ITT: We are all Pokémon Trainers

Artazon

Sal uses Dragon Pulse, firing a powerful beam of purple energy from his mouth. While in the air it briefly forms the shape of a dragon's head, which seems to roar before refocusing itself into a tight point of impact. Led uses Light Screen and the attack glances off, and the returns with an Air Slash that makes spinning blades fly towards Sal.

Hoops watches them train carefully, looking for errors and finding none. They're uneasy, and not just because there's still no word from Cof.

"Stop," they say, and at once both pokémon cease their attacks. "Come and get a drink."

They make their way over. When Led reaches her trainer, she hesitates. <I don't know if you've seen, Hoops> she says. <But...>

<Someone is watching us> Sal finishes.

"I know," Hoops says. "It doesn't seem like anyone I know. He doesn't really look like much of anything, but..."

<And I know that watching pokémon train is normal, but...> Led adds.

Sal finishes both of their thoughts. <He looks too generic. No memorable features whatsoever. And I'm not getting any vibes from him at all, boss. No interest, no hostility... nothing.>

Hoops nods. "Well, we treat it as nothing for now, but keep an eye on him." They tap two of their pokéballs and Vul and Ray emerge, ready for training.

"I need you both to keep an eye on that person," Hoops tells them. "Or nose, in your case Vul. Just in case."

It's a blisteringly hot day, with the sun shining down on the Academy's open-air schoolyard. Several students and their Pokemon are present here, dueling each other in Pokemon battles, exercising on the track, or simply relaxing on the stadium benches. One particular group, however, was doing something entirely different.

Mitchell is here, dressed in the Academy's sports uniform, and straining to hold a squat position. Near him are Edmond, Rebecca, and Auguste, who are also squatting as well as their anatomy allows. Gavroche, Christine, Vasilissa, Esmeralda, and Oliver are watching the others attentively.

<3...2...1...and time!>, Vasilissa calls.

At this, the three squatting Pokemon rise to standing positions, while Mitchell falls back on his rear, sweating like a Lechonk.

Noticing Mitchell's exhaustion, Auguste grabs a nearby water bottle and hands it to him. <Here,> he says. <drink up.>

"Thanks," Mitchell says, before chugging the bottle.

<Good work, Sensei,> Edmond says. <You've come a long way since when we first met.>

<But try to pace yourself, okay?>, Rebecca chimes in. <You know about the candle that burns at both ends, right?>

"I know, I know," Mitchell replies. "Twice as bright, but half as long. I'll respect my limits."

<Dang, this heat is nuts!>, Gavroche complains. <It's like I'm cooking in my fur.>

<I share the sentiment,> Oliver says, as he uses a nearby fountain to moisturize his body.

<Then let's find some shade, shall we?>, Christine chimes in, looking around for just such a spot.

Just then, Esmeralda spots a set of nearby trees. <Follow me,> she says, as she takes off.

"You heard her, folks," Mitchell gasps, stumbling to his feet. "Let's follow her."

With that, the single human and seven Pokemon follow the Staravia to the shade of the trees, for the most part unnoticed by the others there. There was one Pokemon, however, who was about to have a rude awakening thanks to these nine interlopers.

Hotel Grand Lake

Atrin is looking at the menu, Mimir looking over his shoulder.

Atrin: That looks good...And I think those would be good for my team...

Ecto: <You are talking about food! I too like food!>

As Ecto's tail wags, Orchard looks over at him.

Orchard: <Don't eat too much, all! Don't want to get sick before we hit the road!>

Mesagoza, yesterday

Iridium: -To Trill- Really? Well, I'm gonna join them.

Aurum: -Having totally been on Iridium's shoulder the whole time- <What's Lydia gonna say about that though?>

Iridium: Hmm...

Squawkabilly: <Eh, screw your guardian, toots. If you wanna do it, go ahead. There's worse groups you could join.>

Trill: "Yeah, I mean... if you like it and think it would work out well, I don't think they'd be opposed but I'm not one of them. Good luck, though!"

