Hammerlocke

-PEFE!Every is in a cafe, on her laptop and fiddling with something-

Apple-a-Day: -leans over her shoulder-

PEFE!Every: What is it, Ever—

-she pauses-

PEFE!Every: You're not Ever. I think.

Apple-a-Day: People keep questioning it. I hear you're an evil scientist?

PEFE!Every: I think that's sort of reductive. Are you sure you're not Ever?

Apple-a-Day: A body does start to wonder after a while. Do you mind coming with me? I could sort of use an evil scientist consult.

PEFE!Every: Oh, this is a kidnapping?

Apple-a-Day: ...Well, no—

PEFE!Every: I sort of feel like I'm being kidnapped. Can I pack up first? I need to save some documents.

Apple-a-Day: You're not using cloud storage?

PEFE!Every: You know, I don't trust non-local storage? I just keep a few backups. This will only take a minute.

Apple-a-Day: Again, I should really stress I'm just asking for a few minutes of your time—

PEFE!Every: It's okay, really, I'm a professional. This happens a lot, I'm very used to it—

Apple-a-Day: Ma'am this is not a kidnapping—

PEFE!Every: Hm, I'm pretty sure you are Ever—

Ever: Oh, Pef, there you are. I was wondering if you wanted to—

-...-

-...-

PEFE!Every: Huh. Ever, do you know this person?

Ever: Not personally.

Apple-a-Day: I keep being mistaken for you.

Ever: It's a common problem. Are you kidnapping my cousin?

Apple-a-Day: I must again stress that I'm literally only asking to talk to her.

Ever: I'll be honest, I truly do not care either way.

PEFE!Every: I am right here.

Ever: Like, it pretty much just means I can fill my schedule for the day, which is fine 'cause I didn't have any plans anyway—

Apple-a-Day: Hm.

Ever: So.

Apple-a-Day: ...So.

Ever: Nice costume. I like the, uh...tutu?

Apple-a-Day: I mean...I guess kind of.

Ever: If there's a better term—

Apple-a-Day: I really don't know what this kind of skirt is called.

Ever: No, but it is really nice. Where'd you get it?

Apple-a-Day: I don't think I should compromise my secret identity...

Ever: Yeah, I get that.

Apple-a-Day: ...So I'll be going, then?

Ever: No, no, I...no, we should talk.

Apple-a-Day: ...Eh.

-...-

Ever: I'm between you and the door, you know.

-...-

Apple-a-Day: Saved your work?

PEFE!Every: All done.

Apple-a-Day: -picks PEFE!Every's laptop off the table, handing it to her-

-...-

Ever: So—

Apple-a-Day: -flips the table in Ever's direction and bolts-

Glimwood Deeps, Sometime Whenever

Logan: -claps hands together- Alright.

Logan: If we don't want to hide out from PR disaster forever—

Abilene: You're experiencing PR nothing and I'm not hiding—

Logan: —then we need a plan of attack.

Abilene: More aggressive than your usual fare.

Logan: -snap- Opinion attack!

Logan: My face is dumb.

Abilene: Your face is—damn it.

-Logan snickers, Abilene sighs, and Megan raises her hand-

Addie: -longsuffering- <You don't need to raise your hand, Megan.>

Megan: It feels. Polite.

Addie: <What were you going to ask?> :o

Megan: What. Do?

Logan: We're going to lean into your rivalry. :o

-Beat-

Abilene & Megan: What?!

Logan: It's simple! Abilene needs some excitement that's not related to very visibly putting her Pokémon in harm's way—and some healthier competition—and a bit less richie-rich arrogance—

Abilene: Yes no I understood that part—

Addie: <You did do a big, traditional public fight right before a Gym match—>

Logan: And Megan needs a more comfortable setting to strut her stuff!

Megan: In what way do we have a rivalry—

Logan: -pointedly- You are still representing the Rangers, after all.

Megan: oh geez

Abilene: Quiet.

Megan: No.

Logan: :D

Abilene: You as well.

-...-

Abilene: But keep talking.

Logan: -shrug- Y'all've been with each other through thick and thin. You're both more comfortable sparring against each other than, well…

Addie: -piping up- <Giant crowds, Gym Leaders...or progenitors of your family line.>

Megan: …

Abilene: …

Logan: -incline head- Other kinds of excitement could be in the works, but this'll be our bread and butter.

