Roxy grins back at the wink, before saying. "Well my dear Kai, I was in the neighborhood and I started to wonder. What do your lips taste like?"

She's playing up the Kalosian accent quite a bit, she hopes it's working. She winks back a bit, stepping inside.

Kai's Apartment

-Kai's confident grin breaks as she bursts out laughing, closing the door behind them.-

Kai: Gosh, that's a way to say hi, huh?

-She regains her composure, smiling at Roxy.-

Kai: Guess I'll give you an answer quickly, then.

-She takes Roxy by the waist, and dips and kisses her.-

-(It's strawberry flavored.)-

Nothing about this went to Roxy's plan, she's not complaining certainly but all of a sudden, swept off feet, dipped, and kissed.

Her brain is utterly blank as she tries to think about what just happened... strawberry though is good. All Kai would see on her face is a very vacant shocked look in her eyes, and her face going as red as Kai's hair.

"...Whoa..." Roxy finally squeaks out.

Kai's Apartment

-Kai grins, and sets Roxy back upright.-

Kai: You're welcome.

-They brush Roxy's hair out of her face.-

Roxy's brain is going a thousand miles a minute, before she finally hits upon. "Ahem... eh... it'd be just kinda rude of me to just... walk out on you. Wanna like... get a coffee or something, I made it all the way here and-"

Suddenly she stops. "Sorry just didn't wanna start rambling."

Her face is still red. "That's what kisses from you are like? Damn Alice is a lucky woman."

Kai's Apartment

-Kai giggles-

Kai: Heh, sure~ As long as it stays friendly, of course. Terms of the application, and all. But you know, you can't come to the Battle Frontier and just not get in a scrap or two. And I seem to remember something about sudden and inevitable betrayal...

"I'm sorry wut," Roxy commented. She shook her head as her neurons finally started to fire again. "Oh! Right! RIGHT!"

Well now she just felt dumb. "Damn anybody who tries to betray you must have a hard time, like damn how long was I out there?"

A big smile was on her face. "And Battle Frontier, scraps or tour, I'm good with either or both!"

Kai's Apartment

Kai: Nobody's had the heart to betray me yet, but a girl* can dream, right?

-Kai takes Roxy's hand and opens the door again, leading her out.-

Kai: You were only out for about a minute, really. I still feel pretty darn powerful, though. It was cute.

Roxy followed along, not even putting up any resistance. "You are absolutely powerful! Goddamn first time and I'm completely out!"

She chuckled. "So, I've never been to your Frontier base before, Mx. Amarin, tell me what a powerful Frontier Brain such as yourself does here!"

Hoenn Battle Frontier

Kai: I'm glad you asked~ As a Frontier Brain, I present Hall of Fame tier trainers with unique challenges beyond what you'll find in the standard League format. My facility, the Battle Sanctum, has gone through a few different iterations with different aesthetic and thematic choices, but all with the same core structure.

-They point toward the Battle Sanctum in the distance.-

Kai: You are presented with four paths, each with a code word at the end. After you triumph over the challenges of one path, you have a decision to make — either proceed to the final chamber immediately, with your team as worn down as they are, or seek out a second code word, and perhaps even a third and a fourth, for the chance to heal your team's wounds.

When I first became a Frontier Brain, I waited at the end for all challenges. I arranged three different teams from my Pokemon for different challenge levels — the standard Gold Rank and Silver Rank teams that all Frontier Brains, as well as one I dubbed the "Crystal Team" for first-time challengers. As I became more familiar with the patterns of challengers, I eventually recruited a collection of other worthy trainers to fill the Crystal Rank space — the "Sanctum Guardians". With them at the facility, I now get alerts when certain challengers have defeated the Guardians enough times to face me — after four consecutive wins for Silver, and eight for Gold. In the meantime, I am able to be around the J-Team more often.

-bright, proud, beaming smile-

Roxy was genuinely awed. "Ooo! Quirky Miniboss Squad, and with your current... aesthetic stylings. This technically makes you the vampire master commanding them does it not?"

She looked over everything. "Reminds me of those old dungeon crawler games, where you have to find certain items to come back to an earlier point to advance!"

Hoenn Battle Frontier

-Kai chuckles-

Kai: For one iteration, I was trying to play up the vampire vibe. It didn't feel right, especially with Spectrum and Nix being core parts of the team. I appreciated the irony of a sun-themed vampire, but in execution, it mostly just felt incongruous.

Stormchaser

Boron: -Coming out of the bathroom- Okay, next time I might want to change some of the ingredients.

-Looking between everyone else-

So uh, what are we doing now?