Hotel Grand Lake

Morgan: <Ah, don't worry, we don't have to eat all of them! Though we will if you guys won't.>

Morgan laughs and waves her appendage dismissively. After everyone has their orders down, she tosses the menu near the pool so Billy can read it.

Billy: <Heh, why not? I'll have one'o these. Good to pack up for the road, anyhow.>

he tosses the menu back with a slap of his tail. Desmond takes note of everyone's orders and begins calling room service. Despite the... unusually large order, they expected it somewhat since their stay was free. Soon there was an enormous feast in front of the two trainers and their Pokémon, and everyone began to eat! It was delicious, as was expected of one of the, if not the finest hotels in the world. Soon Desmond and Morgan were sprawled on the couch in a minor food coma. Billy is belly-up in the pool.

Desmond: Whoahoho... That was good...

Morgan: <I think... *hic*... we went a little overboard...>

Desmond: You were the one who raided the bar... How ya feeling Atrin?

Desmond yawned.

Edited by Jules-Firenze on Sep 4th 2023 at 8:48:13 PM

Mesagoza, yesterday

Aurum: <I'd go with what they say personally.>

Iridium: Okay, so-

Lydia: -Reading the flyer with a skeptical look on her face- So you want to join Team Star, a bunch of... ex-truants, was it? Why do you want to do that?

Iridium: It's...

-She takes a couple seconds to formulate a response-

Part of our mission. I'm supposed to be infiltrating the academy, and Team Star would be the perfect thing to help me do that.

Lydia: -Eyebrow raise- I'm going to have to teach you how to lie better than that.

-To Iridium-

Alright, you've convinced me, we'll consider this part of your mission.

Iridium: -Pumps a fist- Yes!

Hotel Grand Lake

Atrin: Yeah, I've certainly had a good bit to eat.

Atrin and several members of his team yawn at the same time.

Atrin: I think I'm going to call it. Get some rest for the journey ahead. You have a good night.

Atrin heads to bed and immediately falls in.

High up in one of the Schoolyard's trees, a humble Shroodle sleeps on a nest surrounded by acrid-smelling marks. He was having pleasant dreams of daring-do within the cool shade he had made for himself. Sadly for him, a commotion below stirred him awake, and left him quite irritable.

Leaning out and looking below, the Shroodle sees a human and several unfamiliar Pokemon chattering in their various tongues. He doesn't much care about what they're saying, only that they're talking too loudly for his beauty sleep.

<Hey!>, the Shroodle calls down below, <pipe down, eh? You're stepping all over my dreams!>

The group below ceases their talk as they notice the Shroodle above them. After a brief exchange of glances, they huddle up to whisper something to each other.

The Shroodle eyes the newly-made huddle suspiciously. <What are they planning?>, he mutters to himself.

<A greeting,> says a voice directly next to the Shroodle on his branch.

The Shroodle is startled. He knew that he was alone on the branch just a moment ago, so who could be next to him now? Slowly, he turned his whole body in the direction the voice came from.

Staring down at the Shroodle, in all of it's predatory glory, was a Staravia. It locks eyes with the Shroodle, as if staring directly into his soul. Then, it says just one word.

<Hola.>

<EEEEEEEEEEEE!>, cries the Shroodle, as he loses his grip and tumbles to the ground below. He would have had a hard landing on the field below, if not for a humanoid Grass-type Pokemon with rosebuds for hands catching him mid-fall.

<There ya go,> the Grass-type says, setting the Shroodle safely on the ground. Then, turning up to the treetop, he addresses the Staravia. <Come on, Es, don't do that. You're better than this.>

<Sorry,> the Staravia, apparently named Es, replies. <I was careless.>

<Careless, you say!>, the Shroodle exclaims, before launching into a stream of Paldean expletives that are better left to the imagination. His tirade continues until the human he had seen before steps in front of him and offers a rubber-gloved hand to him.

"Let's get you back up there, little guy," the human says. "The sooner you're up there, the sooner you'll get back to dreaming about, er..."

<Art, human,> the Shroodle replies. <and roguish heroism and justice, too.>

<Those sound nice,> the Grass-type says. <I can think of some friends who'd like those.>

Off in the distance, under the shade of a separate tree, a Shellos, a pink star-like Fairy-type Pokemon, a sandy yellow ratlike Normal-type Pokemon, and a teal-skinned Fighting-type Pokemon all sneezed simultaneously.

