The Wanderer
Poni Facility
-The inside is mostly pretty dark, but there's surprisingly at least enough light to see the immediate area in front of us-
Chiyo: Here I thought we'd have to use Flash.
I'd imagine your Batchmate found a still working secondary generator, that's why it's still like this.
???: It's been a long time everyone.
Huh?
-I turn around and see a young woman with long blonde hair and glasses that vaguely reminds me of DS, but the purple eyes and general facial features rules that one out. There's also the fact that she's completely translucent-
Chiyo: -Shocked upon recognizing the person in question- Boron? What are you doing here?
-With shame-
I... I killed you.
She's not a Ghost-type Pokémon, she's just a human ghost that hasn't passed on...
Boron: I said that if there was an after I'd be waiting, but Gallium isn't here with me I'm afraid. No, I think he probably passed on unlike me.
-More serious-
Sorry that it's me, the traitor who betrayed us all, that you see first.
Chloe: -Almost tearing up- No Boron, we missed you, we all missed you.
Abe: We already know what happened, Chiyo told us everything when we each met her again.
Zee: -Serious- It wasn't your fault, Brad and No Heart, they manipulated you into it.
Boron: And I was too much of a coward to resist, so I would consider it my fault. I've had the past 17 years or so to think it over after I died.
Chiyo: -Reaching out to touch Boron's cheek, or at least she tries, as it partially passes through- You were here for that long, all by yourself?
Boron: -Shakes head- No, there's not just me here. Other Schoolchildren that couldn't pass on, some who were our Batchmates, others that were from earlier Classes, they're here too. I'm one of the few who mostly kept their identity after death though.
-Turning to show her back-
And also, well, I'm sure you guys noticed the memorial outside. They keep us company, and help keep the more... rowdy spirits at bay.
Chiyo: Which of us is it? Diamond's still alive, but I think he would've told us if he'd ever come back.
Boron: It'd probably be better to let her explain personally than to hear it from me.
-Paying attention to the clearly not Schoolchild in the room for the first time-
Who's this guy? And where's Curium, I thought she'd be with you guys if you're all together like this.
Chiyo: -Looking down- She's dead Boron, the Curse got her 12 years ago.
Boron: That sucks, I'm sorry Chiyo.
-Introducing myself-
Um, I'm Tagg, I kinda helped Chiyo once probably a couple months or so after the living folks here escaped and I got wrapped up in this years later.
Chiyo: He's downplaying things, Tagg's been a great help to me, to us. It's because of his organization that we might actually have a cure to the Curse.
Boron: Well, that's certainly something.
There's many restless spirits here, so I'll help put them to rest. Wouldn't be the first time I've done so.
Boron: So pleasantries aside, what brings you all back to this place anyway?
Abe: -Speaking up- Well, it's a bit of a long story...
Edited by rmctagg09 on Apr 2nd 2023 at 12:05:43 PM
Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.
No voice to cry suffering
Stormchaser, Megan's Room
Megan: Ah!
-Megan's eyes snap open-
-she bounds to a sofa and leans forward on it, listening for more of that deep-water thrum-
Megan: Daydre's used it! The Depths Ball!
-as she teeters it on two legs, metal sprouts to balance it—perhaps Pippy's influence, not looking up from his book, or the Stormchaser itself-
Pollen: <But what's she fighting here? ...is she fighting? You don't power wash with salt...>
Vee: -cocking her head- <Heart rate's up...not much, actually. Not panic.>
Pollen: <Stormy, can you—ah, sweet transparency. Oh there she goes—>
Vee: <Seems...happy?>
Megan: Aww.
-she grins, scooping up Vee and giving her a twirl-
Vee: -shrieks, cackling delightedly-
Pollen: <Should we, like...be concerned?>
Megan: -squishing Vee to her cheek- Why should I care to what use she puts it? I'd probably approve anyhow.
Vee: -wails, squished mercilessly-
Pippy: <Gay.>
Megan: Extremely!
Pollen: <Damn, Aislinn's pissed.>
Megan: Oh.
-...-
Megan: -grin, pointy- Hehe, Daydre got it.
Pollen: <Wow.>
-Megan shrugs—rolls her shoulders, blithe-
Megan: We've been curious about that Oracle Mask! How the energy linkages work, the nature of the binding...the Pokémon inside.
-her giddiness fades, toward something more...somber-
Megan: ...I'm a bit of a sucker for vengeful fox partners, y'know.
-Vee props her paws on Megan's face-
Vee: <I would rend the world if you asked me to.>
Megan: -beam- No, you wouldn't.
-she kisses her on her soggy lil forehead-
Megan: But it's sweet of you to offer.
Vee: <Pft.>
Pippy: <Teehee.>
-Megan makes a point of kneading her-
Megan: And yeah, the spiritual stuff is beyond me, but signal transference across synergetic barriers is my thing. I should be able to help stuff with my thing.
Pippy: -soft- <I believe in you.>
Megan: I know.
Vee: -dour, also now worn like a boa- <I'd sniff it if I didn't think I'd get sucked in.>
Megan: Oh yes please don't. I like your berserking just the way it is.
Vee: <Nyahahaha.> ,3
Edited by Asterisk395 on Apr 2nd 2023 at 12:30:46 PM
No mind to think. No will to break.
Pokéstar Studios
Kec lies back and sighs. He's spent the last few months interviewing people and pokémon who have had their careers damaged by Zack Nolan, and he's convinced now that this guy needs to be out of the business. The problem is that a lot of them are under NDAs, and only agreed to speak with him on a strictly off the record basis. Discounting their testimonies, he now has enough for, at best, a less reputable newspaper to do a hit piece. It just isn't enough.