-the pair of them sit there, neither willing to be the first to concede "fair enough"-

Addie: <And people ship it.>

Abilene/Megan: w h a t

-they blink at the unison, then very consciously recoil from each other-

-Logan snickers—it's going to be a long night-

Alas, Upper Crust

Abilene: -murmur, below earshot- Gaspard? Allow me to introduce you to someone someday.

-directing a command- Even if you'd not branch out into Leafeon, I'm sure she could teach you and yours the ways of more...vicious Eevee. I'll not see you undefended.

Abilene: -inclining her head, more loudly- Tomorrow, we'll learn to fish. As he says, I'm content to fillet today. Castanea?

-with the flick of her hand, he raises his arms, sprouting volatile seed-pods, and—-

-in the spirit of point-defense, a hail of seeds meets the barrage of icicles-

-cacophony, and neither party moves-

Abilene: -frowns- I'm nearing my limit.

-check (and another six seconds of stalemate)-

Abilene: -drawing herself upright- I'll graciously ignore the implication that I'm anyone's hench-anything. I'll accept the accusation of competency.

-she flips her hair-

-Blackglasses abyss-dark- Last chance. Apologize.

Ballonlea, Today

-ah, Ballonlea-

-why anyone would want to build a habitation under stories-tall, glowing mushrooms is anyone's guess, but build they did and here we are-

-Spritzee are singing, flowers are blooming—Chinchou frolic in the trees-

-on days like these, kids like you-

-...the sound of plinking strings wafts from a corner of the town-

Stow-on-Side Stadium, Stands

A Kecleon approaches the upset Kim.

Kec: Hey, uh, Kim? Just so you know Hoops and I have been standing over there watching you cry for like two minutes. They were too awkward to interrupt, so I'm coming over here now.

He waves over at Hoops, who is standing awkwardly with a small plastic bag. They walk over slowly and take the seat next to Kim.

Hoops: Hi. Sorry to, you know, interrupt. I have pasties and other snacks if you want them.

They hold up the plastic bag.

Stow-on-Side Stands

(Ozzy suddenly pauses upon hearing the voice and turns to Kim.)

Ozzy: <Kimberly! Look!>

(Kim looks up, sobbing— and when she sees Hoops and Kec there her eyes widen.)

Kim: "Hoops?!" (She pauses in shock, wiping her tears away.) "W-what are you doing here?! I thought you said you were leaving!"

Stow-on-Side, Stands

Hoops: Well, I did, and I was doing some training in the area. And then I came back into town to get supplies and I happened to see that you guys were challenging the gym today. So I thought it would be rude if I didn't at least come and watch the battles. I got these pasties for myself, but you were crying, so I thought you could probably use one.

Kec: I told them to offer you one

Hoops: Yeah, so I've got some meat ones, some vegetarian ones if that's what you like. There's even a vegan one, but it's a bit crumbly. Anyway, I'll be leaving again after your battles.

Stow-on-Side Stadium, VS Bea and Allister

Allister: Runerigus' Special Ability... Wandering Spirit. Any Pokémon who attacks Runerigus with a move that makes physical contact, like Peck or Iron Tail, will have their ability stolen by Runerigus and replaced with Wandering Spirit. It essentially trades the combatants' Abilities... Now Runerigus has Torrent...

Me: ...and Ritchie has Wandering Spirit. But, Runerigus has no Water-type moves, so Torrent would be of no use to it.

Allister: It's also of no use to Ritchie, who has Water-type moves.

Bea: Now, Sirfetch'd! Use Leaf Blade!

Allister: Runerigus, use Earthquake!

-Bea's Sirfetch'd lunges at Sandra with lance in hand and tries to slash at her, whereas Allister's Runerigus slams its stone-like body into the ground, causing the very stadium to tremble, knocking Sandra, Ritchie AND Sirfetch'd off balance.-

Stow-on-Side- The Stands

(Kim takes the pasties from Hoops.)