"Right, anyway," the human says, "I can give you a boost up to your nest, if you want."

<Just get that bird away, and I'll make it on my own, okay?>, the Shroodle says, motioning at Es.

"Ah, I get you," the human says. He slips on a heavy leather glove from who-knows-where onto his other hand, then holds his now-gloved arm up. "Come on down, Es!"

At her master's command, Es flies down and perches on the human's gloved hand.

<Ah, so you are a "tamed" Staravia,> the Shroodle says. <Your Trainer should teach you some manners.>

<He tries,> Es says.

<I try>, the human repeats.

<Then you should try->, the Shroodle starts to respond, before realizing what, or rather how, the human had just spoken. <Wait, you know my tongue?>

"From the start," the human replies. "The name's Mitchell, by the way. You've met Es and Gus already. So, you have a name?"

<Diego,> the Shroodle replies. <That's the name on my artwork.>

"Nice to meet you, Diego," Mitchell replies. "And sorry for disturbing your nap."

Shortly thereafter, Diego was back in his nest, with Mitchell and his Pokemon far away enough that his rest was no longer disturbed. Once again, he was lost in dreams of daring-do, but this time with a slight twist. No longer was he an artistic avenger of the night, out to exact grafiitic justice against the nefarious Team Star. Now he imagined an unlikely alliance with a human Trainer from the West, a kindly Grass-type curate, and a vicious Staravia.

Author's note: The concepts depicted in Diego's dreams are solely the opinions of himself. They are not representative of the depictions of said concepts in canon Pokemon or We Are All Pokemon Trainers.

Wela Volcano Park

Chloe: -Watching- I think this has been the strangest Trial I've watched yet...

Not too long ago

Chiyo: -Looking between the Alolan Marowak- ...Uh, how they're smiling?

Kiawe: -In a way Chiyo isn't sure is truly credulous or just the result of this being part of the Island Challenge- B-but how?! That was truly spectacular! And to add to the spectacle... Come, my fine Hiker!

Hiker David: -Stepping up- ALOLA!!!

-He sends out a Magmar-

Chloe & Chiyo: The fuck?

Now

Kiawe: -As the Hiker recalls his fainted Magmar, courtesy of Dactyl- My Hiker friend was so pleased by your right answer that he simply had to battle you Chiyo.

Chiyo: Uh huh...

Kiawe: Now onward...to the final dance!

Alolan Marowak: -Do the fire dance, this time with Hiker David joining in-

Kiawe: -To Kiawe- Now, what was different from the previous dance?

Chiyo: -Head tilt- The... Totem Pokemon?

-Indeed, there is a much larger than normal Alolan Marowark in the back-

Kiawe: Truly spectacular Chiyo! And to add to the spectacle... Come Totem Marowak!

Totem Marowak: -Blazes with a golden aura as everyone else immediately gets out of the way-

Chiyo: Go Pisaster!

Pisaster: -Appears, now a Starmie-

Edited by rmctagg09 on Sep 21st 2023 at 3:29:55 PM

Paldea Today

The news channel switches to its weather segment, in which a somewhat troubled looking reporter stands over a map of the south-west section of Paldea.

"As you've just heard, the East Province, mostly around the city of Artazon, is experiencing unseasonable cold spells. Meteorologists are unsure what is causing the phenomenon, but locals are reporting temperatures frequently dropping below zero degrees Celsius. Locals have been warned to expect power -"

Artazon

The screen flickers off leaving Hoops, Kec, and Xaster staring at their reflections on the blank screen.

"And there goes the power," Xaster says.

"And likely the shoot," Kec adds. "Mr Del Tauros hasn't said what his plans for this cold are, but if it goes on long enough it won't be good for the movie."

"It's snowing," Hoops mutters. The others go to the window of the hotel and look outside to see small flakes drifting down. Hoops shivers. "I haven't felt cold in a long time."

They leave the implication, that something is wrong with their connection to Cof, unspoken. No-one wants to really consider what happened to him.

