Minun, both of the latter wearing scarves-
Plusle: <So we've arrived, in our next Future's AdventurelandTM!>
Voltorb: <Signs point to yes~ Anyhoo, later!>
-...-
Thespi: :D
Ceal: •_•???
Tripod: -greetings- ^-^-^
Minun: <...yeah, we're just gonna be over here.
-and they skitter off to the side-
Thespi: -to Jones- <I have no idea who those mons are! So ominous, certainly!> ^_^
edited 28th Feb '18 11:40:41 AM by Asterisk395
No mind to think. No will to break.
Flying Colors
Kai: Yeah. I'm almost — almost — considering a mindscape jump just to see the sort of damage that's still going on, but not enough to actually go through with it. Mindscapes are bad and visiting one never solves anything.
-Corrin likewise blushes.-
Corrin: Ah, no, I doubt that's what it was...
Soleil: <If you say so~ I know these things, though, so don't be surprised if that's what it was.>
-It's at this point that the pendants Soleil and Semigloss were given flash and beep twice, and a speaker inside plays a staticky recording.-
Pendant: Your orientation and first training mission start [TODAY IN REAL-TIME]! Be sure to report to your recruitment facility early in the morning!
Soleil: <Oh, finally!>
Dunsparce Cloud
Slatepast
-Semigloss is patted, and chirps pleasantly-
-and then the beacon goes off-
Semigloss: <Oh!>
-she flutters up excitedly-
<Ahhhh this is going to be so cool I can't wait!>
edited 28th Feb '18 8:12:07 AM by memyselfandI2
Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.
Some Rando
Lilycove
Roy had just been simmering on a bench for a while, looking around for whoever before he realized that he was noticed. How was that - huh?
He looked beside himself as he walked and realized the source - Rei was present.
<What? You look disappointed.> Rei observed.
Roy shook his head and continued, electing to take off the scarf and have Rei stuff it into her Pokéball.
The human-turned-Blaziken made it to the group all the same. <So why did we need to gather in the first place?> He asked, already kinda missing his old body.
Pinwheel Mishmash
Sunny, Colton and Kazuma continue their assault.
[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]
like christ, but with more nails
Channah: ...At this point, I don't care. I guess you just don't make a lot of sense and I've to deal with it. Whatever. -shrugs-
There is no disdain in nature, there is no humiliation.
The Wanderer
Not A Lawyer
-In Lucius and Scarlette's shared bunkroom, a Lucario and a Bisharp are playing cards with each other, while a raven-haired young man sits on the bunk watching something on his laptop.-
Kirk: <Fold.>
Falchion: <Oh, c'mon, you always fold.>
Kirk: <Because you always cheat!>
Falchion: <Then cheat back! Man, you gotta learn how to count cards better.>
-He looks over at Lucius.-
Falchion: <Whatcha watchin'?>
Lucius: Some cartoon about a washed-up Mudsdale celebrity in a world full of Pokemon-people. It sucks and I hate it.
-Falchion pokes his head over Lucius's shoulder.-
Falchion: <...Wow. This show seems designed to give you an intense sense of fuckor.>
Lucius: I know, right? It's the worst.
-On the screen, two characters are sitting together on a roof.-
Bojack Mudsdaleman: <What, you think I can't open up?>
Diane: Well, I don't know if you can or not. You certainly haven't.
Bojack Mudsdaleman: -sighs- <Okay, from now on, full truth, warts and all. You're not gonna make me look like an asshole, are you?>
Diane: I don't know, are you an asshole?
-Beat.-
Bojack Mudsdaleman: <...Okay, full truth, here we->
-Lucius slams the screen shut.-
Lucius: Goddammit, I can't watch this. I can't believe I'm getting fucking called out by a shitty cartoon Mudsdale who's supposed to be like twice my fucking age. Fuck.
Falchion: <Language.>
Lucius: Why should I give a fuck?
-Falchion produces a glass receptacle labelled "Swear Jar".-
Lucius: ...You literally just made that.
Falchion: <Still. Pay up.>
-Lucius grumbles and drops a handful of coins into the jar.-
Falchion: <Where's your boss, anyway?>
Lucius: Beats me. Who knows?
-Elsewhere in the base, a figure in a hazard suit resembling a plague doctor's garb is being pinned to the wall by a trio of oily black tentacles.-
Cel: Please... this research, it's going to take-
Shard: Am tired of waiting. Want results. Now.
