ITT: We are all Pokémon Trainers

You're fine with that, Tagg?

!!!

That sounds pretty cool, actually. The PEFE seems awesome.

-meanwhile, in the background, Breeze and Salamence have stolen Every's housekey and spare key and are now sparring with them, while T watches to make sure neither gets hurt-

I'd be okay with that, I guess. Will I have to write any research papers or anything?

You don't need to do that, you guys can just help me with equipment and covering ground.

-To Anom-

Yeah, I guess.

Oh! I'd be happy to!

Meanwhile

-Breeze knocks Salamence over, and holds a key to the Swablu's "Throat"-

Breeze: <Yield, villain!>

Salamence: <Never!> -breathes a puff of smoke in Breeze's face. While the Chimecho is distracted, Salamence steal's Breeze's key- <Game over!>

Sure then.

-goes back to playing-

-Breeze and Salamence have begun another round of key-sparring. Diesel notices this, and pokes Every with an antennae-

Guys...guys!

-catches the two in mid-leap, and takes his keys back-

Every's Keys: -are scratched quite badly, the metal is even twisted in places-

...My keys....

Lake: <I don't feel right about this...>

-The four of us are continuing on our way to the Nidoran colony. Me and Lake walking out in front with Cinder and Bullet bringing up the rear.-

Why not?

Lake: <Because I'm going to be taking credit for something that the other Lake did, not me. I'm going to be getting all the praise meant for him.>

Well...The other Lake isn't here, and probably won't be again. So...You can take the praise on his behalf. Does that sound better?

Lake: <...Yeah. I guess so.>

-Aside.-

Cinder: <You talked! I didn't think you even could talk!>

Bullet: <...>

Cinder: <Oh, so you're just going to keep this whole mute act up even though you're perfectly capable of speaking, then?>

Bullet: <...>

Cinder: -Rolls his eyes.- <And they say I'm hard to put up with...>

-stares dejectedly at the game over screen-

I hate you so much, Xaldin.

-sigh-

I think I need a break from this for now. What is everyone else doing?

-Now, at Jubilife City's airport-

<Scratch: "Wow... You all traveled on these strange fiends?">

<Kat: "They're airplanes, and yeah, we have...">

"Just try not to get into too much trouble, okay? It already took quite a while to explain why I needed a plane ticket for you at the counter..."

<Scratch: "... Trouble?">

<Kat: "Just don't try to take any more food from the shops...">

<Scratch: "I still don't see why you humans trade things for those strange disks and pieces of paper... Where's the value in that?">

"It's a long story..."

<Scratch: "So will your companions also be riding with these fiends?">

"Uh... Actually, they won't be... I didn't buy a ticket for them... And the flight attendants have gotten more picky about letting Pokemon out and about the cabin ever since that flight Dr. Tagg took a few months ago..."

________________________

-In the AU, a week into the future-

-A familiar pair of trainers meet up at a newly-installed Growlithe statue in front of a damaged train station-

Jeff: "Oh, who are you here waiting for?"

/b/-tard: "A friend of mine that I made during the invasion. We arranged to meet up here with some other guy that he met."

Jeff: "Huh. Sounds almost exactly why I'm here... Your friend called 'Tracer' by any chance?"

-Aside-

<Jaws: "You looking forward to this, Sabine?">

<AU!Audrey: "Yeah... I am...">

<AU!Iggy: "... Wait, is that you, Audrey?">

<AU!Audrey: "Yeah, it is... I'm guessing that you're Iggy...">

<Sway: "... I'm so lost...">

<Burny: "Yeah, same here...">

<Erika: "... You two knew each other?">

<AU!Iggy: "Yeah, we did... In another time...">

<Slenderman: "Doesn't that other human that you know live around here, Sabine?">

<AU!Audrey: "He does... I wonder how he's taking everything...">

_______________

-Elsewhere in AU!Celadon, walking along a cleaned but battered street along with 6 mons and a group of 3 trainers-

-Passing a shrine on the sidewalk-

"... It all feels so alien to me... Did I make the right choice by coming back here to meet them?"

Suzan: "Well... Isn't this where you all live? If you can't bring yourself to come home... Haven't you in a sense lost?"

"I suppose that you're right..."

-Aside-

<Gligar!Vlad: "I never realized how big this place was!">

<Nikola: "So how did you guys wind up joining us again? Not that I'm complaining or anything...">

<Kammy: "Tracer said he wanted to help get you guys out a bit...">

<Cuppy: "Well... He's succeeded...">

<Hale: "... But these are the same old spots that we've been to before! ... Kinda...">

<Teala: "Wait, how did you guys make it through the invasion?">

<Buckley: "Suzan and us were out of town at the time...">

<Hale: "Moe took off for Johto as soon as he could after everything went down here... We wound up riding things out in Pallet Town after that invasion force somehow managed to get absolutely destroyed...">

<Kat: "I heard about that... Wasn't that by the trainer who runs the Viridian Gym in this universe?">

