PMD-B-D6-Armory

-/Duck/ emerges from the wall and looks around-

/Duck/: <Hm. Human-targeting toxic agents are not something I expected.>

Motostoke

That sounds nice Desmond. I'll have to do my research on where to eat at.

Acolyte: <And mine is a shameless flirt.>

Hunter's Guild Temp HQ

Sphinx: I feel generous today. Castle, Ma'at. Make the necessary arrangements. It's been so long since I had an apprentice.

Ma'at: Your will be done, sir.

Sphinx: It's so hard to find good help these days. Do not disappoint me. You would find that the others above me to be much more stringent in their demands.

PMD-B, D6

Me: <Human-targeting...>

Evelyn: <...toxic agents?>

Piku-chan and Hatty: <I guess it's safe to assume that as long as you guys are in your current forms, you'll be just fine...>

Me: <Just a question: Are these "toxic agents" also harmful to plant-life?>

At the others arriving, Stylus looked over, <We're going on a expedition to the surface with Artyom and Anna, apparently there is a Dark One up there.>

Artyom nodded at /Duck/, "We wouldn't still be living down here if we could go topside. The world is not hospitable for us."

The Quartermaster spoke up, "Plant life is fine, if you can find any buried under the snow."

Castle let out a laugh, "I was just about to leave Domino to his own devices until jobs started rolling in, however some guidance could work. What do you think?"

"Keeps him under control," Delta said stepping out of the dark, "He's not ready for my organization."

"Or mine," J commented stepping out, she placed her hands on her hips, "So experienced in his world, so naive in ours."

PMD-B, D6

Me: <That's a relief...>

Piku-chan: <Looks like the flower planting idea isn't as farfetch'd as we had imagined...>

-Beat-

Piku-chan, Hatty, Evelyn and I: <...but WHERE are we gonna GET the flowers?>

Edited by AnimeboyIanpower on Mar 15th 2020 at 11:00:17 AM

-that is considerate—Empoleon are very flammable, after all u-u-

Pollen: -angrily crunches a pollen puff-

Fraidy: -tiny sneeze-

Vee: -fangy needle smile- <You know it, buddy.>

-she gives Ever's hand another contrary shake, before allowing it to splortch out of her- <Not gonna make it too easy, thooough~> ,3

Megan: -sheepishy- Ahaha, thank you.

-curious- ...are you planning on doing it today…?

-the action cut seems to go unnoticed by this squirrel girl-

Addie: -snicker- <I'm glad. Hey, thumbs might be a part of why humans run things, too.>

-she flexes her little claws, demonstratively, and winks-

-popping a peanut into her mouth- <Two legs, delicious tech, kind hearts…but to me, what makes them my partner will always be that they're Logan.>

-speaking of whomst, said individual (Logan, apparently) wraps up their set-

-they stand atop the light post, take a bow, to...what could be applause, as the Meowth start scuffles and the Milcery stop hawking cotton candy and remember that they're made of candy—and drop nimbly to the ground, bending over to examine a hat they've left at the lamp's base as the crowd disperses-

Addie: -grin- <Wanna say hi?>

-hello, readers-

-we're back today with another very special presentation: examination of proper behavior in a Gym-like environment, such as a Gym-

-this examination will occur using two examples: one of gallantry, and one...not-

-yes, this will be on the test-

Hiro: -cracks knuckles- May as well get started.

-you see, Hiro displays enthusiasm and a can-do attitude from the start, expressing himself with both physical language and a declaration of intent-

-he sighs heartily and walks into the arena's waiting room, up to the front desk-

Receptionist: Hello, there! May I have your name?

Hiro: -wince- You can call me Hiro Alithea, number 407.

Receptionist: Well, Hiro Alithea, number 407—everything's in order, your challenge is ready. Remind me what tier you're challenging?

Hiro: Journey tier, please.

Receptionist: Of course. Good luck out there!

Hiro: -walking past- Thank you.

-you may notice that Hiro is already in uniform—politely prepared for the trial ahead-

-now, for the other example.-

Abilene: -sigh, at some other time- Let's get this over with.

-Abilene, here, allows her ennui to seep into the world, darkening the skies around her with the susurration of dozens of dread Natu-

-largely absent, perhaps, and psychically nigh-unnoticeable, besides—but present in her demeanor and je ne sais quoi-

-notice how she is not wearing her uniform, and has no intent to-

-she taps her cane and walks into the arena's waiting room, up to the front desk-

Receptionist: Hello, there! May I have your name?

Abilene: No, you may not. I am Abilene Macraul, and I'm here for the Gym challenge.

Receptionist: Certainly!

Abilene: And don't dally. If you do, my sponsor will hear about it. Competitive tier.

Receptionist: -taking it?- Y-yes, right.