-Inside this hastily-set-up plastic office, there is a flurry of activity. Pawniard scurry around with sheaves of paper stuck to their claws, Pidove fly around the room, and a Campaign Manager Liepard is curled up on a desk and speaking to the Alakazam behind it.-
Campaign Manager Liepard: <I'm not gonna lie: your campaign's in trouble. We need to expand our base beyond birds who want to own guns. Also, if we could figure out what office you're actually running for, that might help.>
Maul: ~I am sometimes a bird. I own a gun. That's enough.~
CML: <Putting aside the question of how that was legally allowed to happen, no, it clearly isn't.>
Pawniard #209: <Yeah, I'm looking at the latest polls right now, and it looks like we've got a real problem!>
CML: <See? Even the Pawniard get it!>
Pawniard #209: <Problem is, I can't read!>
CML: <...Oh.>
-Maul turns to a Masquerain hovering in the corner.-
Maul: ~What do you think?~
Poll Analyst Masquerain: <I see a thread connecting all human eyes, and mirrors that show me Hell in six dimensions with every other breath.>
-Maul turns back to CML.-
Maul: ~Our chances look good.~
CML: -sigh- <I wonder if it's too late to go back to being that Mudsdale's agent...>
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.
Meet The New Boss
Dr. Multiman: ...Well that was mean. Who does that Zoroark think he is?
Infinite: <He's cribbing my style!>
Dr. Multiman: -to Absolute Virtue- Back to the airship, please?
Absolute Virtue: -shrugs- <If you inssssssisssst.>
-they fly off-
Dr. Multiman: There we go. Ahem. What was up with that Dr. Exeggutor? He reminds me of someone but I can't place who...
Metang: <If you people can help, I'm going with Facade.>
Svin: <I'm doing that too!>
-Umbra waves-
Ammy: So... What's the plan here?
-the shadows shift-
-The final assault finally clears the Rabbids out, disentigrating the lot of them-
-The path is open-
Voyd: Great? Do you know anything about these Mobius jerks running around?
Contact Me!
Lilycove
Chum: <...Yeah, that is definitely ominous.>
<Anyway, we're here to head to Makbaliv and track down a Raticate who's apparently stolen some sort of mind control technology. Plan... admittedly I'm up for suggestions from there.>
"life is just a series of increasingly canon-eluding ao3 tags" ~ everydunsparce "Keep your hellfruit away from me, tempter" ~ also Every
Anyways Here's Darude Sandstorm
A crackling is heard throughout the ship as the intercom comes on.
"Attention all Mobius Personnel. This is Admin D with a special announcement. Today is anti-bullying day. As such all personnel are strongly encouraged to wear pink today. This is voluntarily and mandatory. That is all."
GIVE ME YOUR FACE
No voice to cry suffering
Vee: <You what?!>
-Megan flinches-
Pippy: <Er, we saw them off, on a mission from Omen and wherever he's getting his prophecies from?>
Vee: <Oh dammit dammit dammit couldn't you have waited five seconds, I don't trust these assholes, I don't know them, who knows what they're sending those kids into...>
Pippy: <Er, they got us with the J-Team...?>
Vee: <Exactly! And look at what's happened since! Dammit, we're supposed to stick together!>
-Megan looks down, ashamed-
Pippy: <...I'm sorry, I should've waited for you. You have as much input on this as I or Megan do, and this was important. I'm sorry.>
Vee: <...ugh, it's fine. I hope. If it was important that we didn't come anyways, and those three were dead-set on it...you're right, they can make their own choices. Just...hold this, and gimme that.>
-she passes the large, glowing mass of water floating above them to Pippy, digs around in Megan's bag for the scarf, and grabs the phone and starts looking something up as they follow the open path-
Thespi: <This is a world of stories, yes? Just follow the ✨Narrative!✨>
-pose-
-...-
Ceal: -cough- <Er, p-perhaps ask around? S-see if...>
-they pat Tripod-
<Th-there's anyone talking about a Raticate, or if they have any sort of notoriety...?>
Tripod: -projects a Light Screen, across which text slowly forms-
-a light Flashes from their antenna-
edited 28th Feb '18 1:19:36 PM by Asterisk395
No mind to think. No will to break.
like christ, but with more nails
-the first thing Tagg might notice is a whiff of dull panic under the still, resigned waters of her aura. This is a more recent emotion, only just now washing over very muted feelings of embarrassment and impotent anger at both of them. Her resentment of Tagg is not nearly as deep, but seems to have been building for a while.-
There is no disdain in nature, there is no humiliation.
Fwomph
Lilycove
Oh good. ... So, Makbeliv. Did anyone haul the mirror over?
It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.
The Wanderer
Route 121
-Slightly saddened, in a way that makes it pretty obvious what I'm referring to-
...Why?
edited 28th Feb '18 2:11:52 PM by rmctagg09
Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.
Jones waves to Ren and co.
Jones: <...Narrative?>
Chum sees Tripod's Light Screen message.
