Wild Area

-To Channah-

Well, if we look ahead we can see the stairs looking up to Motostoke in the distance, but I figure we should set up camp for now, it's a bit of a journey.

Abandoned Operations HQ, Early December

Daydre stumbled in like, right after Corrin and sighs in relief that that made her not-late by association.

Wedding, RIP My Regular Posting Schedule

(To Merlin) "Hell yeah you can!"

"..."

"Uh, sorry if that was rude, yes please."

The Cafe Where Sadly The Only Place I Can Squeeze Giant Caterpillars Is Online

"And if you ever need anything, I'm around to help!... I think I said that already but it bears repeating."

Megan's discomfort grabs her attention.

"Something wrong?"

In the background, Rowan seems somewhat satisfied(?) with his meddling.

Edited by Daydre on Jan 24th 2020 at 7:21:06 AM

Wedding

DS: Oh, yikes.

Route 2, some time later

Linnéa: (being approached by a Galarian Zigzagoon)

Linnéa's Sobble: <Careful, Linnéa! That thing looks pretty sketchy!>

Linnéa: Ah, really...?

Rouge: (runs over) <You gonna catch that?>

Galarian Zigzagoon: <Grr...>

Linnéa: Um... I'll go look for a different Pokémon.

Linnéa's Sobble: <All right, let's get away while they're distracted!>

- Linnéa and her Sobble walk away while the Zigzagoon is focused on Rouge -

Rouge: (to the Zigzagoon) <You wanna fight?>

DS: (runs over) Ah, there you are, Rouge. Oh, and you found a Galarian Zigzagoon!

Rouge: <Good timing! Do you want to catch it, or should I just take it down?>

DS: Let's catch it!

Rouge: (nods) <Got it! I won't go all out, then.>

Galarian Zigzagoon: <Heh, you want to catch me? Very well. Let's see what you can do.>

- DS and Rouge try to catch the Galarian Zigzagoon -

Wild Area, Meeting Spot

Channah: Okay. -laughs- This sounds kinda weird, but I really like camping with you.

Wedding, Past

Merlin: -to Daydre- Don't worry about it. Now what were we doing again?

Alduin: <Alternate universes!>

Wedgehurst

Storm: Yes please.

Seigbert: Ooh, a wedding! Who's the lucky couple?

Edited by Umbramatic on Jan 24th 2020 at 1:32:43 PM

Wedgehurst

She threw the Pokeballs up, a Togekiss and Swellow appearing and landing, looking at the two of them with some mixture of understanding and annoyance.

<I guess we're doing this,> the Swellow sighed.

"You guys remember where it was?" Gail asked, to which the Togekiss nodded and gestured for Gail to climb on her back.

"I think their names were Umbra Nox and Amaterasu Crescendo?"

Wedding

-To DS-

We fought a Guzzlord there, but we got critically injured in the aftermath, so this Cosmog we picked up at the Ultra Plant got us over to the Ultra Megalopolis This city with no natural light if you haven't visited before. and it turned out my other self, the one from that universe was there and gave me a blood transfusion.

After that Mobius attacked the Megalopolis to try getting Necrozma, and then we were stuck there for the rest of the month since the Ultra Recon Squad wanted to make sure we didn't develop any weird anomalies from going through so many Ultra Wormholes without protection. My Aura probably stinks more of Ultra Wormhole energy than the first time I became a Faller.

Wild Area, last night

-To Channah-

Don't worry, it's not weird at all.

Wild Area, today

-Looks outside the tent-

This feels... slightly nostalgic.

Wedding

DS: Oh, wow. That sounds like it must've been rough, to say the least.

Wild Area, Meeting Spot, today

Channah: -climbing out- Good nostalgic or bad?