"I don't think this is natural," Hoops says. "There's... something about this cold."

Outside, children are emerging from their homes to play in the snow. Living in this part of Paldea, most of them have never seen snow in person, so they look around in wonder. A snowflake drifts down and lands on the cheek of a young girl.

And she starts to scream.

"Captain!" Bishop said, popping out of the walls.

<Yes?> Silas responded.

"We found him! I have him on radar, he is heading to a location away from the mountains!"

Roxy took her scarf off and stood up. "Alright... time to get him."

Silas hopped off the couch and took his scarf off, only to find he was still a Lucario. He looked to Roxy who shot him an apologetic look. "Sorry about that, but I want a little help, and I think you'll find tossing energy blasts more fun for this."

Silas wanted to protest, but he shrugged. A grin appeared on his snout, sure, firing an aura storm right at Gabriel's Pod Fighter would be fun.

<Alright,> Stylus responded. <Let's play it your way.>

Roxy grinned back.

Snowpoint City

-a faint sonic boom disturbs the gently drifting snow-

Eric: ~Cripes, it's cold.~

Logan: Sorry, not really many rideable Pokémon around here.

Eric: ~What, too good for Piloswine?~

Logan: If I wanted to get here this week, yeah.

-Logan swings their way off, Addie tucked into their jacket-

-they're bundled up in a thick scarf, ski jacket, and puffy pants—their idol outfit's earmuffs are their only concession to ostentation-

-not a moment too soon, their shivering dragon friend flickers to his human guise, wrapped in a similar number of layers-

Addie: <...those don't actually—>

Eric: It's psychosomatic. >_>

Logan: -breath fogging- We're probably headed somewhere warmer, at any rate. Eira?

Snowpoint City

Nearby is a fairly tall woman dressed in a Ranger red coat. She has a shock of green hair on the top of her head, the sides of which are shaved, and her features are somewhat angular. Her eyes are brown, which might ping as odd to Logan (and anyone else present who's known her for long enough) but it's probably nothing.

She grins at the assembled group.

Eira: "I'd love to give you a sarcastic answer, but you guys look cold enough. Don't want to leave you standing out here too long."

Snowpoint City

-as is typical for them, when Logan brightens their whole being brightens-

Logan: There you are!

Eric: -sneezes-

Logan: -flouncing closer- Two seconds! Two whole seconds! I'm dying out here, Eira. You neglect me so.

-this is less typical for them-

-but for a moment the weight of years lifts, and they're that thirteen-year-old underclassman bugging a senior about hanging out with Ursaring-

Addie: -giggle, to herself- <Someday I'll figure out how you keep sneaking up on us.>

-they get within arm's reach, peering up at their friend-

-and, in a chain of induction they're helpless as ever to stop, memories given context lance through their brain, turning out puzzling pieces-

Logan: —

-they shove those pieces resolutely in the not thinking about it category and (to someone who doesn't know them), it's as if the face journey never struck out to begin with-

Logan: -grinning- Let the sarcasm tempt you. Or else you might end up saying something sincere, like how you've missed me.

-what's their brain but a misremembering machine anyhow-

Logan: Lead the way?

-surely-

Snowpoint City

If she were Psychic, she'd probably respond to Addie with a shrug and a laugh. But she's not, so she doesn't.

Eira raises a hand to her forehead in a mock swooning gesture.

Eira: "Poor Logan, making it all the way through three years of Ranger training and Arcs knows what else these past few years only to expire from a little cold."

For her part, Eira either doesn't notice Logan putting the pieces together or is very good at hiding it.

Her grin takes on a slightly more playful edge.

Eira: "Then again, it doesn't feel like we've been apart at all! I have that J-team show to keep me company and inform me of your exploits."

... And there's the sincerity.

Eira: "... But for real, I can't wait to hear what you've actually been doing. Something tells me that stupid show isn't exactly the most accurate."

At Logan's prompting she turns and gestures for them to follow her.

Snowpoint, Outskirts

From Snowpoint proper it's a bit of a hike to get to Eira's cabin, but it could be worse! The trail is straightforward at least.

