Amarin House

Lita is focusing on her phone.

She sighed and looked over at Megan.

"What happened to you?"

Stormchaser, Des's Quarters

Des is sitting on the floor, leaning against his bed. He's in nothing but his underwear, a tank top and a cowboy hat. He's currently staring intently at his reflection in a full length mirror as he periodically lifts a bottle to his mouth and takes a swig.

Miz walks in.

Miz: <...What are you doing?>

"Drinking contest."

<...with who?>

Des pointed to his reflection. "Him."

<...Are...you winning?>

"Yes. But also, no."

<...Someone's trying to get ahold of you.>

"I know..."

Amarin Household

-Brie waves back to Kai, and gives Alli a smile-

Brie: Yeah, of course we're fine.

PEFE!Every: Actually, we've all sustained numerous minor injuries. Nothing fatal, obviously, but "fine" is certainly an inappropriate label for our status.

-she nods politely to Kai, Alli, Silas, and Megan-

Brie: ...(unconvincingly) We're fine. It's okay. Ever, back me up.

-Ever's vanished-

Brie: ...Eh, if they'd agreed with me nobody would've believed them anyway.

Amanita: Yeah, I don't know why that was your appeal.

Brie: Are you going to agree?

Amanita: Hell no.

Brie: So.

-there is a Blue perched on a couch next to Logan, swirling a shot glass containing clear liquid that smells like needles-

Ever: You're alive. I was sort of wondering.

Amarin House

-A look of concern sets on Kai's face, but they convince themself not to get too caught up in fretting over everyone's health.-

Kai: ...It was that rough a time, huh? I'm glad you're here safely, at least. What, uh... happened? To all of you?

Megan: -to Silas, Alli, Lita, Kai- Aww, thanks for asking! ^_^

This is a really nice place!

Vee: -bites Megan-

Megan: Oh, sorry. I'm fine! ^_^

Vee: -bites harder-

Megan: I-I

-confused- I'm now bleeding slightly...?

Vee: <No, yer not.>

Megan: No, I'm not @-@

Vee: <Yer mod'rately injured an' slightly fatigued.>

Megan: I'm mod'rately injured an' slightly fatigued.

Vee: <This truthful expression of yer vulnerabilities dispels the mystique surroundin' yer woes an' counterintuitively reassures yer friends.>

Megan: This expression of my—*

-blink-

-rushing over, to Brie (and also PEFE!Every)- Oh no, are you okay? D:

Vee: -chuckle- <A really wild birthday party, that's what.>

-...-

<...tha's a euphemism for "J-raid". Jraid.>

<B'cause...one happened on me 'n Megan's birthdays, an' the last one happened on Pippy's.>

-blink- <Doesn' really work without context.>

Logan: Ever!

Addie: -sniff- ...is that...drain cleaner?

-they, by contrast, are apparently drinking a mug of cocoa-

-half marshmallows by mass, stirred with at least three candy canes, with sprinkles visible on the surface-

-Addie has a similar, smaller mug held in her tiny Pachirisu claws-

-smells like coffee-

Logan: Aw, I wondered the same! Life with the J-Team is so chaotic, you know?

I did see your Mega Evolution with Pleth a little while back—I'm happy for you!

Silas unsure of what else to do, gives Megan a big hug, "I'm just glad you're still here with us."

Amarin House

Lita chuckled and shook her head at Megan's and Vee'a antics.

"Good to see you're ok to some extent."

She notices Logan.

"Oh, Logan? I think my dad had something for you. Um...it might be a chore getting him here though. He's not in the best shape right now."

Amarin Household

Brie: ...Megan, c'mon.

PEFE!Every: We are okay. Injuries are minor and will repair themselves. Can we agree that this is universally true and get to the part where we enjoy holiday festivities?

Amanita: Not sure that's the best attitude to take.

PEFE!Every: I want a candy cane.

Brie: (to Kai) Uh...Mobius stuff. I'll explain later, if that's alright?

Ever: Ah. Yeah, thanks. Was a hell of a time getting it to happen, but we got around to it.

-they smile sheepishly-

It's not drain cleaner, but you could probably use it to clean drains. I stole some of Pef's stash.

Arc: -climbing onto Ever's shoulder- <Can—>

Ever: No.

Arc: -penguin scowl-

Glimmer: -reaches for the shot glass-

Ever: -moving it out of reach- Oh, emphatically no. (to Logan) So, lying for the holidays? I thought that was only for visiting family.

