Wyndon Natural History Museum, Gala

Me: Tommy? Is that you?

Evelyn: Oi! Jane! It's been a while.

-Ian and Evelyn head off to say hello to Tommy Petersen and Jane Stacy.-

Gloaming Glade

Star: -nods- Having more allies is a good thing, but—

-beat-

Star: I'm sorry, what?

June: <Uh...wow. Definitely wasn't expecting that.> o_o

Star: -rubbing her temples- You're telling me that this whole time I was an Auric, and didn't realize it?

Bernadetta: <Um, isn't that what latent means?>

Star: Yeah, but I've already gotten used to...'being the normal one,' I guess. Especially after that whole mess with the mindscapes where my jealousy literally tried to kill everyone who I thought was special or important and— It's not me, alright? It doesn't fit, and even if it did, why now?

Felix: <But if it's something you could always do but didn't know, doesn't this mean you can be even more you now?>

Star: -blinks- I...I guess?

-June seems to ponder for a bit, then rests a claw on her trainer's shoulder.-

June: <You just have to make it fit. 'Normal' or not, you're still you, right?>

-Star takes off her glasses for a moment and rubs her face.-

Star: ...Yeah. -she turns to look at G!Rapidash EX and Ninanne- Something about this place I can feel, right? I...I guess it does feel a bit different than the rest of the woods. -She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, trying to grab hold of that feeling as the EX mons put it.-

Gloaming Glade

-The first thing Star might notice is a general heightening of her immediate senses, and a general feeling of just... more-

Gloaming Glade

-Star listens, mostly. After all, her eyes are closed. But she hears the slight breeze moving through the Glade, the crackle of June and Bernadetta's flames. She hears the breathing and heartbeats of the Pokemon in her presence (at least of the ones who even have hearts or lungs), and instinctually tries to sync her own breath with at least one of them-

-it's different, but also comforting somehow how open everything feels-

-Her team looks on, unsure if they should disturb her or not because she seems so focused -

Faction Offices, Orre

-Alice chuckles lightly at Kai's flusteredness.-

Alice: Well, I'm glad you're being honest with me. Though I can tell you're still having difficulty adapting. I ought to reiterate that I am always willing to do my part to maintain your health, whatever the situation. You need only ask. In fact, I might just insist on it.

-She leans back, waving her hand idly.-

Alice: As for myself, you needn't worry. I've simply had a lot on my mind lately, in part due to the aforementioned incident, but that's quite normal. It's not affecting my ability to rest in any significant way.

Edited by Herbert40k on Mar 3rd 2021 at 1:11:10 PM

S2B1: Space Bar 13, sometime in February

-The airlock opens with a soft hiss, letting a stronger and steadier light shine through. It seems on this side of the airlock things are a lot more... Welcoming. Kind of. As the airlock hisses shut behind the party meters read this area has a stable atmosphere with only a little bit of staleness. The hallway here is still just as messy as it was around the hub of the station, however the stretch from here to another set of makeshift airlocks further down is well-lit. An open segment of wall on the left leads into an area with wooden floorboards and furniture made of steel and green fabric. Up the back is a pair of Pokemon on either side of a long table that looks like a single elongated metal slab: On the side of the table facing the entrance a Scissor in some kind of medical garb sits on a stool, tied around their claw is the string for a red square balloon printed with a blocky white S. On the opposite side of what seems to be a bar is a Farfetch'd in a dashing waitstaff uniform and a top hat who is currently polishing an empty glass. Also on the table is a stand microphone that has been unprofessionally wired into the nearest wall-

A doctor?: <Oh hey, it's the ship that just came in.>

A barman?: <Welcome, welcome! Welcome to casa del Rowan or as everyone ought me calls it; The Space Bar. Can I get you lot drinks? I'm a dab hand at mixology.>

A doctor?: <No you aren't, you've just got a cheat sheet open on your PDA.>

A barman?: <Well you ain't any better, you do the same with surgery!>

-The two Pokemon laugh at what seems to be a joke. Gale just kinda looks baffled at the situation-

Wilmont Industrial Park, Wyndon Outskirts, Presently

-Barely three days back in this universe and Gale had to pull herself out of her desire to hide from the world and immerse herself in the dark shadows of her cabin home already. She was sitting here in the regional headquarters of the corporation Zagan to talk with her handler for the Pokemon Masterfoods brand that sponsors her. They had just got done watching a version of some of Gale's spaceborne cooking adventures carefully edited to remove sensitive information about the nature of reality and the actual mission in space-

Sponsor Handler: Well... I understand you put a lot of effort into presenting these properly and utilizing our product when you can, I just don't think they'll be good advertising material.

