Helios: -Lets himself out of his ball- <...Tagg?>

Helios...I should never have let what happened back then happen to you.

Helios: <...I don't blame you.>

-Tears up-

You should! We created that technique, it was my idea, and you were forced to use it! I'm a horrible trainer, letting you get messed up like that, can't you see that you oversized honey eater!

Helios: -Hugs-

?

-Hugs back-

Ecruteak Gym Stands

-blinks at Fortis's choice-

Arena

Morty: -likewise-

Gengar: -gusted- <Uwah!> -uses Night Shade- <Hrgah!>

Greater Celadon - Shoreline

"Hmm hmm... There really is something remarkable about the way that young people and mons can be so ready to forgive at times..."

"... Should we get going? It's getting kinda dark..."

Celadon

Lina: -seeing Tagg and Helios, hugs herself a bit-

Tracer's House

Human!Chrome: Hrm? Oh, them. Pair of miscreants, those two... One of them is a former Cipher member. From what I can tell, they seem to want to make amends... But their continual stalking, snooping, bribery, bad manners, and general idiocy really aren't helping much.

-To Tracer-

Yeah, you're right.

Tracer Home

Runt: [Telepathically] "Cipher? Ew!"

Jack nodded.

Jack: "That would explain a lot, actually. That really clears up that question."

That question out of the way, Jack changed the subject.

Jack: "You had other things you were going to tell me about?"

Tracer's house

Human!Chrome: -smirks- Might as well... Pick one. Were-mons, Aura and Obscura, immortals, or precursors. I know stories about all of them.

Tracer Home

Given what he had been mentioned yesterday, Jack considered starting with the one he'd first heard mentioned yesterday. But on the other hand, if the topics he was willing to talk about were legit, he was interested in hearing them all.

Jack: "Hmmm...would you be opposed to picking the one you would like to talk about the most and starting with that one?"

Plus, if Michael was willing to start that way, it might help Jack get more information in the long run. Odds were he'd be more willing to talk more if he were speaking about the subject he was partial to.

Ecruteak Gym

Condy: <Eeep!> -is knocked back by the Night Shade and flies to Fortis-

Fortis: You have to keep fighting! You can make the scary ghost go away, I know it! Now use Gust again!

-Condy hesitantly flaps her wings and sends another gust at the Gengar-

Greater Celadon - Shoreline

"... Let's get moving, then..."

-And gets into the van with everyone else... And heads back for a certain alley house-

Tracer's house

Human!Chrome: Hmm... Good question. I'll start with... precursors. They're the ones I'm most familiar with... and I think your Abra will get a kick out of it. If that's all right with you.

edited 8th Jan '13 10:11:28 PM by Umbramatic

Tracer Home

Runt's ears perked up, and his response was one that suggested he was eager to see if it was true.

Runt: [Telepathically] "Try me."

Jack held his arm out in Runt's direction, an nonverbal cue that Jack was perfectly alright with Michael starting on that topic.

Tracer's house

Human!Chrome: Alright then.

You may think Pokemon are dumb beasts incapable of civilization, but that is certainly not the case... Plenty of Pokemon civilizations have come and gone. What may be the greatest and yet also the most shameful were those of the Alakazam and Metagross.

Beldum and Abra line members, due to their naturally high intellects, began to form civilizations thousands of years ago. At first, they were rivals, always trying to outdo each other and engaging in brutal wars. But, eventually, they made peace, and worked together to make a civilization of plenty, with technological wonders like those humanity has only rarely seen...

Jack: "And...?"

edited 8th Jan '13 10:48:09 PM by SpaceJawa

Tracer's House

Human!Chrome:...And then they grew proud. Too proud. They began to stir up old grudges, one-upping each other in bids for dominance. It didn't take long for another war to break out far more intense than the others.

And that's when the two civilizations made their greatest mistake.

One of them - it's lost to time exactly which- tried to activate a supervolcano beneath what is now Hoenn. It would have devastated all life on the planet. But the Legends of earth, sea, and sky intervened. It cost them their lives; due to their nature, they did not stay dead, but it was devastating nonetheless.

- He pauses, holding back a mix of sadness and anger-

The other Legends... were even more devastating to the Alakazam and Metagross.

-He clenches his fist-

Every city was razed to the ground. Billions were killed. Only a few stray ruins and scattered survivors remained by the time they were done.

-he sighs and hangs his head-

Over the years, the descendants of the survivors recovered... Many forgot the past. But some remember. Weither to hold grudges, to lament, to forge new bonds from the ashes...

-he looks at Jack intently-

Or to impart knowledge to others, so they may not make the same mistakes.

edited 8th Jan '13 11:25:43 PM by Umbramatic

Tracer Home

Runt seemed interested in what was being told, but disappointed that it was just an abridged version.

Runt: [Telepathically] "So what kept the survivors from trying to rebuild? They built it once, they couldn't build it again and be smarter about it the second time?

Trying to float some theories, Jack asked a more specific variant that perhaps would be more to the point.