"I'm on my way home, Kec," Katya says as she heads out of the office. Kec nods. She's been working just as hard as him to get their advocacy group off the ground, and they have a few regular clients now. Not enough to cause any major change in how pokémon are treated here, though.
All in all, it's hard not to think he made the wrong choice in coming here. He hasn't made any real advancement in his goals, and the last time he spoke to Hoops he heard about the battle with Whitt. He should have been there for that. And if he doesn't make any progress now, then...
<Katya> he says. <Wait.>
She stops in the doorway. "What?"
Kec sighs. <I need your translation help.>
Zack Nolan's Office
<I'm sure you know that I've been looking around for something I can use to bring you down> Kec says. Katya translates for him. Accurately this time. <I thought we should just talk about it.>
Zack Nolan rolls his eyes. "Are you here to say sorry? Sorry won't pay the plastic surgery bills to fix my nose after your friend punched it."
<I'm not sorry> Kec says. <I wish it hadn't come to that, but you know full well that you deserved what happened there.>
"Hardly," Zack Nolan says. "You started all this. You know, I really hate armchair critics like you. You think we set out to make a bad movie? You were angry that your favourite franchise was done in a way you don't like, well too bad. Because movie makers like us don't get the luxury of doing things however we want. People are tired of superhero movies being campy, and the dark tone works. One thing your reviews never mentioned is that the first Kecleonman movie made nearly a billion dollars. The second one, which you shat all over just from the trailer, made just a little less, and we've been greenlit for a third movie. Are you angry about that? Are you sad that your favourite character is being enjoyed by people in a way that you don't like? You think that just because there's a version of the story that you like, everyone should have to conform to that version."
Kec sighs. <You're right.>
Zack Nolan smirks. "And also... what?"
<I was wrong> Kec admits. <I used to think of this business as an outsider, but now that I'm here, working alongside the people and pokémon who make movies, I see just how much goes into a movie. I'll be honest, I still don't like your style of directing, but that doesn't mean that it's wrong. It just means that I have a preference. And anyway, that's not why I'm here.>
"Then... why?"
<Because you lied. You tried to twist my words to serve yourself. And then I found out that you have a habit of treating the pokémon who work for you poorly, and they have no say in the way their species are portrayed. Did you know that thirty percent of people who are afraid of Mightyena are only scared because of their portrayal in movies? That's something you probably should know, with how often you use them as villains. I spoke to one who'd worked for you who felt uncomfortable with propagating that stereotype, but it was the only work he could find.>
"What's your point?"
<My point is this. As much as I want to bring you down, I know that I can't. You're too well connected, you have an army of lawyers, and this place is pretty backwards anyway. But tomorrow, I'll be sending you a list of things that pokémon who I've spoken to have said about the way that they're treated in your movies and others. If you can make changes to accommodate them better, with your influence and following you could really make a difference in this industry.>
Nolan snorts. "And why would I do that? To be a good person or something?"
Kec shakes his head. <I'm not asking for miracles. But, in a hundred years when people are talking about the most influential directors ever, they'll bring up the one who started to make this industry better for pokémon. That can be you, or someone else can beat you to it.>
He gets up and walks to the door. <Something to think about.>
As they leave, Katya looks down at Kec. "Do you think he'll go for it?"
Kec shrugs. <I'm hoping his ego will be bigger than how much he doesn't like me. We'll just have to see what happens.>
Poképark, Lake
Once again, Hoops falls down into the water having failed once again at climbing the fall. The Magikarp cluster around them.
<Well there kid, seems like you better be moseying on out of here, before that waterfall starts putting the hurts on ya.>
<A futile effort, You cannot climb up so high, Come and eat with us.>
<Thy body cannot withstand the continuation of yon efforts.>
<You're gowing to bweak something, uwu.>
<Don't govo up, froond. Yoo'ro olmost thoro.>
<Hey. There's just. A bit. Higher. Keep on. Going.>
Hoops yells in frustration. <Everyone just please, shut up!> They dive into the waterfall again, and climb up with far more speed than they have before. They clear the thirty metre mark, then the fifty, then the sixty, all without slowing down. Then they start to lose strength, and their speed decreases.
<No...> they think. <I'm so close. I have to... not listen to those Magikarp again! They're so Arceus damn annoying!>
Hardening their resolve, the keep pushing and make it to the seventy metre mark. So close, but now they truly have no strength. <Come on...>
A blinding light shines from within the waterfall. The Magikarp below watch as water explodes outwards, displaced by a sudden expansion of the creature in there. A moment later, the shape breeches the top of the waterfall and hangs in the air. A Gyrados, tail outstretched, mouth open with a deafening roar.
<Yeeesssssss!> Hoops screams. <This is so much better!>
They look around at the Poképark beneath them. <Now, where did the others get to.> Realising that they can fly in this form, they fly off to find the other J-Teamers.
The Magikarp below watch. <Well> one of them says. <I guess that worked. Neat.>
They all agree, talking in what can only be called very normal ways, and leave to go about their days.
Gabriel's Hideout, Paldea
Whatever security measures Gabriel has in place would inform him that someone with a very low blood temperature is entering.
Whitt comes into the room he met Gabe in before and takes a bag off his shoulders which contains several hundred pokémon gene samples, as requested.
"I brought the stuff for your science projects," he says. Gabe would probably also notice that Whitt has a series of new injuries since their last meeting.
Edited by theoncominghoop on Apr 3rd 2023 at 12:55:55 PM
Gabriel looked over to Whitt and observed the injuries. He ran the options and decided that asking about those first would be good.
"The hell happened to you? Got into a fight with a bisharp clan?"