-Gale is dressed in what she's considered the softest and most comfortable clothing she could find. Which right now mostly consists of a big woolen sweater and some loose-fit jeans-

Right, it's because I don't use enough product isn't it?

Sponsor Handler: Kinda? But also you've gone with a very clinical presentation style and of course most of your ingredients are pre-packaged ration components which is something most people won't have to hand and also just... Well basically the practicalities of cooking in space isn't exactly a situation most of the people we advertise to really would care about? The great stuff about your previous content is that it was stuff people could cook at home but doing it in a way that is read as aspirational. So honestly? I think our best route here is to get back on track with your contract work and League Challenge.

O-oh, right. That...

Sponsor Handler: Yeah the PEFE's managed to get one of their guys in as Champion before us and it might be a good idea for you to catch up and formally challenge him for the title.

-Gale looks a little confused-

Someone's already become Champion? Who?

Sponsor Handler: Some guy named Richard, ran under the Pokedex Expanded whatever-whatever. I think he runs with the J-Team?

You want me to challenge Tagg for the Championship?

Sponsor Handler: If we're bringing in your other sponsors into the picture, it'd be a powerful statement. An Aurabolt versus the leader of the venerable J-Team, backed by the support the Orochi Group brings to the field of training.

I'll... Think on it.

Sponsor Handler: Cool, well you've got time. Do you have any plans for a Hammerlocke stream once you've taken on Raihan?

... Yeah, actually I think I do. I'll get an ingredient list to you as soon as I've got a moment to compile one. Thinking of a feast fit for champions-to-be, yaknow?

-The handler nods and starts writing something before getting a phone call that carries on for a tense minute-

Sponsor Handler: We may have to do it on a budget. A lot of our budget just got relocated to the boss' personal project... Sorry, we'll get in touch, okay?

-Gale sighs and nods-

If it helps, I can fund a lot of it myself.

Sponsor Handler: That will help, thanks. I'd talk more but things have come up, sorry.

-With that the handler makes their way out of the office, leaving Gale to escort herself out... Of course there wouldn't be any harm in snooping around a little, surely?-

The Space Bar

Shutter at first had a puzzled look on his face, which was later replaced by bemusement as the alleged joke starts to settle in. Phineas, meanwhile, was chuckling. It's the eccentric Mad Scientist still in him.

Shutter: <Of course, you'd find that funny.>

Phineas: <It's not humour for everybody.>

Natural History Museum Gala

Tommy: Oh, hey there.

Jane: Ian, Evelyn! What brings you to this fine gala?

Scott: That would be us, Ms. Harvey. You and your companion seem to be versed in science.

Jane: I'm more of an arts, history, and soft sciences kind of gal. It's Tommy here who's the hard sciences nerd. But I picked up a lot anyway from this motormouth and his paleo nerd friends.

Tommy: Guilty as charged.

Jane: Would it kill you not to put potentially toxic substances in your mouth, though.

Tommy: Haha.

Jane: Tommy's kabuto Shinji is actually one of those revived from Dome Fossil 28 here, much like his sister, Zelda. The scientists were very surprised that they managed to close so many from this one fossil. We later found out that our dome here is a mommy.

Tommy: Further inspection revealed that most of the DNA came from the ovipositor. She was laying eggs before she died.

Edited by MasterJayAM on Oct 28th 2021 at 4:10:19 PM

Ballonlea Gym - Superhero Zone

-Vee snarls at the screen outright-

Ballonlea Stadium - Bede

-Megan is breathing very deliberately-

Five things I see—metal...spotlight...Bede—

Megan: -snarl/gasp- …Fraidy!