Eira doesn't say much until they get there, occasionally chiming in with fun facts about any landmarks they pass by but not offering much in the way of conversation.

The cabin itself looks... well loved. Cozy, but maybe a little shabby. The lights are on though, casting a warm glow on the snowy surroundings.

Eira: "... Oh right! A, uh, friend of mine lives with me right now. Things got lonely after Hefin abandoned me for Sunyshore."

Logan would likely know Hefin as the older Ranger who acted as Eira's guardian. Respected and feared in equal measure by the Ranger community, for being the old curmudgeon that she was. At least before she retired from active duty.

From Eira's voice, it's clear that this is mock indignation and not real indignation.

Eira: "'I'd rather go decompose on a sunny beach, have fun freezing up here' is specifically what she told me before she left."

Snowpoint City

-Logan's expression falls the way Season 17's ratings didn't-

Logan: Please tell me you don't actually watch that swill. It's not—

Eric: No, Logan really does spend all their time mooning out the window, waiting for their latest love interest to rescue them.

Logan: Ah. Yes. Blocking out room for my weekly J-kidnapping isn't so much of a hassle.

Eric: Show!you doesn't make enough speeches about friendship, honestly.

Logan: What can I say? I believe in quality and quantity.

Eric: Rangerwhilickers (Logan stans) are sure this episode they'll learn the restorative power of violence. In the arms of a burly Trainer...

-they give up-

Logan: They're always saying that.

Eric: -shoulders shaking- Oooh, generic anime protagonist #45, what a big team you have—

Logan: -swat- You swore an oath to do no harm!

Eric: I'm on break! You summoned me on break!

Logan: -back to Eira, sighing- It'd be nice if what really happened was half as much fun. If nothing else, I can show you the relationship web.

-they follow-

Snowpoint, Outskirts

-Logan seems content to walk in silence, their usual restless energy diffused into company-

-in long stretches of lull, they entertain themself trying to coax birds into landing on them unprompted, like a fairy-tale princess-

Addie: <Hey. If you land on my partner's arm and sing a bit, it'd be cool.>

Delibird: <What's in it for me?>

Addie: <Interspecies cooperation?>

Delibird: <We'd have to fight for it.>

Addie: <The meme?>

Delibird: <Don't know what that is.>

Addie: <Two whole peanuts.>

-they nod thoughtfully with each new factoid from Eira, moving their details from their "worldly concerns, chores, keys" hodgepodge to their great-and-gleaming, "related to a person" mental filing cabinet-

Logan: -murmur- Never thought I'd see the day.

-and hearing Eira, they snicker-

Logan: Oh, that's as good as a blessing, coming from Hefin.

-they trudge on-

Logan: ...seriously, though. Holding the fort down well enough for her to even consider getting a tan? Good on you.

-and perk up-

Logan: Oh! I'd love to meet them.

-and they mean it-

-...despite or because how they've schooled their expression back into "inoffensive, hopelessly earnest Ranger" already-

Snowpoint, Outskirts

Eira's expression turns bashful at the compliment.

Eira: "Eh, it's quiet up here. I don't know if I'm really doing that much. It's like, things don't happen for a long time but then when they go to shit they really go to shit. Things just haven't gone to shit that bad while I've been the one handling things."

She laughs. Something crosses her mind briefly, but she thinks better of mentioning it.

Eira: "... I kinda worry that we're due for something like that. But! Worrying too much is unproductive so I try not to do it."

Reaches for the door handle, opens the door...

Eira:-calling in- "Yo, Dima?"

Gabriel had his Pod-Fighter on autopilot, he was reviewing several projects, and several defeats. He was looking back at the fight with several of his clone troopers against Phantom Class Mercury... there was potential there. True Mercury was a obscuric, but there was potential there. And better ways to keep obscurics under control now.

Gabriel though pondered, had something been lost when they did away with the obscuric builds? He had made The Investigator with Victor, an auric build based entirely on physical status, and the results were quite promising.

Something was very wrong with the School's current projects... was there? He couldn't help but see it, Dear Principal was an intelligent sort, he'd need to schedule a meeting. He had new weapons and projects to pitch, force multipliers for their fight.