Amarin Household

Kai: Oh, yeah, that's fine. No need to worry too much about explaining it now. It wasn't enough to stop you from getting here, after all.

-Their smile returns.-

Kai: By the way, welcome to my place. Where I grew up, until I moved into the Battle Frontier apartment.

Amarin Residence

Shaun: "Ah, Fido already sounds drunk."

-Shaun chuckles and takes a hit from his flask.-

Jessica: "Are you worried about becoming an alcoholic?"

-Shaun wordlessly points at the bottle of peppermint vodka in Jess's hand.-

Jessica: "That's different. I can metabolizes this."

Shaun: "Taurosshit."

-He kisses Jessica's cheek.-

Shaun: "I'm gonna go find my boyfriend."

-He walks off.-

-Isbrand sidles up to Lita in her black dress and plants a smudged, purple lipstick stain on Lita's neck.-

Isbrand: "Don't tell me I'm late?"

-Luca stands alone in the Singles Corner(tm).-

-Minus Kaiiseii, everyone else mills about.-

Stormchaser, Des's Room

-Someone knocks on the door.-

Kaiiseii: -slightly slurred- "I hear a drunk cowboy insh there!"

Stormchaser

Goober: That's good to hear, I guess. We'll be mobilizing soon enough, as soon as we get a clear headcount. The fella we have on the inside isn't telling us a lot about their numbers, understandably because the Authority began a crackdown on our agents on the inside. We'll be outnumbered and outgunned until we release the pokémon they captured.

Ezra: Hey, don't be a Debbie Downer.

Goober: I dated a person named Debbie Downer in high school. She was way more optimistic than her name suggests.

Stormchaser Meeting

-Susan gives her girlfriend a glance, which Latias returns with a smirk-

Susan: So what you're saying is we're outgunned.
Latias: Out manned.
Susan: Outnumbered.
Latias: Out planned.

-They both try and hold back a giggle-

Amarin Residence

Well I ain't gonna be taking it easy. New adventure's gonna start up any day now and you can bet I'll be on it and trying to get the J-Team collective to help out.

-He laughs and mutters some self-deprecating remark under his breath-

I'll go get making treats shall I? Anyone got a soul read on a recipe?

-He sets the satchel and his own bag on a table and starts rummaging through the satchel for ingredients-

Flour, oil, the-weird-goo-from-the-Shell...

-He blinks a bit as he brings out a black box tied up with a pale purple ribbon, a tarot card trapped in the bow. He checks the delivery tag-

I... I didn't make this. This one's for me...

Stormchaser Meeting

Lance would quickly enter the room, out of breath.

Lance: I'm late, aren't I?

Edited by Routeferret on Dec 26th 2019 at 1:12:34 PM

Amarin House

Lita blushes and hugs Isbrand.

"You're right on time!"

She hands her a flat box with a red ribbon on it.

"Merry Christmas!"

Stormchaser, Des's Quarters

Des goes wide eyed.

"Uh, w-wait. S'hold on. I'm -hick- not deshent."

He scrambles to find a pair of jeans, puts them on backwards then opens the door, leaning on it in his drunken stupor.

"Oh -hick- hey Kaiishay. I thought youd be at the Chrishmash party?"

Stormchaser, with Goober

Lita whipped out her phone.

"On it."

She sent a text to the J-team chat asking if anyone could help.

"It's awfully near Christmas, so don't expect much help."

stormchaser

Hazel: No, you're not late.

Santa Mission, Stormchaser

Fuka: So people won't be able to help Santa because they're busy with Christmas?! (Fuka looks horrified) Those villains timed this perfectly!

Megan: -is hugged, by Silas- Ahaha wow no I'm fine??

-to Lita- Thanks!

-now earnestly, to Brie- Moderately, moderately injured. Aha. Really not any more than any given other J-peep.

Vee: -corroborates, glowing slightly- ~w

Megan: -with Pef- Oh yes let us talk of happier things! I had some candy canes, but I don't know where they went…

-to Kai- It's a nice place! ^_^

Aside from home, all I've got is my Secret Base, and there's still some cleaning up to do…

-halfway through this sentence, Megan had smiled, gone red, and turned away so as to not be looking directly at Isbrand and Lita-

Addie: -subtly star-eyesing, scampers up to monitor the little'uns-

Logan: -oof- ...okay, I was fairly confident that at this point, with this bunch, the only things that could actually kill you would be Legendaries or other J-Teamers.

-sideways- Lying's a bit much though, don't you think?

