ITT: We are all Pokémon Trainers

Battle Academy

-Binah sits at the table as the young girl composes herself.-

Melody: I... usually drink earl grey...

Binah: Please, I insist you at least give it a try.

-The girl gives the tea a discreet sniff. Binah observes without comment as she pours herself a cup.-

Melody: I'm... sorry, I never got your name, Miss...?

Binah: Binah. I am the school councilor, to a degree.

-Binah sips her tea. It was perfect, of course. She had more practice than most.-

Melody: Is there something you need from me, Miss Binah?

-Binah closes her eyes for a moment.-

Binah: I merely wish to know your honest and earnest answers to a few questions.

-She lays the cup down.-

Binah: Tell me, when you look up into the night sky, and you see the stars - what do they mean to you?

Melody: What? Er, uh, I mean- I'm sorry?

Binah: ... I see. That, itself, is an answer.

Melody: I-I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?

Binah: Though some use the term facetiously, I'm earnest when I say that there are no wrong answers to that question.

-She stands up, silent as if she wasn't even there.-

Binah: I may return with more questions of a similar nature, but for now, I will let you return to your private thoughts.

-She turns to go before stopping a moment.-

Binah: Drink up. It's much better warm than cold.

-Melody jumps slightly as she realizes that she's been sitting there, holding the cup, and never even sipped.-

-Binah then leaves properly.-

-In the hallway, she approaches a waiting Angela.-

Binah: She is... purposeless.

Angela: I could have told you that. She was the youngest child of a dynastic family - never expected to be required of anything and never told anything beyond the reminder to not make trouble.

Binah: An astute observation, but it's more profound than that. She holds no wonder. No ambition. She's fallen into a deeply seated learned helplessness.

Angela: How do you figure?

Binah: She has not once looked up to the stars. Not with wonder, not with envy, not with sorrow... I believe I legitimately surprised her when I asked, as if I'd asked her if she'd eaten a family pet.

Angela: ...

Binah: I will not judge you if you wish to take an interest, but I do recommend a measured approach.

Angela: Thank you, Binah, but I believe for the time being there is only one proper approach to this, and that's socializing her with normal children around her age.

Binah: A wise decision. I will check back at her next milestone.

Angela: I'm not even going to ask what you mean by "milestone", as I doubt you'd give me a straight answer.

-Binah just continues walking down the hallway, back to her wing.-

Mitchell: -to Oliver- "Did she just tell me something?"

Oliver does a complicated series of charades conveying what Olivia said to Mitchell.

Mitchell: "Is this safe? It's not going to suck out our-"

Oliver: <Prob'ly not. Off we go!>

Oliver pushes Mitchell into the Magic Circle, somehow.

Stormchaser Kitchen, today

Marcia: -Tentatively taking a spoonful of soup- ...Boron my dear, while I may be old, I'm not in that much of a rush to meet our makers before we see the School end.

Boron: Hmm...

Marcia: It was more palatable than your last attempt, however.

Louise: -Is sitting nearby, stringing her bow-

Chloe: -Walks inside, a Bramblin following behind- Hey.

Boron: -To Chloe- You're back, I was wondering where you'd disappeared to for the past couple days.

Louise: -Noticing the Bramblin- You caught a new mon?

Chloe: -Arms crossed- More like they got caught up in me and won't leave.

Bramblin: -Staring-

Chloe: They don't talk much it seems.

Area Zero

-The glade is quiet.-

-The crystals gleam, a reflection walking amongst them.-

-It's painted metal surface gleams white, green, purple.-

-Its blades thrum with potential energy, eager to loose.-

-Its metallic eyes snap up as a dozen sounds happen at once.-

-A pink blast hits first, as it draws its blades into a polearm.-

-A metal blade swings itself, caught on the its own blades.-

-A wisp of flame, close to the ground, out of notice, reaches its ankles and soon travels its entire body, searing it badly.-

-A thrown blade, made of shell, is deflected as the self-swinging blade is shoved away.-

-A swing of the polearm blades to clear space - a wave caused by a sliced vacuum.-

-The attack fails - energy fizzles. The sentient blade returns, stronger - someone holds its handle now.-

-A thing - shaped like itself. Two legs, two arms. But not shined to a finish, like it. Matte. Unlustered.-

-A retaliatory swing of the polearm - hitting empty air.-

-A second pink blast, followed by an attack from behind.-

-Surrounded. Ambushed.-

-Trapped?-

-The it-shaped thing swings again, the sentient blade coming down harder than it should.-

-A snap.-

-Bewilderment.-

-The polearm, the blades, parts of itself - broken.-

-The mind stalls.-

-How did this happen?-

-An object strikes it in the face.-

-It has not the will to resist, after being so thoroughly humiliated.-

Paldea, East Province Area Three

Abilene: -tch- Spoilsport.