Still, he had some genetic material relating to Mercury... there was something to be said for illusions of effects and how they translated to reality.

He'd need to get the labs ready... he had a plan.

Still, for now-

His fighter shook, radar going off, he looked at the screens and saw that there was a large vessel overtop of them.

"What the deuce?!" he cried, how had it suddenly appeared? Another warning alarm went off as he felt his fighter shake, one of the stabilizers had just been taken out.

Swinging out around the windshield was an armored figure, hanging onto them was a lucario in a blue cloak, grinning like mad.

The Fighter was going down, and Gabriel was already calling in backup.

Snowpoint, Outskirts

-Logan peers curiously through the doorway-

-where ordinarily they might speak up, they hang back...-

(-they like first impressions-)

Wela Volcano Park, yesterday

Totem Marowak: -Immediately strikes at Pisaster with an Obscura-infused bone-

Chiyo: Dodge it!

Pisaster:

Chiyo: Now use Surf!

Pisaster: -Summons a wave that crashes down on Totem Marowak-

Totem Marowak: -Is washed away, gets up, and starts beating their bone rhythmically on the ground-

Salazzle: -Appears, summoned by the power of Totem Marowak's sick beats, and lets out Poison Gas-

Pisaster: -Gem takes on a slight purplish tint-

Chloe: -Watching- This shit isn't even fair...

Edited by rmctagg09 on Sep 6th 2023 at 10:33:57 AM

Snowpoint, Outskirts

The door opens up into a small (one might even say cramped) foyer. Signs of cohabitation abound. There's a extra jackets hanging up, and a couple pairs of shoes that clearly aren't Eira's size are scattered on the floor. Eira herself sets about taking off her boots.

Eira: "Dima? You there?"

At this second call a woman sticks her head out of the adjoining hallway.

She's notably shorter than Eira, and dressed in a teal sweater and brown corduroys. The most notable thing about her is her hair- it's pure white, going red at the ends even though she can't be that old.

Her aura feels strange.

Other than that, she seems friendly enough. She smiles brightly at Logan and co. as she steps out further, though not into the foyer itself.

Dima: "Oh, yeah. You did say you'd be bringing home guests. Nice to meet you all!"

Wela Volcana Park, past

Totem Marowak: -Uses Shadow Bone again-

Chiyo: -Recalls Pisaster and sends out Beremices-

Beremices: -Stands still as the Shadow Bone harmlessly passes through them-

Chiyo: Beremices, let's Tidy Up!

Beremices: -Starts cleaning up the debris around the battlefield-

Salazzle: -Attacks with Poison Gas-

Totem Marowak: -Goes for a Brick Break-

Beremices: -Dodges the P before burrowing underground

Beremices: -Erupts from below Salazzle and headbutts them with crit-strength-

Salazzle: -Faints-

Totem Marowak: -Immediately smacks Beremices while they're distracted with a Brick Break-

Beremices: -Are sent flying and land near Chiyo's feet-

Chiyo: Are you guys okay?

Beremices: -Get up immediately-

Chiyo: Alright, Tidy Up into Shadow Claw!

Beremices: -Clear a path out of the debris before all four slash Totem Marowak from the sides-

Chiyo: Okay, let's end this quickly.

-Recalls Beremices-

Pisaster, you're up again!

Pisaster: -The now healed Starmie appears and doesn't take much damage from the resulting Brick Break-

Chiyo: -Does the Z-Move Dance, ending with the hula motion for rough waves-

Pisaster: -Following the movements, or at least as much as a Starmie can, as both they and Totem Marowak are enveloped within a massive bubble of water, before Pisaster unleashes a whirpool within it on them-

Totem Marowak: -Is launched out hard before landing belly first on the ground- @_@

Naranja y Uva Academy, today

Hitodama: -Floating down the hall we're moving down- <One thing I don't get, they make a big thing here about Paldea having more than one Champion, but isn't that true basically everywhere?>

-To Hitodama-

Well, I and the others might've gotten our names on the Hall of Fame in several regions, so I'm recognized as a Champion-level Trainer, but that doesn't mean I get to call myself Champion, at least in any official sense, since I wasn't trying to dethrone anyone. If I had, that would mean the end of my freedom. Instead I'm on call in case no one's willing to take the job and they're desperate, but it's exceedingly unlikely and I still have the right to refuse. Here in Paldea it's different, beating the Elite Four is synonymous with becoming Champion, hence why Geeta's called the Top Champion to differentiate.