-appropriately enough-

Fraidy: -blinking- <...it's not over...?>

Bede: Alright, third quiz:

-Megan's eyes widen-

Bede: —what on earth was that?

-Megan keeps her lips shut tight-

Fraidy: -staring-

Bede: ...

-Megan lets out a shaky sigh of relief-

Bede: Hm.

-the crowd does something, that's for sure-

-Megan pulls out her Pokédex—-

Bede: Drill Run.

Megan: -high-pitched- Hide!

Rapidash: -nickering- <Whatever you say, boss.>

Fraidy: -runs away-

-the Rapidash charges...-

-...and slows to a stop, since Fraidy could've ducked behind any of nine different hunks of iron, none in a direct line to each other, all with odd noises…-

Rapidash: <Hm.>

Bede: Hm.

-Megan checks on Fraidy's status—Bede raises his hand—-

-something catches Megan's eye-

PEF Edex 8.000898

-oh no.-

Megan: DUCK!

-the Rapidash's Psycho Cut slices cleanly through the barricade—several barricades-

Bede: Heh.

-the top halves slooowly slide down...one falling to the side of a crouched-down Drizzile-

Fraidy: -tremble/tremble/tremble-

Megan: -eep- Double Team.

-Fraidy throws down a stress-teardrop and vanishes-

-Bede's Rapidash only starts slashing systematically-

-slicing down barrier after barrier-

Megan: This can't go on…

-shaking her head- Alright, enough! Fraidy!

-silence-

Megan: -breathing hard- Fight.

-Beat-

-Fraidy reappears in the arena, trembling-

Bede: Done playing Meowth and Skwovet? Good.

Bede: Rapidash?

G!Rapidash: <Ahaha.>

-lightning crackles from the blue, striking the Rapidash's horn-

Megan: -shielding her eyes- !!!

-his form blazes with power-

Fraidy: <a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-aaaaaaaa>

G!Rapidash: -gleaming- <Run.>

Megan: okay never mind go back to dodging

-Rapidash charges-

Fraidy: -frozen- <a—a—a—a——>

Megan: -louder- dodge now now NOW

-at the last instant, Fraidy vanishes in a flurry of her clones-

Fraidy: -pained- <???!!?>

-...and is clipped regardless, by lightning crackling further from the workhorse than it should-

Megan: What—why—?

-lightning crackles through the metal still suffusing the air-

Megan: -going cold- ...

Bede: -eyebrow-raise- ...a weakness...?

Fraidy: -shivers-

Bede: -throwing his hand out- Let's take full advantage. Rapidash.

-what follows is what would be a [Scooby-Doo]-esque door chase sequence if it weren't so terrifying-

Bede: Double Team, Work Up, Baton Pass...interesting choices.

-Bede's Rapidash veritably mows down crowd after crowd of Fraidy's clones, hemming her in-

Bede: What will your last choice be?

-shrug- Will it make a difference?

-shocking closer and closer—recoilless, without solid contact-

-until one, solid, trembling—has her back to one of the innumerable metal structures scattered about-

Megan: ...

Bede: Well, the point is moot. Wild Charge.

Rapidash: <You win some, you lose some.>

-pawing the ground, nickering- <...wow, that was terrible. Can we do this over next time?>

-lightning strikes yet again, as does the Rapidash—-

-and Fraidy dives right through the shroud of electricity, scattering her Bright Powder as meager insulation between herself and the charge-

Fraidy: -shrieks-

Megan: !!!

-and Bede's Rapidash crashes headlong into the metal-

Megan: -barely breathing- Now! Steelbind!

Fraidy: -taking aim- <T-t-t-oro—>

Rapidash: -charged- <??!!??>

-and she fires a watery whipcord bolo from her fingertips at the Rapidash-

-the cord connects and cinches, completing a circuit between the charge and ground-

Megan: Ha! Now—

-the Rapidash shrieks as charge is sucked out of him with scarcely any resistance-

-lightning cracks from sky to horn to ground without pause, leading him to writhe-

-and fall, with the smell of singed horsehair-

Bede: …

Megan: .

Fraidy: <,,,>

Bede: ...okay.