-she snaps her fingers-

Abilene: Lilia, take the wheel.

Liliaceae: -quivering- <I've waited my whole life for this moment.>

-she dives into the pedal space—Abilene squirming, less dignified than she'd like—before hopping atop the steering wheel, gaze fierce with intent-

Liliaceae: -...it's not like Petilil can learn Vine Whip- <Now I am the chauffeur.>

Abilene: I was saving it for your birthday.

Liliaceae: <Simply tip me, like the [Victorian] orpahn child.>

-Abilene scrunches up her face-

-then tugs a lever, and her seat—and Ever's? slide back into the passenger zone, turning to face one another-

Abilene: So.

Liliaceae: <Sounds like being a knight is a list of things you can't do!>

Phone!Wisp: <Continue straight for three hundred meters.>

Phone!Wisp: <...avoid the Bramblin.>

Liliaceae: -bouncing- <I am not a knight!>

Abilene: Train you to a life of crimes I may, but vehicular monslaughter will not be one of them!

Liliaceae: -reciting- <Bramblin can comfortably endure pressures of—>

Abilene: Get out and challenge them like a Pokémon, if you're so inclined. Serfs and lords alike have dignity.

Liliaceae: <...but ice cream.> :c

Abilene: Good feudalists get dessert.

-she pinches the bridge of her nose for a good long moment-

-when she speaks again, the car's made it back on the dusty path, and her tone's as sedate as its carriage-

Abilene: ...so you've leapt from a moving car before, Mx. Memito? Do tell.

Area Zero, Team Iron Camp

-Previa was befuddled.-

-It was a rare emotion for him.-

-Indignation, outrage, embarrassment, those he knew.-

-But this was relatively new.-

Red: Plan went off without a hitch!

-The young man patted the metallic hull of a... Pokemon? Robot? Both?-

Red: Sorry about that, big guy. I'll give you a proper fight one of these days instead of an ambush one of these days, alright?

-The tall Paradox Pokemon - the one that was preliminarily identified as Iron Valiant - gives a derisive huff.-

Previa: ... How?

Red: Caught him by surprise, and everyone chipped in! Even my Charcadet got a Will-o-Wisp in! And then I turned off his Aura. I think I'm gonna call him Mordred.

-Previa gives a slow blink as his high-priority communicator goes off.-

Previa: Yes, sir?

Cid: [Did the agent finish his assignment?]

Previa: ... Yes sir. Beyond expectations.

Cid: [Excellent. Tell him that there is a resource cache in Area 2 waiting for him.]

Previa: There's a cache waiting for you in Area 2.

Red: Hell yeah!

Cid: [One last thing: prepare for another agent to arrive. He will go by callsign Chevalier. Also expect an extra provisions dropoff. That is all.]

-The communicator clicks.-

Previa: ... I'm not sure how to feel about all of this...

J-Team Textspace

Edited by AbsentCoder on Feb 6th 2024 at 1:20:20 AM

Cascarrafa

Iridium: -Looking around while taking licks of her Mango Ice Cream- It's so... blue.

Aurum: -On her shoulder- <Well they do call Cascarrafa the City of Water.>

Paldea

-Red stares at his newest acquisition.-

Red: Vacuum Wave.

-The Iron Valiant just stares back at him.-

Red: Leaf Blade?

-Still staring.-

Red: Psycho Cut.

-Staring.-

Red: You really aren't gonna listen to me, are you?

-Staaaaaaare.-

Red: Y'know what, fair. I did fight dirty.

-He recalls the Paradox Pokemon before kicking back. He fumbles through the bag that had his new provisions, looking somewhat befuddled by one of them.-

Red: Why'd Cid send a dirty set of old armor?

The GM House

Dune: OOF!

Deziree: GACK!

-Deziree's Archaludon, Bessemer, lays across their bed. And the people inside that bed.-

Deziree: BESSEMER! OFF!

Bessemer: <But I->

Dune: OFF BEFORE I MAKE YOU!