He took the gene samples, Victor would be pleased with these as well, they had made use of some previous stored supplies to build something special. He looked to Whitt and pondered what he could do with a custom made team.
Person, or Idea?
After the Purugly pack had been thoroughly routed and sent packing, Christine turns back to Mitchell, only to see him with a mortified look.
<Remind me to never get on your bad side,> Mitchell says.
Concerned, Christine floats over and gently pats Mitchell's head. <Oh, don't be like that,> she says. <I'd never be that way to you.>
Mitchell can't help but purr contentedly in response to this.
Suddenly, the two hear distant sounds. An explosion, followed by a deafening roar! Turning towards the sound, the two see, off in the distance, the silhouette of a flying serpent!
<What manner of Pokemon is that?>, Christine asks.
<Could be a Gyarados or a Dragonair,> Mitchell says, squinting to get a better look. <Can't quite tell at this distance.>
The serpent is now on the move, clearly searching for something or other on the ground. With it's flight pattern, though, Mitchell realizes something, and reacts with horror.
<Chris!>, Mitchell shouts. <It's slowly coming this way!>
Some Rando
Poke Park-our
The look Talbain shot Ribbon as she perched beside him was a look of annoyance and resignation. With a flick of his tail, the highlighted path vanished as he realized Ribbon could basically shadow him as he climbed, higher and higher.
With a slow sigh, he looked at the Stone Edge spires he had summoned, his coat adopting the sheen of a Rock Polish. His claws extended, and in an orange blur he was back on terra firma, the spires cleanly cut and falling over.
<Copycat what you can't see. Go on.>
Stormchaser, April 2nd
…
Kalos, Somewhere
"Ah, Colton! Is that you?" A familiar female voice asked into the treeline.
"Ah, Gail. Yes, but call me Kendall, please," he waved.
"… wait, where are your Pokemon?"
One Explanation Later
"… I just can’t with them right now. I need something different," he finished. "So, here I am."
Gail nodded. "How do you plan to-"
A tall, purple-haired someone stumbled out of the foliage, landing awkwardly after tripping over a root.
"Leon?!" Gail asked. "What's the Galar champion doing here?"
"Is that a Kalos accent? What happened to Balloonlea?” He asked, still face-down in the dirt.
Kendall blinked. Not the time…
Some Strongarming Later
"Sorry he didn't have one for you, Gail," Kendall apologized as Leon climbed onto Sierra's back, flying off.
"A Rowlet would be adorable," she mused.
"Either way," he mused as he looked down at the Poke Ball in his hand. "I hope Serena and I get along well."
Edited by AbsentCoder on Apr 3rd 2023 at 9:54:19 AM
[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]
Templar Base, Paldea
Whitt scowls. "I ran into one of those J-Team arseholes. The bandage one, I believe you've met them. They are way more trouble than they're worth."
He nods at the samples. "So? You got everything you need there?"
The Wanderer
Poni Facility
CW human experimentation, child death
Boron: -To Abe, following the explanation- You were right, that was a lot.
Chiyo: Is the room where our templates were still even intact?
Boron: After you guys escaped they doubled the security, and well, I never really felt the desire to go over there. So your guess is as good as mine.
-The next room entered has a bunch of medical chairs lying around-
Chloe: -Gritting her teeth- I hated this room.
Chiyo: We all did, this was the room where they tested things on us.
???: Iridium... why did you leave me behind? I missed you.
-This ghost is a child appears to be either 7 or 8, purple eyes prominent-
Chiyo: -Recognizing them- Oxygen?
Zee: So he's gone too...
-To the others-
Another of your Batchmates?
Chloe: He was one of the younger ones, speedster, I guess to use your terminology Chiyo treated him kinda like a younger brother.
I see.
Oxygen: -Sitting on one of the chairs, kicking his legs to and fro- You, Osmium, Chlorine, Xenon, and Curium left, and Gallium died, but the experiments continued. One day, they strapped me to a chair, injected me with something, my heart beat really fast, and then I knew no more. Next thing I knew, I was like this.
-Saddened-
Why did you leave me behind Iridium?
Chiyo: -To Oxygen- What we were doing was dangerous, we didn't know who to trust, or even if we'd succeed. I didn't want to leave you behind, but I didn't want to put you in that sort of danger either.
-Sighs-
But it seems it was all for naught, because you're here now.
-Speaking up and putting a hand on her shoulder-
It's not your fault Chiyo, you and the others were just kids, it's No Heart and the School's fault. They created all of this.
Chiyo: -Looks as if she doesn't fully believe that, looks mirrored by the rest of the Truancy Gang- I'm sorry kiddo.
-Hugs Oxygen as best she can, seeing as her body passes through him-
I'm here now though.
Oxygen: I feel... at peace now. I don't know how much longer I have left, the Spirit World's pull is growing stronger, but I'll try my best to stay around before the time comes.
-He floats off, but his voice remains-
Be careful, like Boron said, there are those angrier than I.
Chloe: -Quietly, but with an anger to her words- Like I said, I hated this room, this place.
-She proceeds to kick one of the chairs over-
I want to go stab No Heart in the neck so badly right now.
Abe: -Taking her hand- We've still got more of it to go.
Chloe: -Squeezing Abe's hand- That's what I dread.
Zee: -Arms crossed- Then let's go, the sooner we get what we're here for, and putting our siblings to rest, the better.
Edited by rmctagg09 on Apr 29th 2023 at 3:02:12 PM
Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.
chaos catby with a flannel shirt addiction
Kwan resort party
Jess looks around at all the other wonder women, looking increasingly awkward about the whole thing.
Jess: I really should've gone with Noibatman.
Robin: ~Yeah.~
They continue to awkwardly munch on some crisps.
I used to plug my deviantart here but turns out the link was too long.