Jack: "The legendaries have anything to do with that? Or was it just that devastating?"

edited 8th Jan '13 11:35:17 PM by SpaceJawa

Tracer's House

Human!Chrome: I thought the same thing once myself, Runt... But, as Jack said, Legendary interference and the level of devastation were too much for them.

-He smirks a bit despite himself-

The third factor was that we humans took hold soon after.

Hmm... but it's getting late. I should be off.

-He walks twoard the house-

If you want to hear more stories, just find me. I'll be glad to tell.

edited 8th Jan '13 11:41:54 PM by Umbramatic

Tracer

Jack: "Wait...was this just at the dawn of human civilization as we know it?"

If that were the case, perhaps Jack could ask Michael where he had gotten his information from and if there were still ruins he could investigate himself. If that were the case, Jack would have some measure of freedom to go investigate the matter more on his own and move on to other topics the next time he talked to the man.

edited 8th Jan '13 11:47:33 PM by SpaceJawa

Tracer's House

Human!Chrome: Indeed. And goodnight...

-he enters the house and closes the door-

Tracer Home

Jack was disappointed that he hadn't gotten to ask where Michael had gotten his information, but Jack knew that there had to be somewhere he could get the same information. Or at least enough to get himself started.

Jack: "You know what this means, Runt?

Runt: [Telepathically] "To the Library?"

Jack: "To the... I was going to say that!"

Jack: [Telepathically] "Then you shouldn't have asked."

The Abra looked at Jack with a smug grin before teleporting them both to their intended destination.

- Has woken up early, and is probably curled up in a corner somewhere -

Outside Tracer's House, in the alley

The Penitent woke early, with the sunrise. He was used to it by now - it came with sleeping in alleys - and after last night's encounter he couldn't afford to be recognized. Crashing in a Pokemon Center would have been too risky; no, he'd have to spend the night on the streets. Adjusting his cowl, he tugged it down, keeping his face well concealed, then smoothed out the creases in his cloak and stretched his aching back muscles. He missed the softness of a warm bed, but there was nothing to be done.

"Maybe I should get myself a mask," he muttered. Those two soccer moms had identified him way too easily, and he'd almost been arrested. A mask would solve that problem - and also make him more noticeable than ever. He shook himself, dispelling the idea. "Yeah, right," snorted the Penitent. "As if the black cloak isn't dramatic enough." He knew that the cloak was unusual, but wasn't willing to give up on it just yet - it allowed him to conceal a whole lot of useful items, kept his face (mostly) in shadow, and of course it was warm. And warmth was always welcome when sleeping rough.

edited 9th Jan '13 3:22:26 AM by ParadoxicalStone

Mahogany Town

-Sakura was with Grant and taking a look at the Legend Bow he was wearing-

Sakura: Hm... Is that even allowed in gym battles? I've never seen something like that before, but it could just be a rare item...

Grant: <Well... Better not risk it in that gym.>

Sakura: Right, would be useful for you in this gym I think, but we can manage without it. I have Dylan and Seth to help you out. -smiles-

-Gex and Jordan then come to them, Gex was holding a leaf for some reason-

Jordan: <Sakura! Have you seen your sister?>

Sakura: Hm? No, not yet. Sorry.

Gex: <Hey! Look at what I can do!>

-Gex then start blowing on the leaf and makes a very relaxing melody-

Grant: <That's... Grasswhistle isn't it?>

Sakura: Wow... That's great!... And relaxing...

-The melody was making all three of them feel very sleepy as Gex continued to perform, they didn't really mind since it was a nice tune, until a certain someone interrupted-

Lyuri: INCOMING!

-Lyuri was coming in their direction really fast on a bike and she crashed into Sakura, making her bag go flying while the others just watched in surprise as the two girls fell to the ground.-

Sakura: Ow... Lyuri... Since when do you have a bike?

Lyuri: Since yesterday, when I bought it... Ow... Are you ok?

-Jordan then tried to catch the bag as it was flying, but it was open so a lot of things ended up dropping from it, among them was a Water Stone that fell right on his head, he then caught it before it fell to the floor and he started glowing.-

Gex: <Hey! You're doing that again!>

Sakura: -getting up- Huh...? He must've picked my Water Stone by accident...

Lyuri: Oh man... I wanted to hold back the evolution a bit, this is too early!

Outside Tracer's House

-Crow and Ghostus are walking together-

Crow: -yawns-

Ghostus: <So, why are you up this early?>

Crow: "Mmm... Just felt like walking. And felt I should be getting up earlier in general."

Ghostus: <Gogie, huh?>

Crow: "Yeah..."

edited 9th Jan '13 5:17:46 AM by crowlover

Outside Tracer's House

The Penitent sees Ghostus and shudders, memories coming back. "A ghost..." he murmurs, instinctively wrapping his arms around his chest. "No, no, no... it can't be. Definitely not." Catching himself, the Penitent keeps to the shadows, following Crow and Ghostus as they walk. It's just a Pokemon, he thinks. But what kind of person would willingly hang around creeps like that? Stealthily, doing his best to stay out of sight, the Penitent tails Crow and his Pokemon.