-Setting his legs back down, the metal dragon lifts himself off the bed.-

Deziree: We've been over this, Bessemer - no climbing on occupied furniture, for one, and no climbing on wooden furniture for two!

Bessemer: <But it's rainy and cold...>

Deziree: And you've got a whole-ass living room to work with! So make it work or you're being kept in your Pokeball at night again!

Cascaraffa

Gym Receptionist: -To Iridium- And so for your Gym Challenge, you'll have to make your way over to Porto Marinada and successfully haggle for Hoennian wakame seaweed.

Iridium: That's a weird Gym challenge... but then so were all the others.

-To the receptionist-

Okay!

Edited by rmctagg09 on Feb 7th 2024 at 11:59:45 AM

Battle Academy

Deziree: Okay, why me?

-Deziree puts her hands on her hips and leans forward a bit. Were the gesture made to anyone else it might have come across as sassy at best - with Angela, though, it's just a part of their playfulness.-

Angela: You are the most passionate woman I know. That's what she needs.

Roland: "Passion" might not be the right word for it.

Ein: Of course she's passionate! Mama Dezi was very passionate when she made me those deployable defense turrets I can store in my chassis!

Roland: Manic is the word you're looking for!

Angela: Ahem.

-The two of them go quiet.-

Angela: It also plays off of your similar familial experience. Few things create more solid bonds than shared experience.

Deziree: Hmmm. Alright, but I am busy quite busy lately. I'll see if I can make the time.

Angela: That's all I ask. Honestly, if I didn't know better, I'd say poor Ms. Cain's family history came straight from the City.

Roland: Should we, uh, perhaps contact any other family? I hear one used to run with you.

Deziree: Lucius? I haven't thought about him- them? Jeez, I need to ask about that, too... Alright, I'll see about finding his current contact details and maybe asking him if he's familiar with Melody, but don't hold your breath. Their family's as wide as an ocean.

Ein: You mean like the Hapsburgs? Does that mean that their gene pool is as shallow as a puddle, too?

Angela: Ein, that was a very rude statement to make.

Ein: But you said they were jerks! And Roland says insulting rich jerks is okay!

Roland: Yeah, but you're also indirectly insulting the poor kids who're trying to get away from the family, too...

Ein: Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't think about that.

Deziree: Just don't do it again, Ein. Anywho, I need to get home.

Snakeye held a stopwatch and watched as Silas dashed through the obstacle course. The way he moved, it was like his body was in pokemon form... just lacking a tail. He looked to Blackquill who was diligently writing down notes on what they were seeing.

Silas kicked and jumped higher than he ever had before, it was like his body was supercharged. Then faster they could blink, he appeared at the end. Snakeye looked over to Tae who let out a huff. <What?>

<It's weird right? Seeing Hoss here move like that,> Snakeye replied.

<He went through some changes recently, we're still trying to figure out what is different,> Tae said.

<The fact that he is still Grant-Dono is a good sign however,> Blackquill added.

The three just nodded in agreement, getting back to watching.

Hacks tossed some aura spheres, Silas blocking with his new shield, before reaching out and grabbing a training dummy, zapping it.

"How was that?" Silas called out.

~Not bad,~ Hacks said. ~Snakeye how is the time?~

<Good, but what are we trying to figure out here?>

"What I can and can't do," Silas responded. "See what these new implants of mine can do."

Asado Desert

Iridium: -Wearing a wide-brimmed hat as she rides on Bulbal- I know deserts are supposed to be hot but...

-Looking ahead-

What's that? I can't see properly through the sand.

-What Iridium can make out are two figures that most closely resemble Donphan, but one from what she can make out looks jagged and the other looks smooth and metallic. Both are also, from what she tell, many times larger than an average Donphan-

Those Pokémon, are they... Titans? Well, probably better to wait for Trill before bothering to take them on.

Edited by rmctagg09 on Feb 8th 2024 at 10:30:49 AM

South Province Area Three

Poppy and Crusher watched in shock as the Pokeball opened, and they very soon shut their eyes as the light was almost blinding. Eventually, the Pokemon inside did come out, as it yawned and stretched.

Sprigatito: Woah... looks like I've been picked! By the way, where am I? And why do you look so shocked?

Poppy and Crusher turned towards one another in shock.

Poppy: But I don't have a Sprigatito... wait.

She got out her Rotom Phone and began searching, trying to figure out what a Sprigatito would be doing out here.

Crusher: Do you know what you're doing out here?