The Wanderer
Poni Facility - Pantry
-Opening a box-
Guess they didn't bother taking this nutrient paste with them.
Abe: -With a look of disgust as he telekinetically lifts a paste tube out of the box- I wouldn't feed this crap to a Grimer.
Chloe: That was one of the worst things for the first couple years, getting used to eating regular food that didn't come with a chemical leash attached.
Abe: I remember it took ages to eat certain things without either throwing up or getting stuck in the bathroom, or what passed for one, for a while.
Boron: Those tubes are one thing I definitely don't miss about being alive.
-Pocketing one of the paste tubes-
I think I'll take this for later.
Chloe: -Eyebrow raise- For what, the cure?
Well, it'll probably pay dividends in figuring out how the chemical leash works if nothing else, albeit this is a roughly 20 year old tube so who knows how things have changed for the School in the meantime.
Zee: -To Chiyo, who has been mostly quiet- You okay?
Chiyo: -Looking up at Zee- Oxygen, Vana... the Freshman Iridium, my basically daughter with Tagg. It's a very weird thing to say. They deserve better, they all deserved better.
Zee: -Nodding- I'd agree, but that's why we're doing this, right? So that we all get something better.
Chiyo: Yeah...
Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.
That's just how it is on this bitch of an earth
The Stormchaser, Blissfully Unaware of What Just Happened
Ama is furiously typing things into a laptop, while Sofia is lying on a bed behind her swinging her legs.
Sofia: "Why'd we need to be here for this again?"
Ama: "I don't want to use up PEFE resources for this, as important as it is. It didn't feel right, I suppose."
Sofia: "You're putting a lot more thought into this than I expected you to."
Ama: "Of course I am! Why wouldn't I? She asked me a question, I should take it seriously."
Sofia: "She could always change it later."
Ama: "But my first choice will say something. What if she doesn't like it? Or it's secretly offensive to her?"
Sofia: "Y'know, I can see how you and your counterpart in this universe were the same person, once."
This earns Sofia a glare.
Sofia pouts, but continues.
Sofia: -giggling- "... But anyway. She's not going to be that uncharitable. And if she is, I'm just gonna sneak behind your back and tell her how much thought you put into this."
Ama: -grumbling- "Hm...."
off the shits
That's just how it is on this bitch of an earth
West Province Area One, Paldea
Daydre is having a nice picnic.
The Punisher is getting a nice lunch of berries and Happiness Meal (now with jubilation and jouissance bits!) for his efforts in getting her here.
The knives are stabbed in the ground nearby, sucking in ambient negativity.
And of course, the Mask is sitting on the picnic blanket next to Daydre.
Daydre: "This is nice, right Yan-Yu?"
Yan-Yu doesn't respond. She... can't, really, without a conduit.
Daydre: "I know you can't really respond but talking to you makes me feel better."
The Knives: <...>
Daydre: "Hey! I haven't forgotten about you guys! Don't worry. We're in this together, you know? You'll get what you want, I promise."
...
Nobody in this group is particularly talkative.
off the shits
No voice to cry suffering
West Province Area One, Paldea
-talkativeness arrives-
-with Megan's head popping out of a bottle of juice-
Megan: Nyello~
-her fingers appear under her chin, stretching the bottle's mouth to where she can wriggle out more or less gracefully-
Megan: 💖 Hiya, Daydre! 💖
Megan: -to the mask- Hi, Yan-Yu.
-she reaches down to give the mask a pet, and Pollen tackles her arm out of the way-
-...with enough telekinetic force to hurl Megan bodily into a bush-
Pollen: -stern- <No!!!!!>
Megan: Oh. Right. Sorry. Ask first...
-a slender shape squirms out of the bottle after Megan, and the lecture Pollen's giving her-
Fraidy: <H-hi, The Punisher ...>
-once free, she sits in place-
Pollen: -to Fraidy- <Oh...right. That was okay. That looked almost like the way they do it.>
Fraidy: ;-;
Pollen: <...I said it was okay?>
Fraidy: ;_;
-Pollen sighs-
Pollen: <Hi, cake knives. Come, feast on our anxiety and irk.>
Fraidy: <...have you been hanging around Thespi?>
-Pollen glares; Fraidy goes 'eep'-
Megan: -looking back and forth between them, the Doublade, the Togekiss- ...smoodgasboard...
-...Megan flounces from bush to table and pops a lettuce leaf in her mouth-
Megan: Sho!
-she pauses, takes a bite, crunches it down...-
Megan: -with her free hand, taking Daydre's- I hear you've got some theories you'd like to test...?
-she grins, fangs and all-
Edited by Asterisk395 on Apr 3rd 2023 at 7:36:05 AM
No mind to think. No will to break.
That's just how it is on this bitch of an earth
West Province Area One, Paldea
Daydre: "Hehe." :3
Daydre giggles brightly, but goes kinda :O when Megan is thrown into a bush.
Daydre: "... Yeah, probably best not to touch her until the Stuff is sorted out. Are you okay though?"
She squeezes Megan's hand.
The Punisher looks at Fraidy with wide eyes. It would be intimidating if he didn't have little konpeito looking crunchies stuck on his face.
The knives blink asynchronously at Pollen. She gets the feeling they're sniffing at her, in the way dogs do when they're seeing you again for the first time in a while.
Daydre: "Mmmmostly just... Hm. Well, with the resonance stuff earlier. I guess I was wondering about trying that? I dunno, it's sounding like Yan-Yu and the curse are separate entities at this point. So I was wondering if there was a way to resonate with her specifically to do.... Something. She did say that you couldn't access the Mask's power without accessing its curse, but maybe there's a way to do it that hasn't been discovered yet?"