-they take a sip of their concoction, accompanied by a bite from one of a small abundance of candy canes-

-offering a sugar-smile- If you're wondering, though, I was off on another adventure. Typical J-Team fare, you could expect.

Amarin Household

-Alli grimaces-

Alli: Yeah it sounds like you guys have been through a lot... But yeah some celebration will do you good! Want me to put on some music?

Santa Mission

Mia: <I'm ready.>

Edited by Umbramatic on Dec 26th 2019 at 1:05:52 PM

Stormchaser, Santa Mission

Me: Outnumbered, you say?

Evelyn: Outmatched, you say?

Me: How outnumbered do you think?

Amarin Household Party

Colton stood up, shaking his can of Lemonade with marginal frustration before starting to walk around. Maybe he would find someone on their own.

Cassandra was returned.

Ultra Badlands

The assault continues, Colton pausing to refresh his reserves behind a Protect from Pyukumuku.

Edited by AbsentCoder on Dec 26th 2019 at 12:58:02 PM

Ultra Badlands, We Are All in Freefall

-Dodging said Sableye balls-

Heartless transfigured into Pokémon!

Wanderer: On it!

-Snaps his fingers and gravity is altered enough that we're falling at a slower speed and not at terminal velocity-

Muddy: -Fires a Hydro Cannon at the core-

Botuli: -Uses Moonblast-

Aquarius: -Does the same-

Ultra Badlands, War!,    Demon Tide, Phase 2   

-Ian raises his wand into the air and draws a circle in the sky with it-

Magical Boy Ian (name pending): Soaring Esper Sunrise Beam!!

-Ian brings down his wand and fires a blast of energy at the Demon Tide-

Oshawittle: <Piku-chan... I had a plan that I think you'd appreciate...>

Piku-chan: <Tell me.>

Oshawittle: -points at Piku-chan's tail- <Maybe, you can use your tail to give me momentum enough to crash into the Demon Tide... What sayest thou?>

Piku-chan: <As in... A Fastball Special?! That's crazy... I LOVE IT!!!>

Oshawittle: <I had a feeling you might! Now, Piku-chan, my friend! Use Iron Tail!>

Piku-chan: <You got it!>

-Piku-chan raises his tail, which glows with a metallic shine, aligns his tail with Oshawittle and lets loose with an Iron Tail attack, throwing Oshawittle into the Demon Tide!-

Edited by AnimeboyIanpower on Jan 27th 2020 at 5:30:07 AM

Ultra Badlands

-Ultra La wastes no time in firing a Prismatic Laser at the core, as does Mahina La-

-The others all target the core as well-

Amarin House

Brie: You've got a lovely home.

-she pecks Kai on the cheek, pressing a small box wrapped in green and purple paper into their hands-

PEFE!Every: Worst case scenario I can synthesize some. I have several new flavors of mint I've been meaning to try.

Amanita: You know, the scientific method doesn't actually apply to flavor generation, right?

PEFE!Every: It should.-

Brie: (hurriedly) Music sounds lovely.

Ever: (wry smile) Anything can kill anyone. We're all remarkably fragile, ultimately.

Glimmer: <You know, I was going to say something, but I don't think I can actually get more morbid than that.>

Arc: <Are they usually like this?>

Glimmer: -waxy shrug, gives Addie her little smile-

Arc: <Hello! I'm Arc!>

-he extends a dignified flipper-

-Ever pats them both, and Addie as well-

Ever: I suppose I should have figured. I was there for a few seconds, but I didn't see much of what was going on, before...well.

-they tap a bandage on their hand. Weirdly, the prosthetic-

Ever: And, you're right, it's a bit early to call active deception into the mix. We'll call it a polite misdirection?

Speaking of, how are you this solstice?

Edited by memyselfandI2 on Dec 26th 2019 at 5:51:32 AM

Amarin House

-Kai lights up, both in demeanor and in reference to the blush tinting their cheeks, as Brie kisses them and hands them a gift.-

Kai: Oh, uh, thank you. Both about the home, and about, uh, this.

-They eagerly (but carefully!) unwrap the box-

Ultra Badlands

Me: "AHHHHH!"

-Aspen, Carbuncle and Vulcan landed roughy, with their outlines in the ground ala a Zany Cartoon. They got up from their outlines.-

"Is everyone ok?"

Carbuncle:< I'm okay.>

Vulcan:< I'm fine.>

"Good, let's keep attacking the core!"

-Vulcan and Carbuncle keeps attacking the core-