Chloe: I could go wherever, but we're not sure if Abe going back would be a good idea now that the School knows he's still alive.

Abe: I can still do my work for the Oasis from here, so I'll be doing that.

Zee: I'm commuting, still gotta keep an eye on Damien and all.

Chloe: -Eyebrow raise- Right, your pet Templar.

Zee: -Annoyed- He's not my pet. Besides, I can't really show him the outside world from the inside of a non-Euclidean airship, and the snow's starting to melt so I can actually do more things now.

Chiyo: -Deciding to break things up- From what you've told us in the groupchat I don't think he'd be in that much of a rush to leave your side personally, Zee.

Zee: -Confused- That's the second time you've said something like that.

-Eyebrow raise-

What are you insinuating Chiyo?

Chiyo: -Amused- Something I'm sure you'll figure out eventually.

-More serious-

I want to continue doing stuff in Alola, but there's also the deal with our little Iridium.

Chloe: What, gonna try capturing her?

Chiyo: Tagg and I talked about it and we feel it's better that she comes to us of her own free will rather than us attempting to get her inside the Stormchaser by force.

Boron: This all seems very complicated. Not to mention No Heart and his Templars are still out there, we need to deal with them.

I want revenge...

Abe: Best that we take things one step at a time. Deal with the School, get our Iridium away from them, and once that's out of the way, then we can deal with No Heart.

Edited by rmctagg09 on May 7th 2023 at 12:16:37 PM

Celestic Town

A young man named Atrin is looking very intensely at the shrine in Celestic Town, very still for a few moments, before taking a picture with his phone. A Duosion is right behind him, looking up at him.

Atrin: You don't see things like this back home, Mimir. So much history in Sinnoh.

Atrin puts away his phone.

Atrin: Different from Nimbasa, that's for sure. Feels like there's no quiet moments there.

Atrin adjusts his glasses and then pets Mimir.

Galar, Wild Area - Blooming Grove, once

Abilene: ...gods above, you nerd.

-try as she might, it comes out more wondering than scornful-

-she wracks her brain-

Abilene: Regardless of the soil in which I sprout, I am Kalosian, thank you very much. Land of the fey.

-she muses-

Abilene: -demure- …though for my meager interest in representing either Roland or Angelica, I will graciously submit to the narrative you present.

Sorbus: <As may I.>

-little flecks of green all through the Water sprout all at once, expanding in a crushing wall of foliage-

-through which Elderberry's leaves fly, striking the Pollen Puff's scorch marks-

Sorbus: -wink- <See you around, hero.>

-Abilene brandishes a well-loved Friend Ball-

Abilene: Gawain or Morgan? While the image of you, resplendent in your majesty, is compelling…what is tragic might, witch-queen, to…

-she taps her fingers against her lips-

Abilene: …the Green Knight?

Abilene: Come, my Durendal.

-she unleashes a monstrous, battle-scarred Chesnaught-

Castanea: -hammering his fists together- <Are you through flirting?>

Abilene: I haven't the slightest idea what you mean.

Castanea: -sigh- <Of course not.>

Abilene: Be warned: what you offer next, I am compelled to return twofold. Come visit sometime; I'll give you a hero's welcome.

West Province Area One, Paldea

Concerning.

-Megan-that-is-Megan instinctively presses more of herself into the reaction, and Megan-that-is-Vee throttles it-

But—

No.

-isn't it fine if they burn out, when they're shining so brightly?-

-a bead of sweat trickles down Megan's forehead, dissolving into a glimmer of blue light-

-even restrained, Daydre's preternatural speed seems at the very edge of Megan's performance envelope—and Megan seems to be reveling in it-

-she calls another feather to her hand, letting Pippy replace her spear with two short rods-

-lets Vee overwrite her muscle memory with Daydre's dual wielding-

-in that cool and stagnant air, the pair of them—the four to six of them—etch the shape of their persons in light-

Pollen: <...ah.>

-she glances about-

Pollen: <Yeah, I don't…think this'll be a problem. For Yan Yu's compatibility.>

Fraidy: <...?>

Pollen: <Ghosts. Shut up.>

"I can see that," Roxy admitted, trying to mentally picture it. "Not unless you go for some form of daytime horror..."

"So, how many challengers have you actually had recently? A Frontier Brain such as yourself must be quite busy!"

Castelia City

Seeing the change in Mitchell's mood caused Semyon to slowly extend his chain towards him and, with a gentleness and even grace that quite honestly should not be expected from what amounted to an (albeit scaled down) anchor chain, pat him on the shoulder in an effort to help him push past the initial soberness.