She closes her eyes and Ponders.
Daydre: "... Tagg said there was a way to let her out temporarily on occasion by using the Stormchaser's power. But I dunno, I guess it rubs me the wrong way to leave her stuck there forever. Since... Well, there wouldn't be a reason for us to take the Mask out. Y'know, since Stormy is mostly safe and all. Oh no I agree with Aislinn on something."
Daydre: "I feel like there's a way to amalgamate all this information I've gathered but I can't think of how. It's like it's right there, I just need one last step to reach it...."
off the shits
A Marvel nerd who likes to just live his life.
Stormchaser, A Few Weeks Ago
Having listened to Nick on how he's not exactly the boss and how he only got the permission to bring up the informant in the first place, Tony and Autumn now seemed rather more understanding of the situation, and Autumn calmed herself down a bit.
Autumn: <Oh...I didn't know anything about that...I should've thought about that before I went all wacko...>
Tony turned to Autumn with a comforting smile and petted her head.
Tony: Ahhh, it's alright. Besides, PEFE and the J-Team are just doing their part to make sure any confidential info doesn't get scooped up by spies.
At the mention of spies though, the two managed to feel something that was coming from the Stormchaser. You couldn't really describe it well if you happened to feel it yourself, but to them it felt like a sort of comforting atmosphere that resonated with them.
Tony: Huh...suddenly I feel a lot more safer in here than usual.
Autumn: <Yeah, it's like the ship feels more welcoming now. Not sure how the heck that works...>
Then Tony comes to a shocking realization:
Autumn: <TONY! You're getting off topic!>
He then sheepishly blushes for a bit.
Tony: Oh, right...sorry.
Then Nick tells them about the upcoming interview with the informant, and this gets him real interested again. When Tommy seeks their approval, he eagerly nods his head and does a goofy salute.
Tony: Oh yeah! You bet I'm in! This is gonna be so cool!
Autumn gives off a confident smirk and nods her head slightly as well.
Autumn: <Heh. Now we're talking. Trust me, when we're done, they're gonna spill all the beans we need to make sure those gene pirates get what's coming to them.>
Stormchaser, The Next Day
Coming into the interview room, Tony walked in, with his purple business suit and his silver suitcase. And also for this special occasion, his pitch black sunglasses. He personally thought they made him more cool-looking. His three Pokeballs were on his belt for now, as he was gonna wait to bring some of his mons out for a bit.
Upon meeting Ciara, he openly waved his hand to her and shook her hand as Nick gave him and Tommy their introductions.
Tony: Nice to meet you too! It's always nice to meet new people around here. Hopefully whoever's here can help us out with what's going on here-
And then he sees the informant, who happens to look like a man, but upon being told by Ciara that he was in fact a Ditto, he is utterly flabbergasted to say the least.
Tony: Wait...what?! This man, he's a Ditto? No...no that can't be right. That just doesn't make any sense! When Dittos transform, don't they still have black beady eyes? This guy clearly still has magenta eyes! H-how can this guy even be a Ditto?!
At this point, he continues to babble and mumble incomprehensibly as he desperately tries to make sense of what's going on. Hopefully someone can offer an explanation before he actively loses his mind at this...
Fun isn't something one considers when I watch or read stuff with people with costumes and capes, but that does bring a smile to my face.
No voice to cry suffering
West Province Area One, Paldea
Megan: Yeah, I've been chucked into worse. c:
Pollen: -shudders-
Fraidy: -...licks lips-
Megan: ...hm...
-she thinks, confident in her ability to reason through this-
-...-
-and does that thing where she tries to snap but doesn't really know how-
Megan: Got it.
-she takes an [x] and [y] and squeezes them together, shaking the container to hold a frothy blend-
Megan: Well, if one person-or-creature syncs with the curse, we could use that as the filter...
-she sops up the [y] with a hunk of bread, leaving the [x]-
Megan: -chomp- ...and leverage your deeper connection with Yan-Yu to tug her thread apart from it. And take the readings we need there.
-Fraidy obligingly licks [x] up-
Physically distract as much rage as we can, as long as we can...get the Auras beating in time between "you" and "her" away from "it".
Pollen: <...is that possible? Looking at her now...she's pretty thoroughly entangled. If her mind's separate now, it probably was part of her once.>
-twitch- <Trial and error might just end with two people (or otherwise, ugh) very used to the one power.>
Fraidy: -mlem- <A-and if it works, wouldn't we be fighting someone possessed by the curse? Without the part that has second thoughts??>
Pollen: <Uh, yeah boss, I don't know if you remember, but she messed you up.>
Megan: Hey, we all came out okay. o3o
-she bites her lip, remembering...-
-remembering-
Megan: It's not the worst thing in the world.
Megan: -beam- And while that's happening, who knows what power Daydre and Yan-Yu will find together.
Pollen: <None of us.>
Megan: Exactly! ^_^
Pollen: <I wasn't—I wasn't being optimistic—>
Megan: -booping her- Well, I am.
Pollen: -buggy hiss-
Megan: ...I feel like if Logan were here, they'd say something about supporting her through...fighting...this part of her...
-she trails off, and shrugs-
Megan: But I know Vow attunement, and there's no better way to reach it than battling together.
-toeing the ground- There's a lot of technicalities I could bring up, but you know what I've made, dear. We spent a long time trying to deal with Dáinsleif. Think a big tuning fork made of hate...we had to sing along to. Before we could start changing the tune.
Megan: -tilting her head, fiddling with her PEFEdex- I want this to go better. And every refinement starts with getting to know her, somehow. The power, and the Zoroark.
-she grins- So we find power to juice her consciousness up, some tough targets to focus you both, safety nets...