Sprigatito: Honestly, I dunno. When I was awake I was in my Pokeball alongside a Fuecoco and Quaxly and put inside this package to be delivered by a Squawkabilly to some kid who ran out the building before she could get her starter.

Just then, Poppy finally realised what had gone wrong.

Poppy: Okay... so... Crusher... you didn't by any chance find a Squawkabilly outside the tent, did you?

Crusher nodded.

Poppy: Oh... and apparently on the official website there's a disclaimer where any student who dashes off before receiving a starter gets a Squawkabilly starter delivery...

Sprigatito: Eh, that bird's coming back with only 2 Pokemon. They'll just say you picked me and move on. I've got nowhere else to go, so welcome to the team, me.

Poppy: Right... I'll give you a proper introduction in the morning. For now... how does Lila sound as a name?

Lila: Sure. Now let's get back to sleep. Can't think of any robbery plots with zero rest!

Crusher: Yeah... wait, what do you mean 'robbery plots'?

Lila smirked.

Lila: You didn't hear anything...

The GM House

-Deziree blankly stares at her whiteboard.-

-The whiteboard stares back, equally blank.-

-Dune, looking on from the door, frowns. He's seen her like this before.-

Dune: You doing okay, honey?

-Deziree groans as she takes off her glasses and rubs her eyes.-

Deziree: Nooooo... Uuuuugh...

Dune: Hm. Okay, explain it to me.

-He sits down and prepares to be the rubber duck of the situation.-

Deziree: Well first off, Angela wants me to help take care of the girl who's part of the Cain fustercluck.

-She starts doing little paces.-

Deziree: Then, I need to actually design the new garage which at this point I've made so many passes over that the design bloat is almost self-sustaining at this point...

-She starts grinding her knuckles against the side of her head.-

Deziree: And on top of that I have feel like my brain is stopped up worse than a congested Nosepass!

-Dune watches on, waiting for when she actually asks for help, even if the urge to leap in and help is rising.-

Deziree: All of that, and I'm a mother!

-She stops groaning and collapses into her own chair.-

Deziree: Dune... what do I do?

-Dune's face brightens considerably.-

Dune: Well, I have an idea.

Deziree: You're already doing better than me at this.

Dune: You remember that idea you floated about advertising the garage?

Deziree: Vaguely.

Dune: Well, what if you did that by having your logo on your jersey?

Deziree: ... Jersey?

Dune: Yeah, y'know. The jersey you'll wear when you take the Galar Pokemon League Challenge.

Deziree: ... Woah wait hold on, what?

Porto Marinada, yesterday

Iridium: -Looking at the large building in front of her- I guess that must be the Marketplace.

Aurum: -On her shoulder- <Yep, largest thing like it in Paldea.>

Iridium: Let's go and find where they have that seaweed.

Louise: -Wearing sunglasses as she and Boron peruse the stalls- So why'd we come all the way out here? We could've just gotten ingredients in Mesagoza, at less risk of the School spotting us.

Boron: -Is notably not wearing sunglasses- Porto Marinada's supposed to have the best quality ingredients in Paldea. So I wanted to use them to make something Chiyo would like.

Louise: -Eyebrow raise- Uh huh...

-Looking ahead when she sees a certain Schoolkid with a Gimmighoul on her shoulder-

Wait a sec, isn't that-

Boron: -Confused- A Schoolkid?

-More serious-

Let's be careful, they haven't spotted us yet.

Louise: -Eyeroll- So now you take it seriously. But that's not just any Schoolkid, look at her a little more closely.

Boron: -Doing so- Wait a sec, she kinda looks like... Chiyo and Tagg.

-Realization-

Oh.

Louise: Yeah, that's that Freshman Class Iridium we saw last year.

Boron: Well, if I've got my facts right she doesn't know who we are like she does Chiyo and the others so let's try to keep our distance.

Louise: -Nods- Yeah.