Semyon: <Now, now, me matey, no need to get all glum. Me old cap still watches over me new crew and meself. And he'll continue to as long as we honour the old seadog. 'Tis the way things go, matey, and when the time comes for ye to say yer farewells, yer just gotta keep yer crew up in here->

As he said this, Semyon ever so gently bumped Mitchell right on his heart with his chain.

Semyon: <As they will keep yerself when when it's yer own time to join the crews of past.>

Having said this, Semyon pat Mitchell on the back in an effort to further brighten his mood again.

Semyon: <What yer feeling is only normal, matey, but look at yerself and yer crew - yer all got the best parts of yer journeys still ahead of yerselves, so no need to worry about the stories of an old scurvy dog like meself.>

After a last almost father pat, Semyon slowly pulled back his chain once more (unless of course Mitchell were to stop him from doing so) to give him some space, seeming rather happy himself when he saw that Mitchell had managed to brighten up. Instead, he let out a hearthy laugh when Mitchell made his remark about weirder couples.

Semyon: <Ahaha, now that's me matey - but I'm afraid I gotta disappoint ye, close as me cap and meself are, if yer seeking her matelot, yer gotta talk to yer first mate>

With that, he pointed his anchor chain over to Matvey with a chuckle.

Semyon: <And well, it comes with living with yer crew. When yer share the same space, the same meals... the same everything, ye lose yer doubts and yer reservations about yer crew... and humans in general, really.>

With that, he turned over to Christine, once more laughing heartily, in equal parts surprised, honoured and amused by her admiration.

Semyon: <Hah, no need to be so formal with simple old me, matey. Sure, me journey started before yer own, but yer probably have seen and done many things meself could never see or do.>

Meanwhile, given Rebecca was now actually taking pictures, neither Katyusha nor Fyodor needed the encouragement to pose, now going all out in their efforts to strike as many cool poses as they could (and probably, if anything, looking more cute and cool, not that anyone complained)

All the while, Sonya cocked her head into the other direction once more while thiking about Esmeralda's question.

Sonya: <Umm, I don't think I am, should I be cautious?>

She asked, looking up curiously to the other Pokémon

Sonya: <Nobody else seems cautious - other than Krasnaya, but that bonehead is always cautious, so she doesn't count.>

Yuri meanwihle let out what almost sounded like happy chirps, nodding slightly

Yuri: <Yes~ I'm Yuri~>

He answered, almost seeming to smile despite the rather obvious lack of a mouth or other facial structures one would connect with a smile.

Krasnaya for her part simply nodded, not exactly hostile or anything, but, as Sonya had said, cautious of Mitchell and his team - but, equally as Sonya had said, she was cautious with all strangers.

With all the commotion now going on, at least Alyesha did not realise that Oliver wanted to get Mitchell's and her attention.

"Thank you," Mitchell says to Semyon, clearly relieved after the pep talk he just received. Moments like this are another reason he appreciates his newfound gift for understanding Monese. He then turns to Alyesha, only to see Katyusha and Fyodor posing ever more wildly on her shoulders. "Uh," he questions her. "are they always like that?"

<And we're done!>, Rebecca says, now flipping through the many photos she just took on her smartphone. <Now, let's see which ones will go in the collection.>

Mitchell quickly puts two and two together, and turns his gaze on Rebecca. "Oh, Becky," he says, "you better not have livestreamed those two."

<'Course I didn't, Chief,> Rebecca says. <Beck*Star has ethics, remember?>

"Save the stage name for the stage and the camera, okay?" Mitchell says. Before he can do anything else, Oliver catches his attention.

<Professor, look up at yonder hill!> Oliver cries.

Mitchell looks up at that hill, and sees Edmond on Vasilissa's back, waving madly. Figuring out pretty much instantly what Ed wants, Mitchell turns back to Alyesha.

"Welp," Mitchell says, "at least one of my team wants to fight. You up for it?" He glances at the food-cart. "If your cart needs guarding, I can have at least two of my team guard it."

Meanwhile, Christine is grateful for the complements Semyon gives her, which helps a bit in managing her nerves around so many unfamiliar Ghost-types. <I suppose you're right,> she says, before she remembers something. <You haven't gone backwards in time, have you?> she asks.

Esmeralda leans back, then glances at the other Pokemon there. <My people have a saying,> she tells Sonya. <'The incurious starve, the incautious are food.' I suggest you consider it.> She sighs. <Though, you have your friends' protection, as I have mine.>

<Nice to meetcha, Yuri!> Gavroche says, extending an open paw to the Golett. He flashes what approximates a smile for a Raticate.