Kim: (grateful) "T-thank you Hoops... I was not expecting you to come here... I've been talking to a very sweet and happy Galvantula for the past few minutes and—"

(Seconds later, the stadium shakes from the Earthquake. Kim looks around for a few moments, holding on to her pasties— before looking down at the battlefield.)

Kim: (still a bit in tears) "O-oh... it's their battle. This should be... interesting, to say the least..."

Stow-on-Side Stadium, Stands

Hoops: Yeah, this battle is intense

They nervously take a bite of their pastie, and drink some water.

Kec: Go on

Hoops: So... I'm not so good at this whole thing, but why were you crying? Maybe telling me about it would help.

Edited by theoncominghoop on Feb 12th 2021 at 10:28:08 AM

Stow-on-Side— The Stands

Kim: "W-well..."

Ozzy: <Go on, Kimberly.>

(Kim looks down sadly at her phone, noticing her messages with 9-Volt, and nods.)

Kim: "Well, first of all... Rever... blocked me."

Stow-on-Side Stadium, VS Bea and Allister

Bea's Sirfetch'd: -clearly irked- <OY! WATCH WHOSE FEET YOU SHAKE THE GROUND UNDER, RUNERIGUS!>

Allister's Runerigus: <D-Dreadfully sorry, Sirfetch'd... It won't happen again... At least, I hope it doesn't...>

Me: I think this might be our chance, Ritchie! Use Bubble Beam!

Evelyn: Sandra! Combine your Ember with Ritchie's Bubble Beam!

Ritchie: <So mote it be!>

Sandra: <This should be fun!>

-Ritchie and Sandra spin around together, unleashing a barrage of fire sparks and bubbles which meld into a sparkling curtain of scarlet, purple and blue bubbles and embers at Runerigus and Sirfetch'd.-

Evelyn and I: We like to call this combination "Firework Curtain"!

Stow-on-Side Stadium, Stands

Hoops: I don't know who -

Kec: Just listen

Hoops: I mean, that sounds rough, Kim. Was this person a close friend of yours?

Stow-on-Side

Kim: "Remember Colton Kendall Rever? Yeah... that's who I'm talking about. And... well... we participated in a Battle of the Bands together, so I like to think we were friends."

(She paused.)

Kim: "I was talking to his Galvantula... his name is 9-Volt... he is very sweet..."

Stow-on-Side Stadium, Stands

Hoops: I see. So, what, you feel rejected or something? Feels kind of dumb

Kec: Hoops!

Hoops: What? I mean, as far as I see it, that's one person who's acted like an arsehole towards you by blocking you. I mean, I don't know what you might have done to make this guy block you, but you didn't say that they asked you to stop doing it first. And even if they did, who cares what one person does? You have a whole team of pokemon that adore you, Ian and Evelyn are travelling across the region with you, and you probably have a bunch of other friends who value you. I don't know, it just feels strange to fixate on one person like that

They fall silent and go back to eating their pastie.

Stow-on-Side— The Stands

Ozzy: <It's funny you should mention that— that's exactly the reason Colton blocked her. She was too fixated on him to the point of incessance. Now as for why... well...>

Kim: (deadpan) "I was jealous of him. And I still am. And I feel guilty because of it. I feel like... well, Rever knows Japanese fluently, has darkness powers, and stopped a threat to the multiverse... and I have nothing. I was... expecting something bigger when I joined the J-Team, to be honest."

(She pauses.)

Kim: "Hang on."

(She types into her phone:)

Textspace

Stow-on-Side Stadium, VS Bea and Allister

-The Firework Curtain hits Runerigus and Sirfetch'd, causing Sirfetch'd to start dancing as though his feet were on fire.-

Allister: Runerigus, use Shadow Claw on Ritchie!

Me: Ritchie, when I give the signal, use Bubble Beam on Runerigus!

-Ritchie nods and stands ready to attack, as Allister's Runerigus sharpens his ethereal claws and slithers towards him.-

Bea: Sirfetch'd! Stop dancing and use Brutal Swing!

-Bea's Sirfetch'd regains his footing and charges into the fray, his leek lance glowing with a dark aura of violence, and moves his lance to strike Sandra, Ritchie and Runerigus.-

Me: Not yet...

-Allister's Runerigus gets into range and slashes at Ritchie with Shadow Claw.-

Me: NOW! Contact has been made!