Edited by Metanoia on Jan 24th 2020 at 2:32:03 PM

glimwood tangle

-The Shiinotic and the Morelull arrive back with Elizabeth.-

Shiinotic: <So, will you do anything useful this time?>

Alfred: <As a matter of fact, yes, if you will agree to it.>

Shiinotic: <And what is it that you propose?>

Alfred: <This trainer here has volunteered to take your son on a journey around Galar. They are highly qualified and specialise in fairy types.>

Morelull: <Really? I can get out of this dumpster fire? Finally!>

Shiinotic: <But why would I allow you to go with the humans who attacked you?>

Morelull: <I lied. I've been lying this whole time. I've been causing so much chaos because I'm so freaking bored! I'm not a kid anymore, mom! I wanna get out of here!>

Shiinotic: <Really? My little sweetums? You've been bored? Trainer, I demand you take my son on the journey of a lifetime. Now away with you!>

Cady: ...Okay? Lemme grab a pokeball.

-She pulls out a heal ball.-

Cady: Wait, what's your name?

Shiinotic: <Amadeus. Nothing else will suffice.>

Amadeus: <But mooooom!>

Shiinotic: <Come on, darling. It's our great family tradition. None of our great ancestry leaves this forest without a good name.>

Amadeus: <Fine.>

-Amadeus bumps his mushroom on the heal ball.-

-Wobble...-

-Wobble...-

-Wobble...-

-PING!-

gotcha! amadeus was caught!

Cady: While we're here, we should probably visit Carol... She'll kill us if she knows we were right by Ballonlea and didn't visit.

Alfred: <We can escort you through to Ballonlea if you'd like!>

Cady: Sure, that'd be nice.

Lilycove city outskirts

-Copper is wandering around, annoyed.-

Copper: <Stupid Gallade. Now I'm even further away from Galar! Never should've trusted them. I bet they thought I was really dumb.>

-They are being watched by a certain pair of criminals.-

Yellow Bandit: ~Wow, that doesn't look like even a shiny Chimecho!~

Blue Bandit: ~Yeah. They were talking about Holon a little while ago. What if they're one of those delta pokemon?~

YB: ~Hmm... It'd probably fetch a lot of money.~

BB: ~It's probably too high risk. Owning one of those things is super illegal and it's far too easy to get caught.~

YB: ~That's the point! It'll be fun!~

BB: ~Well, they were saying they were trying to get to Galar. We might be able to give them a hand.~

YB: ~Oh, that interdimentional shop place? Isn't that guarded by mythicals? That's too risky even for me.~

BB: ~Who's saying we don't do exactly as they ask? I'm sure there's at least one exit somewhere nice and secluded.~

YB: ~Ah, I get it.~

Edited by QuantumMelody29 on Jan 24th 2020 at 9:14:46 AM

The Wedding

Kaylan: <Ooh! Alternate universes?!> (points to Alduin-B) <Wait... so you're the original Alduin, then? I'm so confused...>

Wedding, past

Alduin: <No, I'm the Alduin from this timeline!>

Alduin-B: <I'm from another.>

Tiamat: <Trust me, it confuses me too.>

Wedgehurst

Storm: Hmmm... I think I've heard those names...

Seigbert: Is there a Gudrunn Ginnung there too?

Wedgehurst

"Maybe?" Gail offered. "I'm not certain, I was too nervous to get acquainted with everyone save for this weird Colton person with “darkness powahz”, he called them.

"Oh, and some Kim Bond character who talked to my Togekiss, somehow."

The Swellow and Togekiss looked at the two strangers impatiently.

Galar, Wild Area

Evelyn and I: Absolutely!

-Evelyn proceeds to set up camp for herself, Ian and Kim...-

Wedding

-To DS-

Yeah, but luckily it all turned out fine in the end.

Wild Area

-To Channah-

Good kind, I did spent my early teens up in [Tohoku] so...

Wild Area, Meeting Spot

Channah: Ahh. -glances around- I don't see many Pokémon native to this region, too bad.

Jack: <What am I, chopped liver?>

Channah: - gently tugs his ear- Not what I meant.

Motostoke

-Kamon is window shopping with Rockstar and a Galarian Zigzagoon padding after him-

Kamon: Ugh, Topshop everywhere. That scarf and hat combo though. I'd hate to be that mannequin. Though the dress isn't half bad. Oh! That reminds me - We are getting you a scarf today!