Auguste idly rolls onto his belly, which lets him see Mitchell and Alyesha in conversation, as well as catch snippets of their conversation. Upon hearing word of battle coming, his leaves and petals visibly droop. <Oh, dear,> he says. <I do hope the others have their fill of fighting before I'm called up.>

Castelia City

Semyon once more did his best approximation of a nod before turning over to the now frantically waving Edmond, simply unable to suppress another warm, deep laugh

Semyon: <Ahh, matey, yer crew's a lively one, ain't it, cap?>

In response, Alyesha chuckled slightly while giving a thumbs up.

Alyesha: "Sure seems so, and, who are we to disappoint there, eh?"

After saying that, she turned over to Mitchell, a sly grin on her face

Alyesha: "Not all the time - but definitely when they are encouraged-"

At this, she bent over closer to Mitchell, her voice now but a conspirative whisper

Alyesha: "And they have a fairly loose definition of encouragement~"

That brought the two to suddenly stop their posing, two comically large sweatdrops forming on their respective heads as the two whistled entirely too innocently for them to actually regret having done so in the first place. And, for their part, the pats (and snacks) the two received certainly should clue Mitchell in on the fact that Alyesha was, if anything, amused by the their antics.

Alyesha: "Beck*Star, huh~? Well, I definitely wouldn't mind them going up - and, somehow I'm rather convinced my two rising stars right here don't mind either"

On cue, both of them basically instantly began to shake their heads in unison, leading to more pats and laughs from most of Alyesha's team.

Alyesha: "With that cleared - mind sending me the best ones, Rebecca?"

It was then that Mitchell - and because of him, most of Alyesha's team - noticed Edmond and Vasilissa alongside Oliver.

Alyesha: "Yep, that they want~ Well, as said, I'd be happy to have a friendly spar."

That netted her a set of approving chrips, clicks or other related sounds from her team.

Alyesha: "So, any preference on how we'll do this? 1-on-1? Double match? Best of 3? I'm up for anything really~"

After adressing Mitchell, Alyesha got on one knee to be at least somewhat on eye-height with Auguste (much as it was possible given he was lying down anyway)

Alyesha: "Don't worry, I - and I am sure neither does Mitchell - don't intend to push either of our teams too far, right, Mitchell?"

She looked over to Mitchell for confirmation as she asked this

Alyesha: "Also yeah, I intended to have Krasnaya stay here to keep an eye on things, but if you want to leave her some company to help, by all means, feel free."

Semyon meanwhile turned over to Christine, laughing warmly at her question - not to put her down by any means, mind you, but rather the warm laugh of someone who genuinely had never even thought about such a thing.

Semyon: <Hahaha, can't say I have, matey, but probably yer could get the impression yer went back in time yerself when seeing me.>

Sonya meanwhile looked at Esmeralda curiously, giggling at her saying

Sonya: <I would make for horrible food I think, pretty sure I taste horrible>

She remarked with a giggle

Sonya: <Besides, any curious adventurer worth their salt can back up their curiosity with other merits, no?>

That netted her an approving laugh of Semyon

Semyon: <Hah, right yer are, matey! Seems some of meself did rub on yer after all~>

Yuri all the while would take the paw into his fist, being careful not to crush it unintentionally by simple merit of his body being made out of rock.

Yuri: <Pleasure's all mine, happy to see someone else appreciates the tastier things in live~>

Mitchell chuckles at the antics of the two Pokemon on Alyesha's shoulders. Whatever anxiety or irritation he might have had up to this point, it's definitively gone for now.

"How about," Mitchell says to Alyesha, "we do a doubles match, four of yours against four of mine?" Glancing over at the hill to gauge Edmond and Vasilissa's demeanour, he makes a snap decision. "Okay, folks," he calls to the rest of his team, "who want to join Ed and Vas in a friendly bout?"

Gavroche, Rebecca, and Esmeralda raise their hand/paw/wing. Oliver, Auguste, and Christine shake their heads.

"Alrighty then," Mitchell says, pointing at the three who gave their assent, "you, you and you come with me. The rest of you, do as you will, as long as you stay safe, okay?"

Auguste sighs in relief. <That's Milord for you,> he says to Alyesha, <always leaving wiggle room for us.>

<Ah, ha ha, yeah,> Christine says in response to Semyon's remark. She refrains from mentioning that she actually went back in time with Mitchell, back when she was just a Chingling.