-An otherworldly aura surrounds Ritchie and Allister's Runerigus as a strange force switches their powers around, but their powers weren't the only things switched... After regaining Torrent from Runerigus, Ritchie does a backflip and pelts Runerigus with a rapid-fire stream of bubbles. Then the Brutal Swing attack hits.-

Allister: Contact has been- Wait... That's not right! Nononononononononononononono...

-An otherworldly aura surrounds Bea's Sirfetch'd and Allister's Runerigus as a strange force switches their powers around, but their powers weren't the only things switched...-

Allister's Runerigus: <HEY! WATCH WHO YOU'RE HITTING WITH THAT THING!>

Bea's Sirfetch'd: <Well, whose idea was it to get in the way of my attack, huh? Wait...>

-Bea's Sirfetch'd and Allister's Runerigus look at each other and, like with Runerigus and Ritchie, start screaming.-

Bea's Sirfetch'd: <AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!>

Allister's Runerigus: <AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!>

Bea: Here We Go Again!

Allister: Don't you just hate when that happens?

Circhester Stadium, Challenge Area

-Agnes moves on through the various rooms, finally making it to one where there's a freaking blizzard-

Agnes: -coughs, bracing against the storm- C'mon, Agnes, keep going. -she pushes forward through the storm-

-following the pings from her detector, she makes her way towards the nearest trainer platform-

Ballonlea

-Star is sitting on a rock near the Pokémon Center, watching the Chinchou frolic-

-Mostly a specific Chinchou at play with the others-

-She turns to watch the nearby musician, and when they're done, she applauds-

Star: That was nice. What's the song called?

-The specific Chinchou lands on top of Star's head-

Julian: <Any songs about Chinchou?>

Mementos, Armory Path

-As Robin Hood disappears-

Gotta keep a lookout, they could be anywhere.

-Winces as Mokele-Mbembe takes some damage from the Dark Pulse-

Mokele-Mbembe: -Fires another boosted Psychic at Grunt, while Galen and Omoikane fire Psychics at Brute-

Edited by rmctagg09 on Feb 12th 2021 at 10:22:27 AM

Ballonlea

-who responds is a cheerful-looking person◊ with Lichtenburg scars up their arms, accompanied by a Pachirisu and holding a guitar◊ that really doesn't seem like it should be making the acoustic sounds it is-

-they sparkle strangely distinctly from the city around them, but perk up when they notice they've been addressed-

Logan: -brightly- It's "The Last Spell"!

Addie: -waves- <Hello!> :P

Logan: -strum- Can't remember where it's from, really, but it seemed to fit— -gestures to the rather blatantly magical wood-

-then Julian pipes up, getting their attention-

-they stop, regard him…-

-close their eyes, tilt their head a bit-

-...tap their foot almost on rhythmic reflex, and play-

🎶Logan: -sweetly, strumming- Chinchou swim, Chinchou hide
Find a trench to nest inside
Living on the ocean floor—
In the dark, they swim some more

'Tennae flash, bulbous spark,
Luring unsuspecting marks,
Makes a light so they can see
Using e-lec-tri-ci-ty
Electricity, Electricity, Electricity, Electricity—🎶

Edited by Asterisk395 on Feb 12th 2021 at 11:26:24 AM

The drill finally stopped, and the vault clicked. Coyote scrambled to pull it aside as the trucks came up with Lycan and Wraith.

"We in?"

Coyote let out an evil sounding laugh, "What did I tell ya? It's payday!"

Lycan had to admit, Coyote was getting into the identity, he seemed to be having some fun. Well she just hoped this wouldn't become a thing, she looked to Wolf who gave a thumbs up.

The vault door opened and before the party lay the spoils, Hunter's Guild material, countless Mons trapped in the trophy stands, several stolen documents relating to mon behavior that had set a few research papers back, and at the center, an incubator with a few eggs.

Coyote's jovial demeanor dropped for a moment as he calmly marched into the room, looked up and saw a single security camera staring down... he raised his shotgun, drew a throat slitting motion, before blasting it out. He placed a hand to his ear, "Alright, Valkyire, Terra, if you're done. We're ready to get loading and get out of here. We got a long road ahead of us,"

~You alright.~

"Will be in a bit. Just... it's a lot to take in, the sight of this all, we hit a warehouse and now we're cleaning them out."