Megan: -holding up a glimmering black-crystal sphere
◊- And we're good on power, no worries.
-she tries wiggling her eyebrows, to limited success-
Edited by Asterisk395 on Apr 3rd 2023 at 9:03:44 AM
No mind to think. No will to break.
The Wanderer
Poni Facility
-It's while we're checking out a storeroom that we come across another ghost, a willowy-looking young woman with a cold-looking face-
???: Iridium? I'll admit it was a real surprise that Boron said it was you of all people who ended up killing her. The one who used to hide behind her barriers now styles herself a proper warrior and has survived when so many of the real heavy hitters haven't.
-The area is a bit chillier than one might expect-
Chiyo: Well, they do say rainbows are good luck. Neptunium.
-There's not much warmness behind the statement-
And I only fight to survive, not for fun.
??? Neptunium: I could've been a contender, but here I am, in this place.
Chiyo: -Neutrally- Who killed you Neptunium?
Neptunium: Hydrogen killed me, stabbed me right through the heart during final testing. Them and Ununquadium, they went on after me, the First and the Last of the New Century Class.
-Speaking up-
Ununquadium? They'd probably be going by Flerovium now.
Neptunium: -Acknowledging me for the first time- A scientist, are you? Like No Heart and his ilk?
Chiyo: -Irritated- Tagg is nothing like them.
Neptunium: Regardless, I look back on my time alive and wonder if it would've been better to have been like you and the rest of your little gang. Or Diamond who escaped after you, or our sister who comes here to keep us company.
Boron: We've had this same conversation so many times.
Neptunium: We were always taught the strongest would be the ones who survived, but it was the so-called strongest that were ultimately laid low.
Abe: -Serious- Are Hydrogen and Flerovium still alive? Do they still work for No Heart?
Neptunium: If they're dead, their spirits most certainly didn't end up here, I can tell you that much. What do you all plan on doing once you leave this place with what you're searching for?
Chiyo: We're taking down the School. That Freshman Class they've made? One way or another, that'll be the last Class they'll ever make.
Chloe: -Concurring- After that, we'll deal with No Heart and his Templars, for good. Whatever he wants with that "Prime Node" or whatever, it's bad news for everyone.
Abe: All our suffering, everything No Heart and those like him have done to us, it'll be brought to light.
Neptunium: -Nods- Well, I wish you all the best, it's all I can do in this state. Just don't end up like us.
-She floats off-
Chiyo: Neptunium was always cold like that, even when I knew her, but she didn't deserve what happened to her.
-Nods-
None of you did Chiyo.
-We continue moving-
Edited by rmctagg09 on Sep 29th 2023 at 3:27:10 PM
Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.
That's just how it is on this bitch of an earth
West Province Area One, Paldea
Daydre feels a twinge of guilt, deep down.
Thankfully, the aspects that govern those feelings are a little preoccupied right now.
Daydre: "Hmm.... Well if you think you could handle things Arcs forbid they get out of control, I'd be willing to give it a shot."
Daydre: -smiling- "I trust you."
She puts a hand on her chin.
Daydre: "... Well. I know where we can get some big targets, at least. On the way here I heard some kids talking about 'titans'? That sounds promising. You don't call something a titan if it's small and weak."
She shrugs.
Daydre: " I want to get to know her better. It sounds like she was alone for a long time and I... don't like that."
A pensive look crosses her face and she picks up both the knives.
Daydre: "Hm... I guess it's worth seeing if the Mask can only curse one person at a time, huh?"
Daydre: "..."
Daydre: "No, I'm not crazy. But if it works we have at least one safety net, no?"
Daydre: "..."
Daydre: "See, Aya agrees with me. And you two agreed to help me if I helped you."
Daydre: "..."
Daydre: "Okay, we'll go do one of your errands after this, I promise."
Daydre: -to Megan- "Well, I have one maybe-safety net!... What do we do now?"
off the shits
The Wanderer
Poni Facility
-The next room is dark and filled with large tubes capable of encasing a human. In the back it appears that a large machine was taken out at some point, presumably around the abandonment of the facility-
Chiyo: -Putting her hand to the glass of a tube labeled "#77"- This was where we were born, or rather, decanted.
Zee: -Looking at a tube labeled "#54"- No bigger reminder of how different we are from other humans, apart from our eyes.
Chiyo: No mothers to birth us, we come out already knowing how to walk and talk and feed ourselves.
Chloe: And then basically nothing but work and suffering until we managed to escape. 114 of us created here, so little of us left after 22 years.
Abe: -To me- That was where they had the machine they made us in, they most certainly wouldn't have left it here.
-Crossing arms-
Figures.
-Around us are also spirit flames, and also more humanoid spirits lacking features hanging around the tubes-
Spirit #1: We looked for absolution...
Spirit #2: But no one came...
They must be some of the ones Boron mentioned, spirits that have manifested but haven't regained their unique identities. They're just...lost.
-Looking down at the paper talisman in my hand-
Leaving this to me...
Hitodama: -Appearing from my shadow- <Should we put them to rest Tagg?>
That's what we were asked to do.
Hitodama: <Okay.>
-Waves her arms in order to attract the spirits to a circle I've drawn into the floor with Aura-
Now, restless ones, go in peace.
-Wipes the circle with the talisman, manifested into a feather of Yveltal, and the spirits within it glow golden before disappearing-
Edited by rmctagg09 on Apr 3rd 2023 at 12:54:48 PM
Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.
No voice to cry suffering
West Province Area One, Paldea
-Megan regards Daydre's sword dialog with the blithe, slightly distracted stare of someone genuinely entirely unconcerned by what's going on- -she might think it's cute, or cool-
Megan: Hehe.