-Abilene pushes past and enters the challenge area-

Receptionist: M-miss? You need to be in uniform for—oh, why do I bother.

-the dejected receptionist looks down at the bumpy League Card of Abilene, challenger number 420-

-where her portrait would be, she's instead displayed a potted plant wearing a Galar Gym uniform-

-it's difficult to say that this is unprofessional, given the context, but it's decidedly unorthodox-

-yes, the plant is hemp-

Edited by Asterisk395 on Mar 15th 2020 at 12:10:59 PM

Turffield, Spectator Center

Ever: U_U

PEFE!Every: Um...I mean, I suppose I could?

-she looks deeply nervous-

Might as well get it over with. Do you think they'd be willing to kick me out if I lose to the first Gym?

Ever: I heard that, and no.

Circhester Club, outside

-Narrow and Merle have regrouped outside the burning nightclub, which is being put out by a group of stressed-looking Cramorant-

Narrow: <Hey, Merle. How's it going?>

Merle: -visibly bleeding, hat askew (concerning since it's part of her), limping, one wing at an awkward angle-

Narrow: <Well, yeah, but did you get the documents?>

Merle: (growl) <I did not.>

Narrow: <...Oh.>

Merle: <Some bird I've never seen— I think she said she was a Corvisquire— she called herself Dreamedge, and she beat me to the papers.>

Narrow: <...Not to rub it in, but it looks like she beat a lot more than that.>

Merle: -stare-

Narrow: <Too soon?>

Merle: <It will forever be too soon.>

-she groans-

<We're going to need to track them down. I'm not sure how we're supposed to do it...she could be anywhere. If she left behind any clues...>

Narrow: <Uh...>

Merle: <All I need is some sign of her presence. A feather, a bit of blood. I can start figuring out who she is, and where she went.>

Narrow: <Merle, you might want to turn around.>

Merle: -turns-

Chickenscratch Drawn in 10-foot Tall Gasoline Letters on the Burning Street: DREAMEDGE WAS HERE

Merle: <...Oh. Well, that might help.>

Edited by memyselfandI2 on Mar 15th 2020 at 9:21:53 AM

Stormchaser, December

-To Echo-

...You don't have to hide.

I've never seen her so... shaken before.

Hunter's Guild Temp Base

Sphinx: It's settled, then. My organization seems more... forgiving of the growing pains our newcomer is bound to experience.

The drone containing Ma'at approaches and prints out details. They appear to be the coordinates of a safehouse.

Sphinx: Should you choose, you are free to use the facilities in these coordinates. That should keep you comfortable until further instruction.

Tuffield Ruins

-Liz shakes her head.-

Elizabeth: "An itch in the back of my head. Not like when she's trying to speak. Like...something's not right in the world."

Turffield Outskirts

<Yeah, it must be nice having.. fingers.> He looks pointedly at his nubs. Then Addie draws his attention back to Logan.

<Sure, why not?> He says, largely and blissfully unaware of and uninvolved in J-Team matters that would've made him aware of Logan's existence previously.

Edited by Daydre on Mar 16th 2020 at 4:46:35 AM

Stormchaser - Rosepoint

-Lucius narrows his eyes at Rose for a moment, then takes another long swig of his drink.-

Lucius: ...Well, I guess that's a "better than expected, worse than hoped" scenario. For the record, you don't sound any different, which is encouraging. But I was kinda hoping it'd just be Paula's memories that came back, not... Paula. Which I know is absurd, because you're Paula and always have been, if we're being technical about it. It's just that, knowing what she was like and what she did... the thought of someone running around with that kind of mentality still makes me uneasy. Does that make sense?

-He sighs.-

Lucius: Maybe I need to send Bishop out. He's got a better perspective on these kinda things than I have.

Edited by Herbert40k on Mar 16th 2020 at 12:04:46 PM

Hunter Temporary Base

Domino looked over the coordinates.

"...ok."

He turned and left.

Me an apprentice? No matter. My capabilities will quickly become apparent to them, especially this Sphinx guy.

Stormchaser — Rosepoint

Rose: Mmm. Yeah, I don't blame ya.

-She takes a drink.-

Rose: You don't have to worry about me falling back into old habits, I can promise you that much. My Cipher days are long gone, and just remembering 'em makes me wanna puke. And I'd love to say that I'm just, y'know, Rose plus memories, but... fuck. When you suddenly recall doing things with your own two hands, it's gonna fuck you up, y'know? You can't separate that shit no matter how much you want to.

Scarlette: ...Well, you're definitely handling it better than I did. First thing I did when I got my memories back was swear vengeance on Necrozma. Literally the first words out of my mouth.

Rose: I really can't blame ya.