Scratch looked over in shock as Rakdos appeared over his illusion's shoulder, he then felt a sudden blast to the back of the Illusion's head. Oh... he had forgotten about the Cosplayer in green...

The Slayer came flying up, riding a Metagross who seemed to have murderous intent in its gaze, wielding the Catalyst Blade. Scratch was starting to panic, how did these two weirdos get in here and why were they so in sync?!

Scratch coalesced what he could before expanding the Illusion, the demon mutating extra heads and numerous arms. It was a falsehood, it did not need to perfectly adhere to reality.

The Slayer dodged a limb and looked to Rakdos, Hayden's voice appearing in Rakdos's ear.

"Find a way to get the illusion opened up, the Slayer will handle the man inside."

<I am not a hoverboard...> Clutch protested.

The Absol darted past Shutter and his party, heading for a quiet area in the station. Silas, Roxy, and Arthur came charging past, Arthur even noting, "We have a spy watching us! Come on!"

It wouldn't be much longer but the Absol was cornered very soon.

<So, you're the ones carrying the Black Box,> It commented cooly.

Brimstone Vault

Looking out amongst the Pokemon statues, Lamb held up a hand, a white light forming on it as she approached a statue she felt would likely be large enough for her idea.

As they roared, grateful to be free, she held out a hand for their attention. "Can I ask you to help us carry some of this crap out?"

<Sure.>

"Ya gotta name?" Lamb asked as she scanned some documents with her helmet's camera, the scans downloaded to her phone.

<Not really.>

"A trainer to return to?"

<Yeah.>

"We'll get you home soon enough. C'mon, all this evidence has places to be." She left a calling card on the pile of documents, hefting a couple more statues onto her rescuee's back while looking at the eggs in the center in curiosity.

"Wonder what those could be?..."

Textspace

Edited by AbsentCoder on Feb 13th 2021 at 9:58:27 AM

Ballonlea

Star: -nods- This place definitely inspires a lot. I took some good pictures when I first got here.

-the musician starts to play again, and Julian blinks his antennae in tempo with the song-

Stow-on-Side Stadium, VS Bea and Allister

-Ian and Evelyn look at each other and smile.-

Evelyn: Now's our chance, Ian!

Me: Time to switch things up... Ritchie!

Evelyn: Sandra!

Evelyn and I: You've both done well, so return for now!

-Ian and Evelyn call Ritchie and Sandra back to their respective Poké Balls.-

Me: Time to show them what we're made of! Raru!

Evelyn: Mirai!

Evelyn and I: I choose you!

-Ian and Evelyn throw their Poké Balls out to the battlefield and from them jump Raru and Mirai.-

Raru: <You call for me, Ian?>

Me: You bet I did.

-Mirai looks over at Raru and giggles.-

Mirai: <Are all of Ian's Pokémon this cute?>

Evelyn: You can flirt all you like after the battle.

Mirai: -giggles cutely- <Alright.>

Me: Raru! Use Magical Leaf!

Evelyn: Mirai! Use Psychic!

-Raru summons a flurry of leaves coated in rainbow-colored magical energy and swirls them around his body with the flourish of a dancer, impressing Mirai. Raru then launches the leaves at Allister's Runerigus as Mirai's eyes glow a bright pink and she unleashes a powerful psychic force on Bea's Sirfetch'd, lifting him into the air and slamming him into the ground, kicking up a big cloud of dust. When the dust settles, both Runerigus and Sirfetch'd are out cold.-

Sirfetch'd: -weakly- <We shoulda gotten the first move...>

Runerigus: -weakly- <Oh, shut up...>

Referee: RUNERIGUS AND SIRFETCH'D ARE UNABLE TO BATTLE!

-Bea and Allister call Sirfetch'd and Runerigus back to their Poké Balls.-

Motostoke, Old Money Things

Gaspard: I do appreciate the sentiment, cousin. Perhaps it is about time the team started taking their combat skills up a few notches.

Lamarck, via speech device: The sentiment is appreciated, My lady. We look forward to training under your companion.