Chum: <That kinda depends. Haven't really seen anything internet-wise. Radio sometimes. News, definitely around. We gotta head there first, though.>
<If you mean stuff in this world... not much, no.>
Slliuq: -to Pent- <Yllautca, rorrim eht ot daeh d'ew gnikniht saw I. Ti otni gnirednaw og t'nod snomelpoep suoiruc os ti tup ot erehw rof aedi doog a tog ev'uoy sselnu.>
"life is just a series of increasingly canon-eluding ao3 tags" ~ everydunsparce "Keep your hellfruit away from me, tempter" ~ also Every
pain peko
-Gabrielle strolls around, a pink scarf on.-
Michael: <Shouldn't you have logic bombed or something?>
Zelel: <Allow me some credit, Michael. I am not just computer software.>
Shaun: "Mindscapes? Isn't that like the...travsersable representation of your mind? The details escape me. It was all rumors, like weremon-ism...but nowadays I'll believe anything."
Jessica: "What's so bad about them?"
Shaun: "Yes, I'm just not sure where to start. It might help if you three told me what you knew."
Lucina: "How do we know this isn't a ploy to have us leak information?"
Shaun: "Fair enough. You're Lucina, daughter of Chrom and..."
-He looks at Beowulf.-
Beowulf: ~Sumia.~
Shaun: "You're Cynthia, daugther of Chrom and Sumia. You're a Pegasus Knight. And you're Morgan, son of Chrom and Robin. A Tactician. You all traveled back in time to avert a Bad Future. Morgan suffered from amnesia. Cynthia's clumsy and wants to be a Badass Adorable. Lucina was the first to come back and disguised herself as a man named "Marth", after the Hero-King. As Chrom's children, you're all royalty of the halidom of Ylisse. Lissa's your aunt and Owain's your cousin. I'm unsure of a plentitude of things, mainly owing to the variable nature of spouses, relationships, and deaths in your universe."
-He smirks.-
Shaun: "Convinced?"
-Lucina stares at him, shocked.-
Lucina: "You can't possibly know that."
Shaun: "Oh, but I can, princess."
Vilkas: *to Silas* <Warmaiden's sells ores and metals. X Grey-Mane might have some too.>
The Harbringer: <But that might have to wait. Today Aela and I set out on a pilgrimage to High Hrothgar. We need answers, and I know where to get them.>
"Dang that sure is totally poggers my good bitch"
Some Rando
Lilycove
Rei and Roy looked at each other with minor intrigue. <What’s the blue fish saying?> He asked. <Something about a mirror?>
<That other guy already said something about a mirror, Roy,> Sneasel chided as she slapped the Fire-type upside the head. <Now focus.
<So, this mirror. Where would we find it, and what sorta trials and tribulations are involved? I got a lotta questions about this, I tells ya what,> she decided.
[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]
Fwomph
Lilycove
Last I remember it's in storage at PEFE HQ so uh... Not really much in the way of trials to get there, just need to warp in and call up the module. The trials if any come after we've gotten the mirror.
It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.
The Flamebringer
Cynthia: "I told you so!"
Morgan: "... Very well. We'll trust you. For now."
"As it has been explained to us, we're from another universe, and have been pulled to this universe... some how, the two of them transformed into pokemon, where I was not."`
All are significantly abnormal in a normal world... All are significantly normal in an abnormal world.
No voice to cry suffering
Thespi: <Narrative! You know, like we get there, and immediately someone comes up and is like—>
-gruff voice- <"Help me, help me. There's peoplemon wit' swirly eyes attackin' ma crops. I ain't certain of what's goin' on, an' maybe someone wit' the necessary context an' Main Character Focus c'n put the clues together.">
<That sort of thing! It happens all the time in stories! The heroes show up, and the plot points are laid out!> ^_^
<...of course, they also need to do the searching anyways, otherwise they wouldn't be the heroes. Maybe we just do whatever?>
Ceal: <...>
Tripod: -happy chirp at the confirmation of something to listen to, there- ^-^-^
-also gratitude, and hope that it'll help-
-it's a complicated sound-
-hearing about the Mirror, Thespi gasps-
Thespi: <Oh my gooooosh we're headed through a looking glass, this really is a fantasy world!> -star eyes-
edited 28th Feb '18 4:13:30 PM by Asterisk395
No mind to think. No will to break.
Meet The New Boss
Human!Ammy: We know where the mirror is!
Umbra: Yeah, it's in its own module at PEFE. We'd just have to find it again...
???: <Or I could provide a shortcut!>
-Walt appears out of the shadows-
Arika: <So, what kind of answers?>
Voyd: Well you see, those guys are after me! And that probably won't end well. Like, at all.
Contact Me!
-Shifting-
I know I don't have to stick around, but if you want me to go, I'll go.
Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.