-this might actually be completely unaltered-
-and she bounds right past the little flutter she feels at being Trusted to enthuse all over this picnic-
Megan: ✨Preliminary readings!✨
-she strikes a pose-
Fraidy: <(...a-and equipment testing.)>
Megan: And ✨equipment testing!✨
-Fraidy strikes a pose-
Megan: See—and it might work better if trance-you is surprised, but I like communicating with you-you to avoid sitcom-esque misunderstandings.
-she shudders-
Megan: My safety nets for...titans, golly, are along the lines of like...Pippy—
Pippy: <Hi.> •v•
Megan: —or EMPEROR sniping them in the face with a Power Trip while we run away really, really fast. But, uh, it's best if we learn whether we can actually lull you out of that state before we throw in a very very large Pokémonplication.
Pollen: <"Lull"?>
Megan: It's shorter than "consensually beat up". :c
Pollen: <...>
Megan: Okay, we have stuff like Vee's Voice, Ceal's Sing or even Perish Song—
Pollen: <My Stun Spore, though it's not gentle. And it's not. Finely aged curse marinade. Why are we doing this.>
-a memory comes, unbidden, of being alone in a meadow for a very long time-
-Megan pauses as something occurs to her, rummaging around in a back pocket-
Megan: ...aha! And a couple of Abilene's Slumber Wands. To disrupt the harmony or kind of softly...knock you both out entirely. Lure you or suck you into Zones that beef up status resistance. And also I printed a Zorua Ranger Sign on some jumbo poster board, got a pack of your favorite sweets, and made a really big Soothe Bell we can smack like a gong.
-musing- The Mask might shrug off one or even a few at once, but with Knives right there, and all of this ready...
Pollen: <It's not without risk, piling all that on, but. You're scrappy. And if you're down for it...>
Megan: -rubbing hands together- Baseline first. Record your Aura without knives, then you plus knives, then we suit up and safety spar (while a Pokémon Center's just like a hill thataway). ^_^
Pollen: <...not sure I can watch for science and claws at the same time, Meg.>
-Megan bites down on further explanation dumping to hear Daydre's opinion-
Edited by Asterisk395 on Apr 4th 2023 at 8:38:30 AM
No mind to think. No will to break.
That's just how it is on this bitch of an earth
West Province Area One, Paldea
Daydre nods along while Megan explains, enough to show she's paying attention but not enough to interrupt.
When Megan pauses, she thinks for a second.
Daydre: "Me-me didn't really have any control last time, so knowing ahead of time probably doesn't take away from the surprise!"
She grins. She probably shouldn't grin at that.
Daydre: " I think I... vaguely remember EMPEROR snapping me out of it last time. I dunno how well statuses would work, but I'm sure piling on enough is bound to do something, right? This isn't a league match, do whatever. Though I would prefer not being heavily injured like I was last time."
Daydre: "But that's just a long-winded way of saying 'sounds good to me'. Can I have the sweets even if this goes poorly?"
... The inner Rowan in her conscience is banging away saying this is a stupid idea, but who ever needed a conscience anyway?
Daydre: "Oh! Wait, I never actually introduced you. These two are Aya and Ana Maria!"
She holds out the knives. They don't say anything.
Daydre: "I didn't know Doublades could have two souls, but maybe I just haven't been keeping up on Doublade research."
Edited by Daydre on Apr 4th 2023 at 9:43:10 AM
off the shits
The Wanderer
Poni Facility
-We enter what appears to be a mass bunk bedroom-
Chloe: When we planned our escape, we knew the School would try to make new, "better" versions of us.
Abe: So one of our first steps upon escaping was to attempt to destroy where our records were kept.
-Gesturing to the bunk beds-
We planned that here.
-Noting the lack of any signs of wall curtains or a place where people could change-
Not much privacy in here I'd imagine.
Chiyo: Privacy is for people, and we were not considered people. Our bodies were only seen as flesh vessels At least, back then..., so no point in teaching us to be afraid of nakedness apart from practicality.
Zee: It was a real pain, making sure we were all on the same page but also having to make sure we didn't get found out by the mind readers, or someone like Cadmium blabbing.
-Floating around are sprit flames, but these seem a bit more agitated than the ones in the decanting room-
Hitodama: <The spirits here, they feel deeply vengeful.>
You don't need to tell me twice, their resentment runs deep.
-The spirits take notice of the group and start surrounding us, chanting in unison-
We begged for a savior...
But no one came...
We desired absolution...
But no one came...
We've come to free you of your torment!
Till when... till when shall we be free of our torment?
You have gotten to leave, but we languish in this place.
Chloe: -Looking from side to side- I'm not liking the look of this.
-The spirits start coalescing, forming into some sort of amorphous monstrosity-
Welcome to our special hell...
Alright, putting these spirits to rest is gonna take some doing.
Chiyo: -Barriers forming- At this point, it's all we can do for them.
Edited by rmctagg09 on Apr 4th 2023 at 6:45:25 AM
Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.
No voice to cry suffering
West Province Area One, Paldea
-Megan is not very very sad, remembering something she did-
Megan: -in the same tone- I myself am quite invested in you not being heavily injured, but the sweets are there regardless. c:
Megan: And oh, I need to talk to him, then. I don't think I was awake for that part...
-she coos over both blades-
Megan: ...ohhh, you both look so sharp. And you wear my partner so nicely. It's nice to meet you! ^_^
-...-
Megan: ...come to think of it, how do we know the difference between one Doublade and two Honedge? I guess here if they're possessing you, you could tell they're working as one...are there always just two?