Edited by rmctagg09 on Feb 9th 2024 at 11:22:56 AM

The GM House

-Deziree lie awake, staring up at the ceiling - or, the blurry mass that is generally ceiling colored, due to her having her glasses off - with a hundred thoughts running through her head.-

-Do a Gym Challenge? But she wasn't a battler. That's Dune's thing. Hell, he battled so hard he ended up being given a meritocratic position of power in the local government because of it.-

-She looks over at Dune, who's sound asleep right next to her. He's rolled on his side, facing her.-

-She gives a small smile. Dune was always a side sleeper.-

-Man, where to start? She had a starter, technically, in the form of Bessemer. But he's not quite what's expected of a starter - should she get others? Maybe she could do what Dune did and get a pair of eggs. But she's technically never battled with Bessemer, so would that really qualify him for starter status? What even sort of strategies would he be able to-

-Her train of thought is interrupted by a sudden kiss on the cheek. Dune's arm expertly slides underneath her shoulders, and with a short yelp she's soon pulled up and over Dune's body into a tangled mess of sheets that approximates a hug on the other side.-

Dune: No think. Just sleep.

-Deziree, who now 1) was face down on a pillow (which smells really good - damn that husband of hers and his good smell), 2) was wrapped up in a blanket cocoon, and 3) had her husband nuzzling up against her, lets out a deep sigh at how stupidly good Dune has gotten over the years at getting her to relax.-

Deepest Distortion World

Giratina finally appears in their purest form in front of Hoops.

How does it feel, human? The energy of the Distortion World now flowing within your body.

Hoops pulls themself out of the rock that they were thrown into. "You really asking? It feels weird, honestly. It's like when you've been working out and everything is aching and you're exhausted, but you also feel like you could go for another hour."

Hmm. Curious. Few have been stupid enough to try and use the power of this domain for themselves. The fact that you're even alive now is a credit to your will. Regardless, I'm afraid this will have to be your end either way. I have to kill you.

"Try not to sound too broken up about it. How come you can't just let me go and we call it a draw."

There is an order to this domain. You cannot simply come in here and expect to gain everything that you wanted without any kind of sacrifice.

Giratina flies forwards and begins to circle Hoops. If you are so desperate to rescue your pokémon, what are you prepared to sacrifice? Yourself, perhaps? Or maybe you'll be creative in some way. What is your answer, human?

Hoops shrugs. "I choose to sacrifice nothing."

Then live here in despair for however long your body holds out.

They shake their head. "You don't understand me. I'm saying that I'm going to leave with my friends, and that I'm not going to give anything up."

That's not how this works. Who do you think you are, to think you can claim something without being willing to sacrifice. This world, and the one you came from, do not work that way.

Hoops doesn't reply.

Angered, Giratina rears up angrily and spreads their tendrils widely. Will you not speak? they demand. I said this of you before. You are selfish and cruel to think that you can defy such a natural order. A coward unable to accept the inevitability of loss who deserves to stay here forever.

"Shut up." Hoops mutters.

Giratina looks at them, confused. What?

"I said shut up." Hoops looks Giratina directly in the eye. "You think I don't know what loss is? I've long accepted it. I lost my mother, and my life turned into a hell. Then I lost my father, which should have hurt me, and the biggest loss there was that I didn't really grieve when I should have. Call me a monster for that, I don't care. I lost my humanity because I decided to help a little girl, and then I forgave her too late because she died, and I couldn't do anything about it. I pushed away the man I love to come here alone because I'm so terrified of losing him. But, you know what I realised? That doesn't mean that I have to accept it. The worlds can do everything in their power to make me lose, and I will not lie down and take it. That's why I won't go along with this, Your Majesty Giratina. Because there's no way in Here that I would ever choose to lose something, not ever."

Giratina stares at them for a long time. Very well they finally say. I will allow you to return to your world, to the light.

"Really?" Hoops blinks. "That worked?"

But you will pay a toll. One day, when you need most desperately to hold something that you hold dear, it will turn to sand in your hands and it will be lost to you forever. And when it does, I will feel your despair and I will consider the price to be paid.

<Did Giratina just Destiel you?> Tot asks.

Hoops hesitates. "Fine," they say. "If this is your curse, then I'll live it over my head. But like I said, I'll never stop trying to protect the things I hold dear. I won't lose them."

Giratina begins to fade into shadow, laughing in a deep, booming voice. We'll see how hard you cling onto that belief, Hoops. It will make your pain all the greater.

Hoops is left floating alone in the darkness.

<Are you sure about this?> Led asks. <You realise you can't hold onto everything forever. It's too greedy, too egotistical.>

"Maybe," Hoops says. In front of them, the darkness splits in half and light from the sun and sky beyond shines onto their face. "But that's the person that I am. I'll hold on tightly forever."

They step forwards, into the light.

???

Hoops looks around. They don't recognise this part of the world - perhaps a region that they haven't visited before?