Bede: -beat dropping- Let's finish this.

Edited by Asterisk395 on Mar 3rd 2021 at 1:00:54 PM

Ballonlea Stadium

-Apple-a-Day cocks their head curiously-

Syrnewt: <That sure was a lot of words in an order.>

Apple-a-Day: Be nice. Snarking at the innocent is...not heroic.'Course I'm a Dragon trainer. Apple, Syrnewt here, dragon. Tada.

And...hm. I don't want to disagree or anything, but pride does demand I question your presupposition! Though I am sorry to hear about your...stabbing.

Syrnewt: <Hey, pay attention to the fight. We're moving into the fun bit.>

Ballonlea Gym - Superhero Zone

Vee: -snickering, despite herself- <Silly Syrnewt, I didn' say any words.>

-did you know feline Pokémon purr as much while injured as content?-

-trilling- <I take exception to the innocent thin'!>

-smiling wider, more toothily- <I agreed to the terms, same as anyone. An eye here, a hand there…>

-she hisses, and it almost sounds triumphant rather than pained-

<Didn' take my life. Or my...my friends' lives. Literally cannot ask for more.>

-eyeing one (1) Dragon Tamer- <Fairies, y'know. Settled outta court without too much skin off my back.>

-turning said back, returns to the screen, scowling- <An' I shoul' be down there. That'd be fun.>

-...watching Fraidy go- <...good girl. Proud 'f ya.>

Ballonlea Stadium

-Megan recalls Fraidy as Bede reaches for his last ball-

-Dynamax and Gigantamax—the final players take the stage-

MAX!FRAIDY: -trembles, a low tone-

Megan: -hand forward- Geyser!

Bede: -arms crossed- Smite.

-Fraidy brings her hands together—water streams from the sky itself to her fingertips, smashing into Bede's Hatterene in a titanic shotgun blast-

-leaving as its recoil a massive thunderhead-

-then the entire affair explodes in a giga-scale eruption of stars-

Megan: -reeling- Ack—what?!

MAX!FRAIDY: -likewise-

Megan: -lowering her arms- ...oh.

-staggering giants are not what you want to see-

Bede: -smirk- Overgrowth.

Megan: -arms crossed- Guard??

-flowers bloom up the princess-tower of the Hattena's...hat-

-Fraidy blinks in a daze, barely managing to raise a guarding bubble from the deluge around her head-

Megan: Deluge, quick—

Bede: Flare. Take your time.

-Fraidy gathers power and power and power to her grasp, draining the teeming thunderclouds above her—Hatterene calls a burning orb to her hand—-

MAX!FRAIDY: -dizzy, keens-

Megan: —uh—

—-gathers far too much—the clouds dissipating, the shot losing surface cohesion, the backblast knocking Fraidy off her feet-

MAX!FRAIDY: @N@

G-MAX!HATTERENE: <CHECKMATE.>

-leaving clear sky wide open for the sun to appear-

MAX!FRAIDY: x~x

-...and the light of Fraidy just exploding to catch the cameras excessively cinematically-

Bede: -hairflip-

Megan: -wincing-

-...-

-Megan would be lying if she didn't half-expect it to come down to this-

Megan: -shaky breath-

-half-hope, half-fear-

-she sends out Pollen as her final combatant-

Pollen: -buzzing, eager- <Ahaha.>

-Megan expects a comment on the sizzling halves of the mini-moon, or the sun hanging high in the sky-

-on the metallic tang of the air, or being the last line of offense, or something gruff but oddly insightful on the Auras thereabouts-

Pollen: -twitch- <...uh.>

-antennae twitching- <Slight problem.>

Megan: …?

-Pollen turns, not too far—Megan catches a glimpse of her compound lenses-

Pollen: <I can't see.>

-they reflect the light of the metal and nothing more-

Megan: ......frick.

Ballonlea Stadium

Apple-a-Day: Well, uh...that's good to hear!

Syrnewt: -long sigh- <Fairies.>

-they watch the kaiju battle-

Apple-a-Day: I don't know, it just feels...overdone?