Megan: ...do we know if Aegislash is just the one Pokémon? Can the shield have a consciousness? Is it like a Hydreigon thing where the souls divide and recombine? We can see when two swords come from just the one, but do they always stay together? Maybe it's like Eggless reproduction outside the confines of a Pokéball, where they diverge eventually if they don't eat enough umbrate to Evolve into a matriarch...oh, but I keep forgetting Ghosts can be, like. ghosts.
-Megan muses on the hazy nature of the afterlife, and how it seems to kind of ouroboros back into the ecosystem-
-she imagines coming back as like a Frillish and getting eaten immediately by some thanatovore or other-
-will her ghost leave its own ghost? is she an endless cycle of Megan? from whence does she come, and does she have any ghosty cousins that are just born ghosts?-
Megan: I don't know anything about Honedge.
-she forcibly refocuses-
Megan: -brightly- Speaking of the shaky nature of identity and selfhood, I made a bunch of little balls of you! Kind of...orbed it from Vee's gamer flesh , then added fox hairs until its Aura started smelling like your room's instead of like something you made. According to her. Simulacrum.
-Fraidy gingerly sets a jellyish red-and-black orb on the table in front of the mask, where it might start...-
-...sizzling? glowing? squishing? it really is just kind of a lump of imitation Daydre matter with a smidgen of will-
Megan: -tilting her head- ...hopefully it'll let us evaluate the bond more often, as an option aside from plunking the mask on your actual face. Or somebody else's face I guess, but it's not like we're flush with people Yan-Yu might take a shine to. It's a proto-prototype. Substitute, Mimic, Baton Pass...
-she giggles, excited for this part-
Megan: And to actually quantify the properties of your Aura, outside Pollen and Vee's eyewitness reports!
-she looks up and to the left, cheeky-
Megan: ...so when I "dropped out" of "school" I "embezzled" a bunch of "office supplies" I was already using for "noninvasive" "testing".
Passing Hiker: -horrified look-
Megan: ...not this school! :3
Megan: -to Daydre- But I don't feel "comfortable" using 'em now 'cause of all the "ethics violations".
Hiker: ...
Nymble: -tugging her along- <Come on, don't make eye contact...>
Megan: So I'm gonna leave them in a pile over there, and not pay attention to them for the rest of the scene. ^_^
Fraidy: <That's sensible!>
-she has no second thoughts about this-
Megan: But I looked them over, and what I came up with instead...
-she pulls out what looks like a bunch of litmus tests, already colored a sort of reddish-pink-
-but she sets them aside, nudges a knife-tendril out of the way, and clasps her Z-Ring around one of Daydre's wrists-
-Fraidy darts about, to Pollen's bemusement—setting up cameras with complicated lens arrays-
-Megan might lead Daydre away from the table to a fresh-cut spirograph in the ground, at the center of observation-
Megan: -low- When you're ready...
-she leans over to make deliberate eye contact, crossing Daydre's Ringed wrist with her own bare one-
Megan: -beam- Dance with me?
Edited by Asterisk395 on Apr 4th 2023 at 5:52:02 AM
No mind to think. No will to break.
Meet The New Boss
Unova Courtroom
Jared: "Woah Alice you're right!"
-to Shun and Leonard-
"Dudes, it's kinda funny just how much emphasis was based on arranging things around this calling card as opposed to hiding actual evidence. And by funny I mean totally suspicious."
School OH THE AGONY House
Justice: "Yes please!"
Crown City
Risky:' "My Pokemon can definitely set traps."
Jade: "My Pokemon can... Fight for their lives."
It was all we've been doing for so long...
Sinnoh Resort House
Neon: "Uh, good I helped I guess?"
Sunyshore
Flamel: <Oh hello Gale- Hmmm?>
-to the girl-
<Hello? What are you doing here?>
Autumn Mountain
-the gang successfully crosses the field!
-Bobby is chilling comfortably in Gale's grip-
-Haha it's a good thing he didn't get lost right?-
Olivia: <That grass tickles! Especially when it touches your nose...>
-The bad news is that as the gang approaches the Water Vellumental Temple suddenly they are jumped by origami Basculin!
Bobby: <Why is there music and why does it SLAP?>
Edited by Umbramatic on Apr 4th 2023 at 6:31:25 AM
Contact Me!
Oliver looked up, Stylus following his gaze as they saw the Murkrow fly down. <Oh hey!> Stylus said with surprising emotion. <Decided to come join us?>
Oliver was staring daggers at Stylus, watching that response. <Uh... Stylus.>
<What?>
<Did you... just emote?>
Stylus tilted his head. <Uh... yeah... is that surprising?>
<You're well known to not emote at all!>
Stylus whistled... and then winced as his sensitive canine ears picked it up. <Ow... okay I'm monotone and unemotive because that shit is hard... It's easier with friends. Plus I think the chemical balance in this form gives me a bit more energy to do so.>
Oliver looked to the Murkrow... then Stylus, and repeated the action for a bit before saying. <Well... okay then... Pent... Gale... what do we call you like this?>
Ribbon had a bemused if snarky look as Talbain moved his way through the gym. She stretched a bit, and then proceeded to mimic everything Talbain had done, even right down to his movements. She grinned at the other side and waved her ribbon-like feelers at him. <Copycat is fun.>
Even Silas was outright smiling at this point, a big bemused grin on his face. Roxy saw her chance and let out a mock gasp. "Oh my word! Seems the true magic of the night is getting him to smile!"
The smile vanished as Roxy poked at him, Silas shooting her a look in indigence. She continued to poke with a big smile, and the sides of his mouth couldn't help but twitch as she did, eventually a smirk returned.
"Really lucked out on this didn't you Pris?" Silas asked.
Edited by EchoingSilence on Apr 2nd 2023 at 9:15:55 AM