They appear to be on some sort of cliff face, looking out over some kind of city. Except, it doesn't look like any city they've ever seen. There are no office buildings, no skyscrapers, not even modern looking roads. It's all grey stone and wood.

Also, the city is on fire. People on the outside are lined up in suits of armour, commanding their pokémon to launch attacks on the city.

Tot appears from his pokéball and comes to rest on Hoops' shoulder. <Is what I think is happening happening?>

The wind in the grass next to Hoops sounds, for a moment, like Giratina's voice saying "Fuck you."

Hoops sighs. "Yeah. Fuck."

Porto Marinada, past

-In the midst of bidding-

Bidder: 50,000!

Iridium: 70,000!

Bidder: -Giving up- Is this kid made of money or something?

Auctioneer: And the wakame goes to this little girl!

Iridium: -Taking the wakame- Okay, now I need to get back to Cascaraffa.

-Turns around to see none other than Boron and Louise, the former holding a bunch of groceries in a paper bag-

Boron: -Stares- Crap.

Louise: ...

Iridium: -Immediately suspicious- Who are you? More of 1.0's friends?

-To Louise-

You're a Templar, I can tell, what are you even doing with her?

Louise: -Lowering her shades enough to stare at Iridium with her purple eyes- Ex-Templar, squirt.

Iridium: -Annoyed- I'm not that short.

Boron: I think I would prefer not to get into a fight with my friend's kid and potentially ruin the ingredients...

-To Iridium-

How about we just act like we didn't see each other because I don't think you'd want to fight either.

Iridium: -Thinking about it- Ms. Lydia did say to choose my battles...

Boron: Lydia? That name sounds familiar...

Louise: -Snorts- I haven't met them, but I know of them. Lydia the Syllabary, works under the Counselor, one of the pencil-pushers. What she even teach you anyway, all those guys know how to do besides type is be catty.

Iridium: -Angrily- Don't talk about Ms. Lydia like that!

Louise: Look kid, Templars don't care about Schoolkids like you, they just discard you once you're no longer useful. Take it from me, I'd know. Besides, Chiyo's way cooler anyway and could teach you way better things than some fence-sitter like her, or worse, Adelinde.

Iridium: -Getting angrier- Shut up!

Louise: -Getting angry back- She saved my life even though I was a Templar. Sticking with the School is just dumb, Lydia will just get you liquidated or turned into an unthinking flesh machine like they want all of us to be.

Iridium: Ms. Lydia's not like those stupid scientists, she actually cares about me!

Louise: You don't think Chiyo cares about you?

Boron: -Cutting in- Louise, this is not deescalating the situation.

-To Iridium-

I'm not going to pretend like I know you or that Templar all that well, but what do you even know about Chiyo?

Iridium: -To Boron- She's strong, she's smart, and she said I should be a person and not the School's tool, and it's her fault they hate me. If I beat her, that's my best chance of changing things for me. I won't lose like I did last time.

Boron: -Eyebrow raise- You sound very confused about your feelings regarding her, that's something we both have in common, if for different reasons.

Iridium: -Confused- But you're a truant.

Boron: Technically yes since I'm against the School, but I didn't run away like Chiyo and the others did, I became an Alumnus. They were... most displeased about them escaping and made sure I wouldn't be getting that idea. Me, Neptunium, the others who didn't try escaping, we all wanted the taint of Chiyo and the others removed. Me especially, I didn't want to die.

Shortly after I graduated, I fought Chiyo, and she gave me these.

-She exposes her upper chest just enough to reveal the beginnings of her scars-

A lot of things happened after that, and here I am now. You say you fought her? Sounds more like she was playing with you to me.

Louise: I fought her and afterwards I was in a tank for a month, and I was one of the lucky ones because I came back.

Iridium: What's your point?

Boron: Point is kiddo, like you I wanted to prove myself to them, but in the end it was probably the worst thing I could've done. I lost everything, in a very literal sense.

Iridium: That's not true, you didn't die.

Boron: -Laughs as her glasses turn opaque- That's a very funny thing to say where I'm concerned, I died in basically all ways that mattered.

Iridium: I think... I'm still gonna do things my way.

Louise: -Looks frustrated-

Boron: Yeah, didn't think you'd change your mind that easily, but I wanted to say it anyway.

Iridium: I should go, I don't want this seaweed going bad before I make it back.

-She leaves-

Boron: Louise, call the Flying Taxi, my hands are a bit full.