Syrnewt: <Well, it's stylish.>

Apple-a-Day: Yeah, but it's like...I don't know. The fact that you can't use it outside of the right spaces makes it feel like it's just a weird sport thing.

Syrnewt: <Well, yeah. This is a sport. We're watching a sport.>

Apple-a-Day: Yeah, but...

Syrnewt: <This is a weird time to get up in arms about the lack of verisimilitude to actual combat.>

Apple-a-Day: I feel like sort of by definition my job involves being willing to get up in arms about anything.

-...-

Syrnewt: <...Anyway, can you hear them down there?>

Apple-a-Day: Nah. What a time not to have a Noivern.

Syrnewt: <Send Malik down. He's good at subterfuge-y stuff.>

Apple-a-Day: Yeah, but a Tyrantrum in a crowded stadium?

-they peer closer-

Looks like someone's having problems?

Marshall looked to Kevin who took a deep inhale, "There is very little we can do without starting to actively impede on personal autonomy and freedom, we will do what we can but we are not prepared to give out active plans at this moment."

"We are merely a response team, we aren't the ones writing the laws," Kevin finished.

Silas stared at the bar, and took off his helmet, <Uh... hello...> He said a little confused.

<Do... do you need any help? Like a ride out of here? My ship could take you to the nearest safe port.>

Snakeye sighed, <Hoss... just... just don't question this too hard.>

The Pen appeared beside Gale, Well that's gonna be fun. Fighting your old friend, he's gonna recognize you in an instant as well. Also doing it in costume, also fun. Wanna call up Gio to see what he thinks since he's been sponsoring the Bolts?

It grinned, shoving the hands of the avatar into the pockets of the light blue hoodie, Of course he may call you and have some brilliant idea. And Investigation, how do you wanna do it?

Edited by EchoingSilence on Mar 4th 2021 at 6:45:59 AM

Faction Offices

-Kai rubs her neck awkwardly.-

Kai: Y-yeah. It's never going to be easy, but... I'm trying. To handle it better.

-Despite herself, Kai offers Alice a smile.-

Kai: It does sound like there's been a lot going on, though. If you want, I can stick around today, it sounds like you could use a chance to unwind. After-hours, of course, wouldn't want to give Lissa more material to work with.

-She winks.-

Ballonlea Gym - Superhero Zone

Vee: <Yeah...>

-watching them go- <No finesse to it, really, f'r all the flash 'n bang. 's jus' a big, clumsy brawl.>

-wistfully- <Friggin' brutal.>

-...-

Vee: <Yeah, uh...>

-sniff- <Heart rate just fuckin' spiked.>

<...Pollen's a Fairy, too.> ._

<This...may not've been the most thought-through.>

Ballonlea Stadium - Oops

Megan: Uh...flap your wings? See if you can't...blow some of that away.

-the wind picks up-

Pollen: <...nope. It's...actually making me kinda dizzy.>

Megan: -emphatically- Frick frick.

Bede: -raising an eyebrow- Technical difficulties?

Pollen: -cheerfully- <Fuck off.>

Hatterene: -hat-hand to temple- <Has anyone ever told you you're really loud?>

Megan: -watching Bede ready- Okay uh just—listen. You know how I can just rattle off instructions and Pippy and Vee just kind of follow them down to the millimeter—

Pollen: <Uh, yeah, it's kinda scary—>

Megan: -horrifically anxious- You-you cannot hesitate. Listen to me, listen—

Bede: -raised eyebrow- Psychic.

Megan: Right!!

-she goes right-

-the stadium lights—and concentrated sunlight—shining off the metal behind Pollen glares into the Hatterene's face, distracting her—reducing the telekinesis from a tight hold to a single crushing instant-

Pollen: -pained, but not restricted- <H-heh.>

Bede: What a bother. Mystic Fire!

Megan: -belatedly- Oh, Pow—!!

Hatterene: <AUGH>

Bede: Wh—what??

Pollen: -snort- <What do you take me for, some kind of amateur? I used it as soon as I felt that.>

-she points at the sun-

Megan: -heart skipping- ...good. Good bug.

-Pollen tries not to preen-

Megan: Bug Buzz, then.