Rockstar: <Aaaah. Let's no an say we did. Or better yet, no say anythin.> -pulls away-

Galarian Zigzagoon: <HA HA! BETTER YOU THAN ME.>

Rockstar: -flashes 2 fingers- <Shut up, ye noisy squirrel.>

Kamon: You need to jazz up that hideous service vest of yours like three months ago. Come on, only take a mo. -picks him up-

Rockstar: <Hey! Am no human anymare, ye canny do this tae me.>

Kamon: -oblivious- Plus it'll look great on Imperapic. And hey, maybe the Tribe will finally start appreciating you if we put a little more effort into your looks!

Rockstar: -grumbling- <Oh grrreat, jist wit ah want - a buncha unovan influencer wankstains foanin ower ma Gucci an that. Am sorry Kam, but if ye believe thit shite, yer gonny be disappointed, big time.>

Kamon: You're really chatty sometimes, you know that buddy? Hey, smile! -snaps a selfie of the two of them as they enter a shop-

Edited by Metanoia on Jan 24th 2020 at 7:21:06 AM

Wild Area

-To Channah-

From what I've read a large percentage of mons here are ones not part of the Galarian portion of the National Dex.

-Some Bunnelby go by-

Megan: N-nothing! Uh, nothing.

Vee: -stare increasingly complicated, shades of hurt leaking in- <<...>>

-Pippy rests a flipper on Vee-

Megan: -rubbing the back of her neck- Uh, just. H-haven't talked about this with. Much of anyone, really. Uh.

-...apparently abashed, Vee reins her weird feels in-

-she gets a whiff of Rowan's satisfaction(?), it knocks whatever train of thought hurtling through her head off-kilter-

-she looks back and forth between Megan and Daydre-

-...gives a sideways little smile, and starts in on the pie-

Megan: Y-yeah. Anytime! I'm there, anytime you need or want.

-a Caterpie creeps across the table, and she squeezes it softly, because she can-

Caterpie: -squeak, adorably- Pie! oTo

-...beam, at Daydre- Thank you.

-...since they're probably still holding hands, she gives it another little shake-

-Logan smiles and keeps petting-

-the fairy light coalesces into circles and stars about their head, already starting to shed glittery pixie dust, but they keep it away from Eevee eyes-

-Megan's just in the corner trying to tally everything that's blue now-

Logan: Ready?

-Megan lifts her trident from where it's planted in the earth, giving it a twirl once, twice-

-armorless, she snaps it forward into a ready stance, hands on its haft-

Megan: Ready! ^_^

-curious Rookidee gather at the margins of the area, not leaving the grass-

(-Pippy quietly busies himself knocking out Nickit that come too close to their stuff-)

(-there's a growing pile of unconscious Nickit, enough for Sqwovet to start hiding Berries in it-)

(-anyways-)

Logan: -shrug- Then, let's...

-they whip their Styler back and forth, the line whizzing out in great curls-

Logan: -lazily, confident- Get started!

Megan: -immediately- YAAAAA—

-she charges forward, leaping into the air to spear down at Logan—-

—-who's already sidestepped, flicking a coil of solid Capture Line to send her off balance-

Logan: -jeer- C'mon! Use some subtlety…

Megan: -cheerful- I'll subtle you, pal!

-she launches into a kata—absurdly impractical for combat but extremely flashy—and they meet it with a ribbon routine of their own-

-her heavy strikes are nudged aside by quick, clever little twists of the arm, and snares are escaped through sheer force of force, applied through the cutting edge of the trident-

-with one well-practiced sweep, she shatters the Line at triple strength, glowing blue sparks drifting in slow-motion past a close-up of her eyes-

Logan: ...well!

-they seem to slip, she thrusts—and Logan hops through the feint, touching toes-down on the flat-

-before she can react, they leap off over Megan's head, shoving the points into the earth and flicking a lash down at her-

-which she takes in stride mostly, swinging the butt of her trident up at them-

-it trips them up, but they hit the ground in a roll-

-which gives them enough time to avoid Megan shooting trident lasers at them-

Logan: !

-they duck out of the way, and Megan loads another charged Cell Battery into the charge chamber-

Logan: That's, uh, new…?

Megan: Yep!