Stormchaser

-Echo's first response is what sounds like a single, choked, restrained sob. It's immediately followed by what's best described as a frustrated growl.-

Echo: You need. To leave.

-She still hasn't turned around to face him.-

Stormchaser - Rosepoint

Lucius: ...Yeah, now you're sounding more like her.

-He grimaces, and his eyes end up resting at the bottom of his drink.-

Lucius: Not that I have that kinda excuse. My only excuse is that I'm an idiot who let his own sense of trauma and self-righteousness drive him to make a whole lot of fucked-up choices, do some really fucked-up things, and now... now I have to live with the consequences of all of that. Guess we're not really all that different, to tell the truth.

-He looks back up at Rose, meeting her eyes for the first time since entering the room.-

Lucius: You remember the first time we met now, right? Be honest with me. Do you think I would've ended up down the same path, if I hadn't had Alice or the team or any of my friends to keep me off of it?

Edited by Herbert40k on Mar 16th 2020 at 3:44:46 PM

Stormchaser — Rosepoint

-For a moment, Rose is quiet, mulling over the question.-

Rose: ...I think... I don't think you would have gone down my path. It would've been a totally different one for you. Maybe just as bad, but definitely not the same way.

-She takes a drink.-

Rose: Bishop... he's an ex-Shadow, right? And from what I know, you've been together since before this whole J-Team stuff, right? I think that's a good enough sign of a decent moral compass that Ardos could never have had the same field day with you that he did with me. You've got others' wellbeing in mind, even if you don't have the greatest track record with your methods.

-She glances between him and Scarlette briefly.-

Rose: ...For me, it was just a power high. I decided my parents sucked — they fuckin' did, don't get me wrong — and ran halfway across the globe just so I could do whatever I wanted. And the biggest, bluest creep in Cipher found me, and gave me the idea to join.

-She finishes her can, and crushes it in her hand.-

Rose: Even then, I was like, "that sounds a little fucked up", and turned him down the first time. But when that's the first person you meet who thinks you're worth something more than just a bratty teenage asshole, it fuckin' gets to you, especially the next time someone kicks your ass for being a bratty teenage asshole. But I don't think it would've happened to you. Or at least, it would've taken a hell of a lot more grooming than it took for me.

Stormchaser - Rosepoint

-Lucius falls silent, his eyes dropping to the floor.-

Lucius: ...Maybe. I think you're right about a lot of that. All the awful shit I did was of my own violition, after all. I mean, my parents were both terrible in their own right... but I didn't even need Iron to stalk me, I sought them out myself, and that was after I'd already found a family. I didn't need any encouragement to be my worst self.

-He also finishes his drink in one last swig, but doesn't drop it, instead letting the dregs swill around in the bottom.-

Lucius: Bishop... again, he deals with this way better than I do. He... I've always tried to talk him out of the mindset, but he takes the blame for everything he ever did as a Shadow. I keep telling him that it wasn't him back then, that he was made that way, that he wasn't in control. He gives me this sad smile and tells me that it was him, in a way... just him without any empathy, any connection to others, any restraints on what he did. Even though he was tortured, even though he was forced to be that way, he still feels like he has to take the blame.

-He goes quiet again for nearly half a minute before he continues.-

Lucius: I... I don't know if there's any parallels there. I almost feel bad for suggesting that there might be. You and I, we both made our choices. You... you made the choice to inflict that on others, to torture mons like Bishop, to make other's lives a misery. But... you're here now. You're answering to someone similarly wretched like me, not because you have to, but because I asked you to. And that... that counts for something, at least in my book. Dunno how much that's worth overall, but... yeah.

Edited by Herbert40k on Mar 17th 2020 at 6:40:34 PM

PMD-B D6 Armory

Me: -to Stylus- <Dark One? W-what's that?> -to Ian- <I don't know. Guess, it's just luck.>

Stormchaser — Rosepoint

-Rose sighs. A sad smile, similar to the one Lucius just described, falls on her face.-

Rose: There's not much I can do but keep trying to be better, then. I don't really... want there to be parallels between myself and the ones who were hurt by people like me. I just want to be better.

-She glances at Scarlette again, who looks like she's been trying to think of something to say.-

Rose: ...Scar?

Scarlette: ...You also went to Team Skull. And— and, at the end of the last day I— we— were with Iron... was that you there, too?

Rose: ...Yeah. I was trying to help undermine Team Iron — and Mobius, too. It was something I thought I could use to justify me still, y'know, existing. As for Team Skull... I guess I just saw myself in them. A bunch of teenage assholes causing trouble. And then I stepped in at the head when Guzma and Plumeria both left, 'cause they needed some sorta glue to keep 'em from getting themselves involved in something worse.

Scarlette: ...Mmm.