-she Buzzes-

-in all directions, really, the closer rows in the crowd covering their ears—Megan doesn't bother—inflicting further migraine on the unfortunate Hatterene-

Hatterene: -grit- <You have so many emotions.>

Bede: Moonblast!

Megan: -holding her fingers out, estimating distance- Three seconds - back!! Left! Left!

Hatterene: -swinging forward- <Just pass out already.>

-she tracks the blind-flying arc of Pollen's movement—drawing power from the sundered gibbous, casting it out—-

-and missing, as Pollen takes a second turn - repeated, not stammered - and the light crashes into metal burnished by fire-

-it rebounds, startling a yelp from Bede's Hatterene—-

Megan: There! Now!

-and this shrills her into falling over outright-

Pollen: -still, anxious- <Did...did I hit?>

Megan: -airfist, gleeful- Heck yeah!

-pointing, exuberant- Quick, now while she's down, two-o'clock—

Hatterene: <...>

<That's it.>

-a wave of pure wrath interrupts that line of thought—and Pollen's charge, shoving her back-

-along with a perfect curve of all the metal in yards and yards, beaten flat and craterlike through sheer telekinetic force-

Pollen: <AAAAUGH!>

Megan: —ah

Bede: oh dear.

Hatterene: <You two—>

-pointing back and forth- <You two have not stopped feeling from the moment you entered the ROOM.>

Edited by Asterisk395 on Mar 3rd 2021 at 9:47:46 AM

Ballonlea Stadium

Apple-a-Day: Looks pretty...uh, finessed to me?

Syrnewt: <If, uh, not working out so great.>

Apple-a-Day: Still, they're in the home stretch, right?

Gloaming Glade

Niniane: -To Star- <You'll need more training before you can use those abilities outside this Nexus without fatigue.>

Somewhere in Galar

Edited by rmctagg09 on Mar 3rd 2021 at 8:05:05 AM

Wyndon Natural History Museum

Me: Haha... history is so cool!

-Ian rifles through his dress and finds his Pokédex.-

Ian's Pokédex: Kabuto, the Shellfish Pokémon. A Rock and Water type. Kabuto is a Pokémon that was resurrected from a fossil found in what was once the ocean floor eons ago. Though they were thought to have gone extinct, it is possible to find Kabuto living in certain regions. They protect themselves with a hard shell and cannot right themselves if flipped onto their backs.

Evelyn: So, Jane... What kinds of arts are you versed in?

Stow-on-Side Stadium, Stands

Me: All right! Go, Kim!

Kako and Mirai: <Go go, Cursola! Your foe's gonna Curse-a-lot! Goooo, GILMOUR!>

Circhester, Just Gals Being Pals

"Yeah, now that I think about it it's been a while since our last date hasn't it? I'm..."

Oh Arceus how do I not phrase this weirdly

"I'm, um. Glad we're both in a position to do this, again."

There's an unspoken 'and not horribly injured or otherwise similarly indisposed'. She tries not to think about that and smiles back.

"Yeah, it is nice!"

She kicks her feet in the water a little (not enough to disturb the surface though) as she tries to think of something else to say.

Somewhere, Similarly In Galar

Rowan: <Hey Daydre.>

"Yeah?"

Rowan: <Do you happen to remember what your clinically depressed alternate future self told you last year?>

"... We're not gonna kill her! We're just gonna like, beat up her mental image of herself."

Rowan: -raises a brow-

Stow-on-Side— Gym Battle

(Kim, grinning, turns to face Gilmour.)

Kim: "Gilmour... you were great. Congratulations on evolving." (She promptly returns him and takes out another PokeBall.) "Alright, let's see what this one can do!"

(She throws the PokeBall in the air and cries out:)

Kim: "Red alert, Boseman!"

(In a flash, Boseman appears and bows towards Allister, who returns his Galarian Yamask and takes out another PokeBall.)

Allister: "T-that was fun... And it is l-lovely to m-meet you, Boseman... But now... I shall send out my next Pokemon..."

(He throws the PokeBall.)

Allister: "Mimikyu... rise..."

(The PokeBall opens, and a Mimikyu emerges from it.)