-it ejects like a cartridge, and the head glows blue- Silas helped me make it! ^_^

-dodg—-

Logan: -Styler shield shuddering- Ack!

-dodge lightning, they can, but they're not fast enough to dodge light-

Logan: -sprint- Will those -huff- attachments even survive hurling -erk- it into the side of a mountain…?

Megan: -point- Dunno! They should!

-Logan's eyes follow the trident tip, warily-

-and then they smile, and watch Megan's face-

Megan: -blink- …?

-and the moment she blinks, they flash forward-

-Megan fires, but Logan's fast enough to dodge her-

-Logan's line wraps around her trigger hand, locking it in place-

Megan: -left staggering in the wrong direction, missing-

-beeeeEEEEEA—-

—-eep, out of battery-

-and Logan yanks her closer-

-Megan swings a fist at them, and they catch it in their other hand-

Logan: ...o w

Megan: -beam, but the smile kind-

-and she kicks their leg out from under them, but Nido-quick they've gone and kicked her in the leg with the other leg-

-naturally, they fall over, in pain-

Logan: …

Megan: …

-Megan activates the Stardust charge in her trident, Logan lassos a fence post, and they drag themselves away from each other-

Logan: -cheeky, huff, pulling to their feet- Warmup's over~

Megan: -fistpump, staggering upright- yesss, serious time—

Both: Go!

-from the edge of the tree line, a squirrel and a fish fox cat dog snake friend thing make a break for their humans-

Vee: -Quick Attack- <Gonna win, gonna win, gonna w—>

Addie: -Quicker Attack- <Ooooh, try as you might, you're still not as fast as—>

-tackling onto Logan's shoulder, sparking- <—ME!>

Logan: -grunt, grin-

-her current flows through their sleeve down their arm through their hand, sinking into the main body of the Styler-

-the Line gains a golden hue, transitioning from a smooth ribbon of light to a chainlike series of hinge-bars, clattering-crackling outward as they twirl-

Megan: umm ah um—

-right for Megan, along with-

Vee: <Weren'tryin'tbefaster'nyou—>

Megan: HA!

-and she impales Vee on her trident's tines-

Addie: <oof>

-and rips the tip spinward, whirling the polearm again-

-this time, trailing increasing quantities of water in the plane-

-the pair of them parry the crackling whips, hammering back the lightning-like strikes as they come-

Logan: Oh?

-leaving sparks in the air with every clash-

Megan: !

-Logan snaps their fingers, unnecessarily, and the sparks erupt—-

-Vee makes her way underfoot—-

-into lines of Aurically-charged lightning, spelling defeat-

—-and Megan's already launched into the air, the charge bursting harmlessly in the plane between her and the ground-

-she somersaults gracefully through the air-

-and faceplants the landing, her trident thudding point-first into the earth beside her-

-...-

Addie: <...> ._.

Vee: <...> ._

Logan: ...uh.

You okay, there?

Megan: -facedown- ...

-moan, muffled- ...chhhh..

Logan: Hold on, I've got some—

Megan: ..hhhhhhHECKMATE—

-and she sweeps her trident up, launching a clod of earth-

Logan: -laugh, duck- —obvious trick just for you—!

-and the clod smacks Addie right off of their shoulder-

Logan: ...eh?

Megan: -disheveled, grin- You always juke left!

-she stomps quickly forward again, bringing her arm back-

Wisp: <hiiiiiii~>

Megan: -stagger-stop- aaaaaaaaAAAAA—

Logan: -tap behind her, Ally Switched- Until you've won, it's just "check."

-and they tase her-

Megan: ghhh-h-h-hhkk

Logan: -dusting off their hands- And that's checkm—

Vee: -dropping on their head, facehugging resonant- <OOOVERTIME~> o3

Addie: -Electroweb- <That's NOT A CHESS TERM>

Logan: -shriek-

-and Vee's gleeful cry somehow returns Megan's faculties to herself-

-then Addie hauls her off and hurls Vee into the Wooloo pen-

Logan: -gasp for breath-

Vee: <ACK!>

Wooloo: -peacefully eating- <baaaAAAAAAA—>

Vee: -muffled by fluffspace topology- <Uh, 'scuse me, sorry, can-can you move? I gotta—>

-and Logan calls up the tormented souls of the dead-

Megan: oh no

-through the Line-traced hole cut into what's generally assumed to be the Spirit World, half-formed Gastly pour, flowing harmlessly through the Wooloo wool toward their prey-

Ghastly: -howl- whyYyYyy—

Other Ghastly: becaaaause…

Another Ghastly: no one aassked youuu…

-that done, Logan dashes forward, Addie's cheeks brandished on their arm-

-and Megan parries with a claw-

Saitama: <Why.>

-a borrowed claw-

Megan: Because!