Louise: -Does so-

Edited by rmctagg09 on Apr 3rd 2024 at 6:19:41 AM

Silas sat on the edge of the bed and proceeded to down a sports drink. Hacks and Tae watching as he went at it, he had been really putting himself through the paces in testing out his abilities.

~You okay?~ Hacks asked.

"Just fine," Silas responded finishing off the drink. "Just... hungrier, I think my new abilities may be powered a little bit by my metabolism."

~And that doesn't concern you?~ Hacks asked, ears pinning themselves back behind his head.

Silas shrugged. "Humans generate a bit of infinite energy themselves, good health helps generate more, so long as I keep myself active and health, I'm good."

Hacks sighed. ~So, next thing. Finding Roxy.~

"Got Bishop on that, wherever she vanished she took the Wing with her."

~You don't sound very concerned,~ Hacks responded.

"It'll be fine, everything will be fine. I can't worry about that if there's nothing I can do."

Hacks was about to counter that, and then he took notice of Silas's left leg bouncing, and the circles under his eyes being a little darker than usual. He was worried, he was very worried and just trying to compartmentalize it. It wasn't the healthiest response but there was little he could do, just keep him distracted for now.

~Okay... Tae you've been quiet, any thoughts?~

Tae smiled. <A few, namely we need to get him checked out.>

"I could call my cousin, Dr. Paige and book a flight to go see him," Silas said.

<Nope,> Tae said. <Too long, plus Barty wouldn't know what to do when he saw those things. Whatever is inside you is hooked pretty close, you're gonna need someone with experience. Who did Dr. Tagg recommend?>

"Diane, or Deziree," Silas responded, looking at the two. "I'm gonna have to get in contact aren't I?"

Hacks and Tae smiled, Silas sighed and pulled out his phone.

Cascaraffa, past

Kofu: -To Iridium as she arrives at the arena- Thanks for gettin' that seaweed for me, I'll be able to make some amazin' dishes with it, but don't think I'll be going easy on you in this battle!

Iridium: His hair looks like waves...

Kofu: The strong, silent type, I take it?

-Laughs-

Vaultin' Veluza! It's time to serve up several courses of Pokémon battle, hope yer' ready kid!

-He sends out a Veluza-

Iridium: Go Oedi!

Oedi: -Appears-

Edited by rmctagg09 on Feb 12th 2024 at 8:05:19 AM

The GM House

-Deziree sighs as she pulls her phone-visor up. Ms. Fowling drops a couple of papers in front of her.-

Ms. Fowling: If you're going to represent yourself in the Galar Pokemon League, you're gonna need to fill out some forms - also, you also need a CTF-8 to verify that you're a resident of Orre, but your husband already filled that out for you, so that's handled, and a T-4b to verify your status as a business owner, which we need to send out now if we want it back before the end of the week...

-Deziree's eyes glaze over.-

Cascaraffa, past

Kofu: Alright Veluza, let's start with a Fillet Away!

Veluza: -Spins as bits of flesh come right off-

Iridium: What in the-? 0_0

Kofu: That's Veluza's special ability, it might get a little cut up, but it all grows back!

Iridium: Oedi, use Lunge!

Oedi: -Immediately tries ramming Veluza-

Veluza: -Dodges-

Kofu: Let's turn that Lokix into a nice side with an Aqua Cutter!

Veluza: -Fires blades of water at Oedi-

Iridium: Oedi dodge!

Oedi: -Manages to dodge the first couple as she tries closing the distance with Veluza, only to be hit by one and sent flying back, taking major damage- <Ack!>

Iridium: Oedi!

Oedi: -Manages to stop herself from landing poorly, third pair of legs serving to stop her as she glows with a Swarm aura-

Iridium: Lunge, again!

Oedi: -Propels herself forward to ram Veluza again-

Veluza: -Takes major damage-

Kofu: Use Aqua Cutter again!

Veluza: -Sends out more water blades-

Iridium: Detect!

Oedi: -Dodges all the blades as she closes distance with Veluza-

Iridium: Now Lunge again!

Oedi: -Rams Veluza, fainting it-

Edited by rmctagg09 on Feb 12th 2024 at 10:48:33 AM

Silas stared at the text, Tae and Hacks next to him smiling, he let out a sigh. The fast response was something to say at least. Daemontech, it may not be... accurate to what it was. At least he didn't think so.

For all he knew Mr. Strings was some sort of creature born of the Distortion World.