-Thinking pose-

Though to my understanding there's only been two people who've actually become Champion recently.

Edited by rmctagg09 on Sep 7th 2023 at 4:29:10 AM

The Pod Fighter crashed, Gabriel ejecting at the last moment. He tumbled a bit and rolled, stopping shortly at a rock formation. He looked up, the assailants were nowhere to be seen... he smiled and checked a tablet. Reinforcements would be here to pick him up in 5 minutes.

There was the sound of rocket boosters and landing in a 3 point formation was the armored fighter. Gabriel frowned, and the visor prevented direct eye contact... this would be trouble, he gripped his psycho-hilt and formed the blade.

He hated having to fight, he had minions to do that for him. It had been awhile since he's done this, he rolled his neck and let the cracking noise echo.

Let's see... how did I... right there we go...

He leapt forward with starting speed, he just had to hold for another 4 minutes!

Artazon

After the first child screams, many others start to as well, forming a sort of horrifying chorus. Hoops moves instantly, throwing the window open and jumping out into the street, before immediately falling to one knee.

"Hoops!" Xaster starts to follow, but Hoops yells at him to stop.

"Don't come out!" they warn. "I can feel, this snow... it's like it's draining my strength in the most painful way possible." They get to their feet. "I think I can take it for a while. I need to get these kids indoors."

They run towards the first girl who cried out, who is now lying on the ground. Their eye glows red and they make a canopy of bandages over her that shields her from the falling snow. Her eyes open, and she sees the monstrous figure standing over her, before promptly screaming and fainting.

Hoops grabs four pokéballs. "Led, Sno, Tot, Sud." They send out their four team members. "I need you to get everyone out of the streets. Led, protect everyone with Light Screen as much as you can. Tot, try and blow away this snow."

The pokémon nod their assent and get to work. Hoops cocoons the girl, as well as another child, and carries them to a nearby house, handing them over to a woman waiting in the doorway. They stop for a second to breathe heavily, feeling the strain of the snow landing on them.

"You should get inside too," the woman says.

Hoops almost agrees, but hears another scream. "I can't," they say. "Not yet."

They call out Sal. "Burn as much of it up as you can!" they command. Sal nods and shoots fire into the sky. Some of the snow melts, but Sal is already starting to take damage from the snow. He won't be able to keep this up for long.

Hoops runs back out, into the snow which is getting thicker by the minute. Their vision blurs and they almost collapse, no use going by sight, so they follow the sounds of distress. More people, some adults and some children, all collapsed. They grab them and call out Gon, handing them off. One of their pokéballs vibrates. Tot has fallen unconscious. The auto-recall function activates, and red light collects him and returns his form. Sud follows soon after, then Sal. Gon doesn't last long either.

Hoops presses on, collecting more people. For every one they save, someone else seems caught in the storm.

"We have to go!" Xaster protests. His pokémon hold him back, knowing that going out is too dangerous. Kec stands, horrified, at the window. His grip tightens on the ledge. He feels so powerless.

"No!" Xaster yells, but it's too late. Kec has jumped out of the window into the storm.

The blizzard lasts fifteen minutes, before suddenly disappearing and leaving the town covered in snow. Kec manages to find Hoops, unconscious but alive, bandages covering several people. They don't wake up when he shakes them.

Kec turns and looks over the rest of the city. All of this, the whole city. How many people were hurt, or worse?

Outside Artazon

Whitt smiles as he watches the town through his binoculars. He would have liked to keep the storm going longer, but even with all of the clones Gabriel gave him he's been left quite exhausted.

"They didn't fear me before?" he asks, no-one in particular. "Let's see what they think now. Go." His clone soldiers start to move forwards, and the dozens of ice types that they spent the last week or so procuring move too, in a chilling horde that descends on the city of Artazon.