Gaspard: Perchance, is this the companion who socializes among the J-Team. I'd certainly find that a touch awkward to explain to mother and father, but I suppose you could always vouch for them.

Terrence: Bollocks. What did the J-Team ever do to you wankers?

Gaspard: You're only making it worse for yourself.

Terrence: Oh, please. Like I'll ever be swayed by some robotic pipsqueak and his plant-obsessed cousin. Go start a [YouTube] channel or something.

Just then, Olympias ceased her hail of ice and got pelted multiple times by bullet seeds. She was not feeling well but was determined to fight on.

Gaspard: You really ought to have been paying attention.

Terrence: Ingenious, I'll give you that. Olympias stand down. They've won.

He tosses both the action figure and the box at Gaspard, who catches them in midair.

Terence: Keep your doll.

Gaspard: You careless twit.

Terrence: It's a toy, Gaspard. It's meant to be played with.

Gaspard: Bitch, you did not just say that.

Terrence: It had kung fu grip! That was just asking to be played with.

Gaspard: It's a collectible. This was a limited edition collector's figure meant for display.

Terrence: It's made by Tonka! It's never going to break! It's not even scuffed. The fingerprints are gonna come off.

Gaspard: Haven't you insulted us enough!

Castelia, New Money Things

In the break room of the Geographic Society, Tommy, Flash, and Jane were huddled in one corner, looking at charts and other figures in a tablet currently possessed by Gimbal.

Enter Anthony. He was clad tip to toe in what appears to be replica samurai armor from the 15th Century. In his scabbards were two vorpal katanas, one vorpal wazikashi, and one vorpal nodachi. On his back was a waving flag bearing the name "Tom Peterson" in katakana.

Jane: Oh, Anthony. What the hell are you wearing?

Tommy: Someone's been splurging early. Samurai armor? Really?

Anthony: Like you wouldn't do the same thing.

Tommy: You're not doing that thing people do with windfall money, right?

Jane: Well, since you're already here. I'll fill you in. You all maxed out your main tax-advantaged investment vehicles this year, including your company match contributions. If you want taxable investments, T- Andy and I outlined a few companies to invest in, including Clavis Sciences, our parent company. And if you want to open high-interest savings, Gimb can fill you in.

Gimbal, via tablet: Don't worry, I summed it up in an easy-to-understand [Powerpoint] presentation.

Jane: Now, I don't do this often since Arceus knows we need to pay our fair share. But to keep excessive taxation at bay, we can make generous donations to charity. I suggested you three make at least one donation to PEFE and one to this list of poverty-reduction programs for underserved communities. Any other tax-approved cause you're willing to give to?

She hands Anthony a few documents.

Anthony: Well, I was planning to make a sizable contribution to the [Met]. I have a few shin hanga and ukiyo-e prints I'd like to donate on behalf of the—

Tommy: Hold the phone. You spent it all on art?

Anthony: Not all of it. I still have like a couple of mill—

Tommy: Wait, no. I keep forgetting how much money you sank into that company.

Anthony: But I'm no fool to waste it all in one go. This stuff barely cost me a few grand. The prints cost more but they're also my charity gift. Rather they go to the Kantonian community than the Macrauls, after all.

Tommy: We'll leave it to you to see where you'd rather stuff your money in.

Anthony: Did we agree we'd set a splurging budget? What'd you do with your splurging money?

Tommy: Well, I paid off my aunt's mortgage and bought the second-floor apartment in Shutter's building.

Flash: I did the same with my mom and dad's place.

Anthony: Good move. I should go house hunting in Nacrene soon. No way am I buying an apartment in this money pit of a town.

Tommy: Good call. Hey, is that real metal?

Anthony: The swords are. Had them custom engraved this weekend. The armor's this new tough composite material weathered to resemble the real deal. You know, Shutter'd be all over this. He'll probably chastise me for wearing this out on the streets outside of Con season.

Gimbal: ix-nay on the utter-shay.

Anthony: Oh, sorry.

Gimbal: Darling, we're really sorry.

Flash: It's okay, Mrs. P., he didn't mean it.

Tommy: Yeah. I miss him too.

Gimbal: Me, too.

Flash: I'm sorry if I'm bringing you guys down.

Gimbal: It's something you just can't buy with money, honey.