Mimikyu: <H-hello...>

Boseman: (smiles) <Pleasure. It is an honor to be fighting you.>

(Kim, of course, starts muttering to herself.)

Kim: (to herself) "IwantoneIwantoneIwantoneIwantonehessocuteohmygodhesadorableIwanttopethimandsnugglehimand..."

Gloaming Glade

-Niniane suddenly speaking combined with the enhanced senses thing causes Star to flinch a little, and she 'disconnects' from her surroundings.-

Star: -Opens her eyes- Wha- -she looks around, giving herself a moment to settle down.-

I guess you guys were right.... And more training...-sigh- I'm gonna have to ask Tagg or someone else on the J-Team about all this, aren't I? That's gonna be a fun conversation....

-She stands up, and then bows to the EX mons-

Star: Um, thank you for this. Even if I wind up not going much deeper than this, you have my support.

-She looks around again-

Star: So, do we just walk back to camp, or....?

Circhester, Hero's Bath - Just Girls Being Friends

Megan: -warmly- Yeah.

-...-

Megan: -likewise kicking- ...it is a pretty nice position, isn't it?

-...she rubs her ribs, taking a deep breath of earth-warmed steam-

It occurs to me that I have no idea what people do on dates

Why has none of the fanfic I read prepared me for this

-...it occurs to her that her glasses have fogged up to the point where she can't see anything-

...why was that my first thought?? @_@

-she takes them off to rub them off on…-

-her swimsuit-

Megan: ...

-yeah-

-...eh, she's not going to be really swimming in this any time soon-

Megan: -tucks one glasses-arm in there, humming idly-

You know what? No! I've got this! I've, I've fought Glitches and evil Teams and, and—

—and there isn't really parity between these circumstances, is there; it's possible to be optimized for different scenarios and combat is one but historically our social graces SHUT IT

-she starts doing the leg bounce thing-

Okay okay do one romantic thing, off the top of our head, five four three

-she reaches out and grabs Daydre's hand-

Megan:

-yeah-

Ballonlea Gym - Superhero Zone

-sizzle-

Vee: -physically boiling- <I meant the big bad boss battle but none of that matters if she hurts them I will    murder—>   

   -red and black, shifting beneath her skin as she bites back a scre   am into a wheeze, shrill and disharmonious-

-steam leaks out of her ears, the temperature plummeting-

Vee: <—>

Vee: <->

Vee: -cough- <...home stretch. They've got this. They've got.>

-she fixes her eye on them-

-this isn't how Megan looks defeated, she knows she knows-

Ballonlea Stadium - Yeah

Pollen: -hrk-

Megan: I-I mean—,

Hatterene: -barely listening- <And usually! That isn't an issue! I'm a big girl!! I can DEAL!!!>

-turning to them- <You think I can deal, right??>

Pollen: <Yep.>

Megan: -bobblehead- Totally.

Bede: -sigh.-

Hatterene: -ranting- <But today! Today! So many children! So much stress!!>

<And you!!!>

-shivering- <...and everything itches for some wilds-forsaken reason!! It's like the air is angry and I hate it!>

Megan: -oops- : |

Hatterene: <And I hate that I hate it!! It's all just a ball of ire and mess, oh I must appear such a mess—>

Pollen: <Really look like you're handling yourself well.>

Megan: -pausing- y—

-...that wave shoved back all the metal—including the strange haze in the air-

Megan: Oh dear.

-Pollen's glancing around with a bit too much clarity for someone trapped in a ferrous mire-

-glancing at...something specific?-

Pollen: -buzzing insistently-

-back-out-forward back-out-forward-

'''Megan:"' -inhale-

-geometry features fairly heavily in her techniques—she knows, Pollen's seen—-

-that force didn't cold-work the metal into any old curve—she glances from camera angle to camera angle to confirm, thanking the region's ridiculous spectacle for so many jumbotrons-

Bede: -hand to his face- Well, this is pretty much settled, isn't it? Good fight, come back tomorrow?

Megan: -casually- O-oh, I don't know, it wouldn't be right if we didn't go, all-out, at this point...

(Pollen: -...flaps her left wing...-)

Bede: You're certain?