Saitama: <Did I ask?>

-he's Paralyzed, but that's fine-

-Megan just swings this Clauncher, that weighs about as much as a bowling ball, against the squirrel her compatriot wields-

Megan and Saitama used Crabhammer!

[[rtl:Logan and Addie used Iron Tail!

Megan and Saitama used Crabhammer!

[[rtl:Logan and Addie used Iron Tail! [[rtl:—used Iron Tail!

-neither of these Pokemon is really trained for extensive close combat-

Megan and Saitama used Crabhammer!

-but one of these humans is, and she has over a head of height and a whole lot of muscle on the other-

Logan: -bashed back, parrying- ...regret.

Addie: -bashed about, parry, thrust- <So much regret.>

Saitama: -bashing- <Oh where would I be, if that woeful day I hadn't—>

-he's enjoying this-

Addie: -scamper- <Hold on, maybe—>

-they stagger on the back foot, Megan grinning apologetically-

-and she disarms Logan of their Pachirisu, sending Addie flying into the bush—and presses her weapon up under their chin-

Logan: -stare- ...

Megan: -smile- Chess metaphor.

Saitama: -grunt-

-and Vee emerges, eating the tormented souls of the dead like [Pac-man] pellets-

Vee: -gleeful- <Shouldn't've shown me where the exit was, jackass—>

Addie: -in a bush- <Language!>

Megan: -triumphant, excited- Vee!

-she waves-

Wisp: -emerging from the same Wooloo- <Distraction~>

Vee: -yelp-

-Vee sweeps herself and Megan out of the way with consummate poise, the blast blowing past them-

-and Addie goes for a do-over, like a cheater-

-before she can absorb it, the Rotom-possessed Capture Line sweeps through, deflecting it back at Megan and Vee-

Vee: !

Megan: !!

-she swipes them out of the way again, but the Line only circles around to knock it back in-

-again and again and again, building power and speed-

Logan: -whistle, outside the spherecage- Checkers metaphor?

-the Electro Ball buzzes past them, stinging more with every close brush-

Logan: Disc in your base, jumping all your pieces…

-Vee's eye roils in its many sockets, following the circling Capture Disc-

-empathically- Hey, you know what'd be fun?

Packing up and going inside for dinner.

Megan: -zapped, distantly- u-uh

Mmm, tasty defeat.

-and Megan finally reacts-

-she tracks the Electro Ball's trajectory, adjusts her grip-

-Vee fumbles a very lightly filled Stardust cartridge into the trident's charge chamber, the head bursts alight-

-the Electro Ball slips through her guard, the walls closing in-

-and Megan hammers it in a roundhouse baseball swing-

-b o o m-

-trailing pinkish-crimson light in its wake, a shockwave erupts from the contact, solid and firm, it screams through the Capture Line like it isn't even there-

Logan: -stopped in their tracks, Styler fizzing-

-into the distance-

Megan: -exhale-

-and everyone watches it go, until it vanishes as a twinkle in the sky-

-distantly, crackle-

-...-

-and the Pokemon cheer-

Yamper: -barks, pursuing the Ball-

-Logan, bruised, worn-out, puts a hand on Megan's slightly singed shoulder, and they smile at the horizon in the direction they struck the spark-

-the warm glow of achievement fills them, the indescribable magnitude of their accomplishment fills them-

Megan: -still smiling- …why did we do that, again?

Logan: -warmly, from emotion and also exertion- Ennui, dear Megan. Ennui.

Megan: -smelling faintly burnt- Was it fun…?