Beat.

Jane: Look, fellas. Gavin wouldn't have wanted you all to mope around and be miserable. And all three of you have your splurging budgets. Anthony's is way too big.

Anthony: Not to brag.

Jane: Take the afternoon off and treat yourselves. It'll be fun to gallivant around Castelia like high rolling one percenters. Like a regular Chairman Rose.

Tommy: Well, okay. It's not like we have anything else to do today.

Anthony: You should come with!

Jane: What, no— I can't.

Flash: Come on. I can't do this without a gal pal.

Tommy: Don't worry. I got you covered.

The Distant Dimension Space Port, Money Negligible

Shutter: <Ah shit.>

Upton and company approach.

Upton: <Oh, what's going on here?>

Phineas, still in that creepy language: Someone very peculiar and suspicious has followed us.

Shutter: <Don't engage yet, we don't know what they want. And we've no specific type advantage against them.>

Upton morphs into a joltik.

Upton: <I beg to differ.>

Scout: <This fella better explain themselves soon.>

Charger: <Take it easy, Scout.>

Edited by MasterJayAM on Jun 8th 2021 at 9:28:45 PM

Motostoke, Transaction Complete

-Abilene hesitates-

Abilene: ...I wasn't aware the company I keep caught the attention of the family gossip circle. Only one of my...acquaintance's team members is all I intend to contact in any regard, and she possesses sufficient spirit to merit the discretion.

Abilene: -to Terrence- What do they ever do? Stick their noses in our business, why don't they.

-she raises her hand to issue the final, brutal command- As have y—

-...-

-and lowers it, at Terrence's surrender-

Abilene: Stand down, Castanea.

-he lowers his fists from the Belly Drum position, loosing a derisive snort-

Abilene: -scornful- If you can't comprehend significance differing from your own, you won't make it far, Champion's son or no.

-she claps her hands twice, and Castanea rolls his neck—the world around him darkens for a moment, and it's as though nothing Terrence unloaded fazed him in the first place-

-he takes a cross-legged seat on the ground, shifting his gaze to Terrence himself-

Abilene: -quietly, for Terrence's ears alone- And know that I am the kindest of my kin. I deliver warning.

-behind her, Castanea clenches his fists—subtly, silently beyond bone-trembling subaurals—and the crack of cobblestone all across the courtyard, for no reason evident-

Abilene: Mercy is a commodity, and resale value is steep—you will not afford it a second time, from any of us.

Take your own toys and go home. Never sully my hearing again with your whining.

Abilene: -away- ...oh, what a fine young man you've introduced me to, sonny. Come hither, I'm late for tea.

Ballonlea

-Logan switches to pure instrumental, favoring the conversation-

Logan: It is very pretty.

-musing- You have a look about you like you've seen a lot of places…? -pause for name-

Addie: -giggles, Flash-ing her cheeks much the same-

Stormchaser, Megan's Room

-the door creaks open, Megan reflexively ducking around a pair of Secret Base traps—Vee hops onto an overloaded table-

Megan: Hey, why'd we backtrack all the way here? Geez, I left it a mess…

Vee: -[Dreamworks] face- <Remember what day it is?>

Megan: -blink- ...Saturday…?

Vee: <...>

Megan: …

-[[{Beat} the sound of Pippy Defogging the cobwebs out of the room predominates]]-

Vee: <...'kay, what does my name not stand for?>

Megan: ..uh...

Megan: victor valor veni vidi vici

Vee: -resting chin on paws- <Take yer time.>

-...-

Megan: ...FRICK

J-Textspace

Mementos, Armory Path

Kaguya hastily Iron Defenses- it's just enough to keep Daydre from passing out entirely, but between that and the poison she looks right on the edge of tapping out.

"Hm. This isn't good!"

Wherever Daydre Is Right Now

Daydre is awoken by the phone she's managed to fall asleep on top of buzzing. She pulls it out, checks the message, and is about to put it back (ideally to respond to when she's more awake) when the date on the lock screen taken with the specific combination of words in the text manage to make the brain cells spark together long enough for her to form a thought.

That thought is "oh fuck", accompanied by one brief but very loud shriek. This earns her a glare from Rowan, who was also asleep nearby.