Megan: -watching her carefully- W-well, there's...always the long shot...and...wouldn't want to come back tomorrow…

Bede: Ow.

(Pollen: -flexes her mind, shoving away from the Hatterene, bit by bit-)

Bede: -shrug- ...fair.

-his Hatterene takes the crescent moon in her fist, looking severely imposed-upon-

Bede: Enjoy your honeymoon.

-and imposing-

Pollen: -flutters faster, watching the gray creep in-

Megan: -strained- A-and!! Y'know!! M-might as well...go...o...ut…

-the Hatterene starts forward-

Pollen: -straining- <...out…?>

-closer, closer in the curve-

Bede: -pausing his command- ...alright?

-that's formed into an ellipse-

Megan: -fingerguns- —with a BANG!

Bede: -confused- Moonblast—?

-Bede's Hatterene goes to straight-up hurl the thing at Pollen, only for the fling to go wide as the entire ring of metal—of mirrors—flashes right in her eyes-

Hatterene: -hisses-

Pollen: -shrieks-

-reflected from every angle in the plane, from one focus to the other—right where each of them stand-

Megan: -worried- ...

-but the light is hazy where the metal field cuts it, faded from its contact with steel—the Hatterene starts to recover her senses-

Hatterene: -grunt, done- <Ever have those days, that're just "this may as well happen"...?>

-tipping point-

-Megan looks frantically around for anything to tip the odds, but everything is too-dim light and Pollen's still caught in that telekinetic grasp and doesn't dare move from that precise spot and all Megan sees everywhere is metal-

Megan: -blinks-

-how's this-

Bede: End this, Hatterene—

Megan: -shouting- Nature Power!

-the Psychic rears back to crush—-

-Pollen reaches out to seize an energy she never thought she'd control-

Pollen: <...>

-that she can't even see save as the shadow that blots out her vision, a too-bright bending on the edge of pain-

(-she said she wouldn't hesitate, didn't she?-)

-she reaches out and grasps it-

(-Pollen's patron loves iron—worked with grace and precision, grown into feathers and fangs-)

(-and she loves her patron-)

Pollen: -shouting- <‘Āina!>

(-it folds to her touch-)

-and all her light-

-burns-

-white-

-

-

-

Ballonlea Stadium

Apple-a-Day: ....W e l l .

Syrnewt: <That was certainly unexpected.>

Apple-a-Day: So that's the kind of thing professional battlers can pull off, huh? Might actually be worth investigating, eh, Syr?

Syrnewt: <...No.>

Apple-a-Day: Well, it's fun to watch, at least.

The Space Bar

a barman?: <Nah it's fine, NT's gonna be along soon to patch up the station for next shift anywho.>

a doctor?: <And it's not the worst this place has gotten. Remember last time, with the cult?>

a barman?: <Oh yeah, that one was frantic as hell. Weren't you on the cult?>

a doctor?: <Mhm, right from the start of the shift. And of course, I was running mining.>

a barman?: <Ach, so that's how it got so out of hand. Anyway, anyway! How about I get you all a round of sodas, yeah?>

J-Team Textspace

Wilmont Industrial Park

-Gale puffed up slightly as her artifice ally manifested next to her-

I'll check in with Gio about it in a bit. For now I'm... Intrigued. Or being pulled along; You know how it is, narrative getting the better of me. Get me a pair of thin-rim glasses and a cup of coffee for disguise and if you see anyone with a proper ID card try and clone it, we may need some access...

-With a moment to mess up her hair a little and adopt a slightly different posture Gale began wandering the halls like she was entirely supposed to be there. She kept an ear out, trying to puzzle the general mood of the office and any tidbits of information-

Alright, let's see where that golden thread wants me to go...

Gloaming Glade

Grimmsnarl-EX: -Overhearing Star- <Tagg? That was the name of one of those trainers, wasn't it?>

Niniane: <...Yes.>

-To Star-

<You'll see shortly.>

-The area suddenly starts getting very, very misty. When the mist clears, Star and her team should find themselves back at the entrance to the clearing-

Edited by rmctagg09 on Mar 4th 2021 at 3:39:47 PM