Logan: -softly- I have no idea.

-and they shake her roughly but fondly by the shoulder once, twice—or attempt to, she has rather more mass than them and mostly end up shaking themself-

Logan: -grinace- We have got to find something to do before we go insane.

Megan: -frictus- Mhm.

-they watch Pippy top off the Nickit pile with the fattest Sqwovet, proudly crowned prince of the vulp-buried Berry stash-

-a Blipbug stares at them, as it has been, and a Hoothoot stares at it-

-since they're not looking further, they don't notice the second, smaller Blipbug staring at the Hoothoot from a distance, or the other, larger Hoothoot hungrily eyeing that Blipbug-

-or the third Blipbug, soon to swear vengeance on the second Hoothoot, or the Grubbin minding its own business in the brush-

-a Caterpie worms out of the grass and waves a tiny palp, recognizing fellow-pheromones of a dubious, silky existence still probably not clinging to them-

-...-

Logan: -waving back- ...wanna go to the Professor's lab with me?

Megan: -likewise, shrug-

The Wedding

Kaylan: <So...> (points to Alduin) <...you're the original...> (points to Alduin-B) <...and you're from an alternate universe...> (then, pointing back to Alduin) <...and yet you're named after-> (pointing back to Alduin-B) <-him?>

The Wild Area

(Eventually, after the camp is set up, Kim sighs and sits down on the grass, before taking out all seven of her PokeBalls and throwing them in the air.)

Kim: "Alright..." (throws the balls) "red alert!"

(In a bright blue flash, Paul, Sinatra, Dio, Kaylan, Geddy, and the newly-caught Elton and Freddie emerge from their PokeBalls.)

Elton: (cheerfully) <'Ello there!>

Sinatra: <Hey.>

Geddy: (looking around) <W-where are we?>

Kaylan: <Yeah, this doesn't look like any other place I've been to before.>

Dio: (excitedly) <Whoa... this is AWESOME!>

(Freddie, meanwhile, recognizes the area in an instant, and flinches back in fear.)

Freddie: (terrified) <GAH-!> (he immediately goes to hide behind Kim) <I-is this... is this the Wild Area?!>

Elton: (cheerfully) <You bet it is, Freddie!>

Freddie: (shaking) <Ohhhhh... y-you know I don't like this place, Elton... w-what if there are wild Pokemon... s-scary... d-dangerous wild Pokemon that come out...?!> (He hides deeper in Kim's lab coat.) <W-what am I to do then...?>

Elton: (hopping up to Freddie) <Ah, simple, really. You just go up to them and fight them down like you've never fought them down before!> (He jumps up into the air and performs a few fighting poses, kicking the air a few times, before landing, turning to Freddie, and laughing nervously.) <At least that's what I would do.>

Freddie: (horrified, eyes suddenly growing wider) <Fight them...?!>

Dio: <Of course you fight them! What's wrong with—> (he suddenly notices) <Wait... Kim... you actually caught those two Pokemon?!>

Kim: (smiling) "I sure did. The Scorbunny is Elton; the Sobble is Freddie."

Dio: <That's so COOL!>

Paul: (flies up to them) <Hello, Elton. Hello, Freddie.>

Elton: (cheerfully) <'Ello, Paul!>

Dio: (to Freddie) <Anyways, as I was saying... what's wrong with fighting the opponent?>

Freddie: (shaking) <W-well... t-there's n-nothing really wrong with it, i-it's just that... I-I'm really nervous... I-I'm not sure if I'm going to do all that well regarding moves... a-and more importantly... t-that the opponent is going to hate me...>

Geddy: (stunned, running up to Freddie in sympathy) <Why would they hate you...?!>

Freddie: (shaking) <B-because... I... I attacked them... a-and... a-and...>

Sinatra: (making a "go on" gesture with his paw) <Aaaaaaaaaand...?>

(Freddie doesn't say anything more. In an instant, he begins sniffling, then tearing up, then starts sobbing. The rest of Kim's team, horrified, all begin running over to the terrified Sobble and trying to comfort him.)