Esmeralda gives what passes for a smirk at Sonya's remarks. <Do as you will, then,> she says, before adding another remark for Semyon. <You care for this one, I presume?>

<Indeed,> Gavroche says to Yuri, releasing his grip just before the handshake would get comedically awkward. <I'd say more people need to appreciate the delicious things in life. It's too sho-> he adds, before catching himself. <Ah, sorry, sometimes I monologue.>

Responding to Alyesha's query, Mitchell clarifies "Oh, of course I don't plan to push anybody hard. Although," he adds, a mischevious grin spreading across is plan, "I will try out The Ring Thing."

Rebecca quirks an eyebrow. <The Ring Thing?> she asks. <Pretty bold of you today, Chief.>

Oliver, resigned to what is about to happen, says <I'll get the luggage, then.> before sliding off.

<HEEEY!> Edmond yells from the distance. <ARE YOU COMING?>

<THE VIEW HERE IS AWESOME!> Vasilissa yells in turn.

Castelia City

Alyesha flashed Mitchell a smile in response, giving a thumbs up

Alyesha: "Fine by me~"

Having said that, she turned over to her own team

Alyesha: "So, and who will it be here~?"

In response, Matvey smiled and raised his claw, shortly after followed by a hearty laugh and an <Aye, count me in, cap~>. The next to respond was Sonya who floated over to the rest with a smile after giving a last nod over to Esmeralda. Lastly, Katyusha scuttled around Alyesha's shoulders and neck happily to show her own interest, with Fyodor flying away now that Katyusha was pretty much taking up both of Alyesha's shoulders (even if not bot at the same time).

Fyodor: <I'll watch everything from above~>

Yuri for his part, after releasing Gavroche's paw, plomped down besides the cart, seated in a way that would allow him to watch the battle.

Yuri: <I'll watch from here~ I promise I won't eat all the snacks. And don't worry Gav, I don't mind listening to others.>

Alyesha meanwhile nodded in response to Auguste's remark

Alyesha: "I see, you definitely have a caring trainer."

She responded with a smile before walking over to the part of her team that would participate in the spar.

Semyon shortly gave a parting nod towards Christine before turning towards Esmeralda.

Semyon: <Aye, 'tis but normal to care for yer crewmates, isn't it?>

Mitchell makes a mental note of the four Pokemon who accepted Alyesha's invitation. He'd have to sort out a quick meeting with his own team, for the purposes of move selection.

"COMING, YOU TOO!" Mitchell calls out to Edmond and Vasilissa. Then, to Rebecca, Gavroche, and Esmeralda, he says "We're about set to go. Let's head on up." Next, to Christine and Auguste, he says "Enjoy the show, you two!". Finally, he leisurely walks towards and up the hill, stopping to check if Alyesha is following. "You ready?" he asks.

Rebecca bounces ahead, racing up the hill to meet with Edmond and Vasilissa.

<Why thanks,> Gavroche says to Yuri. <We'll talk later. See ya soon!> With that, he scrambles up the hill on all fours.

Esmeralda nods to Semyon. <As in the forest,> she says, <so in the sea. Here's to a good, clean fight.> With that, she spreads her wings and takes flight.

Auguste smiles at Alyesha's remark. <Someday, he'll believe it,> he says, before getting up and finding a place on the ground that gives a clear view of the hill top. Conveniently, Christine lands right next to Auguste and rests in a folded position.

Some distance away from the group, Oliver collects a small satchel, slips it over his neck, and slides towards the hill from a perpendicular direction to the rest of the group ascending the hill.

Castelia City

Alyesha nodded once more towards Mitchell and Auguste before following Mitchell up the small hill alongside her team, loking over to Mitchell's team as she likewise thought about the best pairings and moves.

Semyon, before following Alyesha, looked over to Esmeralda

Semyon: <Aye, to a good and clean fight>

And with that, he floated away as well.

After they all had arrived on their chosen battle space, Alyesha gathered her team around herself.

Alyesha: "Alright, let's show them what we got, it'll be a good training before our league challenge~ But, preparation for the league or not, let's all have fun."

The response would be some variety of 'That'll be great' from everyone. Afterwards, Alyesha looked over to Mitchell, watching him gather his team as well before turning back to her own team.

Alyesha: "Right, who of you wants to be first~?"

It would be Semyon and Sonya who raised their chain and... fin(?) respectively, with Alyesha giving a nod in response to them

Alyesha: "Alright, that's set then, good luck to you both~ Let's see who we're going to be matched against~"

Wherever Tagg is

The pokeball that Kamon gave to Tagg is shaking.

Route 224

-Sitting by the white rock-

Several months, and still no hide nor hair of her.

-The Ball starts shaking-

Huh?

Edited by rmctagg09 on May 27th 2023 at 11:48:59 AM