Stormchaser - Rosepoint

-Lucius makes a noise that could be interpreted as a chuckle, if you listen to it right.-

Lucius: ...That's good to hear. Really, it is. As long as there's other people around to make sure you stick with that desire to be better. Speaking of which...

-He reaches for his belt and sends out one of his mons.-

Bishop: <Oh? Is something the matter?>

Lucius: Not quite. I... we were just having a kinda heavy conversation, and it'd be nice to hear your opinion. This is Scar, who, uh... who was in Iron with me, and, um...

-He trails off, but Bishop seems to fill in the gaps by himself, a look of recognition on his face as he gives a nod to Rose.-

Bishop: <Ah. Hello.>

Circhester PMC

Narrow: <So are you...okay?>

Merle: Nurse said I should be good to go in a few days.

-Merle is in a bird-sized hospital bed, heavily bandaged and looking a little sleepy-

Narrow: <The nurse also openly questioned what we're doing in Galar, so. Are you in a lot of pain?>

Merle: I'm on fantastic drugs. I'm going to steal them all before we leave.

Narrow: <Uh, you are very much speaking in Galarian, not Monese.>

Nurse Joy: Lock up the Stadol.

Chansey: <On it.>

Merle: <Won't help them.>

Narrow: <You should probably stop talking.>

Merle: <I've forgotten how...>

Nurse Joy: Oh. You have a visitor, little Murkrow.

Merle: <Don't condescend to me, you godless ass.>

Narrow: -recording video on a stolen phone-

Nurse Joy: And they're...also not a human. Okay.

-she leaves the room, leaving the door open for Ephemera to poke her head in-

Narrow: <Oh. There you are.>

Ephemera: -Aipom-

-she holds up some flowers-

Narrow: <...I'm not sure what your point here is.>

Ephemera: -Shuppet Wooloo-

Narrow: <Uh-huh. Merle probably could have used your help earlier.>

Ephemera: -Chatot Shuppet-

Merle: <It's fine. I just need your help to track down a Corvisquire.>

Ephemera: -Falinks, Clefable. Dunsparce?-

Merle: <Wh—no!>

-Merle moves to glare at Ephemera, then winces, flopping back into the bed-

Narrow: <We're not getting humans involved. This is a bird thing.>

Ephemera: -...Meowstic-

Narrow: <That's different.>

Ephemera: -Stonjourner?-

Narrow: <...Never mind that.>

Ephemera: -Slakoth-

Edited by memyselfandI2 on Mar 16th 2020 at 11:03:50 AM

Clavis Entertainment

Receptionist: Mrs. Drieter, there is someone kid here with their Infernape Sandyghast, and Ralts claiming they are a J-Team member and is here for a meeting with Mr. Clavis.

Sara: -over the speaker- Mr. Clavis doesn't have and meetings like that scheduled, nor is he expecting anyone. But I'll be down as soon as I can gather Rio and Roswell. Between the three of us we can sort this out. Have them wait on the green bench in the lobby.

Receptionist: Yes ma'am.

-The Receptionist looks up at Halis, Flamel, Odin, and Mer with a lot more scrutiny than before.-

Receptionist: Please wait on that green bench until someone comes to get you. Please refrain from wandering around until your escort arrives.

-The receptionist points to an evergreen-colored bench - and the only green colored bench in the lobby btw - in the center of the lobby.-

-Flamel, Odin, and Mer - and maybe Halis, depending on how perceptive they are - might notice several people starting to watch them with great focus.-

-Apparently, saying you had a meeting when you didn't has raised some red flags.-

Edited by keys2tkingdom on Mar 16th 2020 at 1:55:01 PM

Edited by Umbramatic on Mar 16th 2020 at 2:51:55 PM

Turffeild, Will

Dr. Multimom: Good luck, kid.

Turffeild, Elizabeth

Julius: Do you need anything?

Ishtar: Dehydrated. You might be dehydrated.

Turffeild, Big Savings

Coil: Show us the way, then.

Outside Ersatz Alliance

-Mog reels back from the Iron head before swinging forward in a Karate Chop-

Trojian: <Go General, go General!>

-the other Falinks units have pom-poms-

Clavis Entertainment

-Everyone begrudgingly sits on the Bench, except Odin, who hides under it-

Flamel: < Careful, I think we're being watched.>

Turffeild Gym

-Magnus takes out the Gossifleur with another Sludge Wave-

Milo: Go, Edelgoss! Dynamax!

-the Edelgoss EMBIGGENS-

Magnus: {YOUR TREMENDOUS GIRTH DOES NOT PHASE M-}

=Max Strike-

-They're down-

Julius: ...Shit.

   Loptous: ~You're in a corner. What do you do?~   

PMD-B, D6

Me: <Anyways... What's a "Dark One"?>