Elton: <Freddie?! Freddie, you alright?!>

Freddie: (still sobbing)

Kaylan: <Freddie, it's okay! We- we're your friends! You can talk to us!>

Freddie: (still sobbing)

Dio: (waving his claws in front of Freddie) <Hey! Freddie! Look at this!>

(Freddie does so, tears still streaming down his face. The instant he does, Dio immediately begins to make funny faces, sticking out his tongue and waggling it to try and cheer him up. It doesn't work, however, and Freddie goes right back to crying with fear, causing Dio to sink.)

Dio: <Awwwww... I thought that would work...>

Paul: <It's alright, Dio. You tried your best, and your best was as good as you could do, you know?> (he approaches Freddie) <Hey, Freddie? D-do you want me to sing to you?>

(Freddie continues to sob)

Paul: <I... guess that's a no, then.>

Sinatra: <Well, now what are we gonna do?!> (he turns straight to Kim) <Kim, come on! Do somethin'!>

Kim: (slightly nervous) "Okay..." (pauses, then) "Let me see..."

(She promptly picks up Freddie and tries to cradle him in her arms like a baby, but Freddie is so terrified he is shaking again. So much, in fact, that Kim ends up dropping him to the floor.)

Kim: "Can Ian do anything? Have Raru use Hypnosis again, for instance?"

Elton: <He's not having a panic attack...>

Geddy (coming forward): <Let me handle this.>

(He promptly approaches and taps Freddie on the shoulder.)

Geddy: (calmly) <Freddie...?>

(The poor shivering Sobble turns to him.)

Freddie: <W-what...?>

(Geddy promptly responds by pulling him into a warm, gentle embrace and softly massaging him with his flippers.)

Geddy: (gently) <It's okay.>

Freddie: (sobbing quietly)

Geddy: (gently) <It's okay... there, there... no need to cry...>

Freddie: (sobbing slows down)

Geddy: (continuing to massage him) <...Do you want me to sing to you?>

Freddie: (nods, still crying)

Geddy: (gently) <Okay.> (He turns to Kim.) <Kim, could you please put on something?>

Kim: (smirks) "Oh, I know exactly what to put on."

(She reaches inside, grabs her phone, and plays possibly the softest [Rush] song that has ever been made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G-zanqLD3M. Geddy nods, smiles, then turns back to Freddie and, while still massaging his back, begins to sing:)

Geddy: <Sunlight dances through the leaves

<Soft winds stir the sighing trees

<Lying in the warm grass

<Feel the sun upon your face...>

(Kim, her heart warmed, smiles gently.)

Kim: "He sounds just like his namesake..."

(She sits down and turns to Ian, with the song continuing to be sung by Geddy in the background.)

Kim: "Isn't it simply beautiful, Ian?"

Wedding

Alduin-B: <We're not named after each other.>

Wedgehurst

Seigbert: Darkness powers, eh?

Storm: -sighs- Just take us to the J-Team.

Edited by Umbramatic on Jan 24th 2020 at 8:54:37 AM

Wild Area, Evelyn's Camp

Me: -in rapt attention- It sure is...

Wedgehurst

After everyone climbs on a bird, the three of them take off, Flying over Galar in the direction of Postwick.

"So why do you want to meet them?" Gail asked.

The Wedding

Kaylan: <Oh. Well, then, who are you named after?>

Wild Area- Evelyn's Camp

(Kim smiles, and takes out her notebook. In the background, Geddy is still singing.)

Geddy: <...It feels so good to see the smiles

<Of friends who never left your mind

<When you were away...>

(As Geddy continues, Freddie slowly stops shaking, and his tears continue to fall. He sniffles a bit. Kim smiles, then turns to her notebook and writes the following:)

GEDDY IS PROBABLY THE SWEETEST POPPLIO I HAVE EVER MET. HE IS CURRENTLY SINGING "RIVENDELL" TO FREDDIE. AKA THE SOFTEST SONG RUSH HAS EVER RECORDED. I AM ABOUT TO START CRYING.

AND SPEAKING OF FREDDIE...

NEW POKEMON CAUGHT: ELTON THE SCORBUNNY. VERY OPTIMISTIC, CHEERY, AND UNLIKE FREDDIE IS VERY MUCH A FIGHTER. SO HE SAYS, I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY SEEN HIM FIGHT YET, BUT ACCORDING TO THE POKEDEX SCORBUNNY HAVE GREAT KICKING SKILLS. IF FREDDIE IS UPSET OR FEARFUL ABOUT SOMETHING, ELTON IS USUALLY THERE TO CHEER HIM UP. THEY HAVE A RATHER SWEET DYNAMIC. ALSO ELTON HAS A PRETTY THICK COCKNEY ACCENT. FIGURES.

NEW POKEMON CAUGHT: FREDDIE THE SOBBLE. VERY PANICKY AND EXTREMELY FRAGILE. AFRAID OF JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING, INCLUDING BATTLES, WEDDINGS, WILD POKEMON, AND LIKELY EVOLUTION. HE IS ELTON'S FOIL, AND APPEARS TO HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GEDDY. FIGURES; THEIR NAMES RHYME. CRIES VERY OFTEN, AND IS NOT VERY CONFIDENT IN HIMSELF. PART OF ME WANTS TO SEE HIM GET MORE CONFIDENT, AND YET ALSO SOME PART OF ME WANTS TO SEE HIM STAY AS THE SHY AND ADORABLE CINNAMON ROLL THAT HE IS EVEN AS AN INTELEON. ALSO, I ONLY JUST NOW NOTICED THAT HIS CHAMELEON GRIPPERS ARE SMALLER THAN THOSE OF A REGULAR SOBBLE'S. I WON'T SAY ANYTHING, OF COURSE.

(She looks up back towards the Sobble, who is still being comforted by Geddy. By now, he has hit the final chorus, and the song is about to end due to Kim having listened in while writing the above. Freddie, meanwhile, has stopped shaking.')

Geddy: <You feel there's something calling you

<You're wanting to return

<To where the misty mountains rise and friendly fires burn

<A place you can escape the world where the dark lord cannot go

<Piece of mind and sanctuary by loud water's flow...>

(The song ends. Instantly, Kim picks up her phone and turns off the music, so that the sudden switch to the next song does not startle Freddie. Geddy, meanwhile, goes up to him and gently wipes away his tears, smiling.)

Geddy: (softly) <There. You feeling better?>

Freddie: (sniffs) <Uh-huh...>

Geddy: (smiles) <Good.> (turns back to the rest of Kim's Pokemon, only to find that every single one of them have fallen asleep) <Oh...>

Kim: (chuckles)

Operations HQ, yeesh, December!

Okay hold on I can do better. Ahem.

"To the greedy scientist who worked with the villainous Cipher and Mobius groups.
You betray not only our fractured and bleeding multiverse with your current actions, but also betray the groups you choose to support. Your desire for power, resources and safety have led us, the Phantom Thieves to be brought to notice. Tonight we shall descent on your stolen sanctum and take the Treasure you sought to hide there.
Here's to you missus Robinson, perhaps you shall find a new light once deprived of your corrupted desire."

Susan: I'm still shocked how easily you can come up with those.

Shift: <Ooh, do mine next! Sarcastic, in case ya didn't know.>

Wild Area, Today

-Gale is encamped here, sitting in front of her tent as she watches a currently-cooking cauldron of curry. Her pokemon are wandering about, though the Rookidee has wandered over to sit on her shoulder-

Rookidee: <Bird lady from yesterday... She was good yes?>

What, the "human"?

Rookidee: <Mhm! Takes a real shining to us, seemed nice. I- What's the word... Stan?>

You stan Nocturnal? You're like a little acolyte.

Rookidee: <Good word that. Is that a name?>

Acolyte?

Rookidee: <Mhm! Is it available?>

Well I guess if you want to be called Acolyte I guess you can.

-She chuckles softly and gives the bird a pat-

Edited by Pentigan on Jan 25th 2020 at 2:34:27 AM

Abandoned Operations HQ

Paula: "Perfect! I love it. She's gonna be so pissed."

Rose: "Yeah. Uh."

-She fidgets slightly-

Rose: "...So, um, there's at least some people here who see the Donphan in the room, right? About what happens once we win."