<Mike: "I've got to take that guy on sometime...">

<Josephine: "(*rolls eyes*) Yeah, you do that, Mike... As for me, I wound up hiding out in an abandoned school for a week with Tom and a bunch of others...">

<Vesta: "Well... At least things are peaceful again...">

<Buster: "... Aren't we supposed to feel comfortable or something? You know... Like we won...?">

<Kit: "Considering all of the things that we saw, Buster... I don't blame you for feeling that way...">

<Leana: "Yeah... Win or no win... It's going to be a while before everything seems normal to us here again...">

edited 19th Sep '11 8:49:04 PM by TracerBullet

[AU] Nidoran Coloy, West

-A patrol is checking the area led by Terio, when a messenger comes from another path-

Messenger Whismur — <Oh, guys! Guys!> — waves frantically.

Random Nidoran♀ — <Awww cute!♥> — tilts head — <What's going on?>

Messenger Whismur — <The guy with the Feather is back!>

-glances and chitchat-

Terio — <We'll go welcome him. You will go to the teachers and try for the kits not to find out.>

Messenger Whismur — <Not to...? But they love that stoat!>

Terio — <Private matters, Whismur. Go.> — swings horn.

-The Whismur disappears, while Terio leads his group towards the trail Luke is coming through-

[AU] Nidoran Colony, East

-Maekrite, Inka, Baluarkos and me are led by a troop to where the Elders are waiting. There's a group of six elders there as well as some small Nidoran waiting there. A female who is ahead of them returns to the group-

Elder — <You might be right on this one, Hyzenthlay.>

Hyzenthlay♀ (bows) — <Thanks, Elder.>

Elder — <You might return to your position.> — to us — <We have been expecting Maekrite to come back.>

????!Maekrite — <...Oh?> — looks around — <I guess you all got the news. We won... sorta.>

Elder (moves in) — <From what I've heard, there's still one more task you must complete.>

[AU] Nidoran Colony, West

-Terio, as well as a Nidoran♀ and a Nidoran♂ and two Pidgeys, appear past a turn in Luke's path-

Trying to repair my friggin keys!

Breeze: <Sorry....>

T: <This one knew that that was a bad idea...>

Ugh...

-In AU!Celadon, about a week into the future-

Jeff: "Are those all your Pokemon? They seem so powerful..."

/b/-tard: "Yeah, they are... Half of them came with me from Sinnoh, when everything went south..."

<Cibel: "... Ouch.">

Jeff: "Oh... I'm so sorry to hear that... Are you going to be heading back up there now that things have gotten a little better?"

/b/-tard: "I thought about it... But I think that I'm going to stay here... Celadon's become like another home to me..."

-A familiar female trainer happens to be milling about the plaza with her Pokemon, and catches sight of the two-

Trainer: "OH! Hey! What are you doing here, Randy?"

<9-Volt: "... She didn't plan on this did she?">

<Fern: "If she did, I wasn't aware of it...">

<Beatrice: "You say that as if this is a bad thing...">

<Amelia: "Yeah! Randy and his Pokemon seemed nice enough...">

<9-Volt: "It's not... It's just that I wasn't expecting it...">

<Vektor: "Oh! H-Hey! What are you guys doing here?">

<AU!Audrey: "Waiting on some friends of ours to show up.">

-To Jeff-

/b/-tard: "And besides... I've made a few friends that I'd like to keep in touch with..."

<Legion: "What, the boards don't coun-">

<Jaws: "Legion...">

<Legion: "What? I'm just saying!">

___________________________

-A short distance away in AU!Celadon-

Tom: "Are you okay, Tracer?"

"... I think that I'll live..."

-Thinking-

"... Is anything going to ever feel the same for me? I mean... Even when the scars here get covered up... I'm still going to remember everything..."

-Aside-

<Manasa: "He's not taking things well, is he?">

<Vesta: "Well... Can you blame him?">

<Kit: "Yeah... Those memories from the invasion weren't exactly pleasant...">

<Gligar!Vlad: "We'll get through it... Won't we?">

edited 12th Sep '11 4:03:05 PM by TracerBullet

Jubilife Airport

-Me and Lake are waiting nearby Tracer and the Marowak for our flight.-

Still can't believe we managed to get you another seat on a flight. Especially after that incident where somebody released a Metagross on the plane mid-flight a few months ago. Oh well, shouldn't be complaining.

Lake: <Mmm.>

...So anyway, I was thinking. You know how I said we were going to spend the next month in Johto to recover, earlier?

Lake: <Yeah.>

Well...I was thinking maybe it would be better if you spent that month with Tracer.

Lake: <Huh?>

It's just, we've had a horrible month, haven't we? Lost in another universe, fighting for our lives each day, having to deal with complete monster generals. It was awful for all of us.

But now it's all over, and we can spend time with each other without having to worry about any of that. But...If I brought you back to Johto with me...You wouldn't get to be with Nadia.

Lake: <Oh...>

So, if you want to, I wouldn't mind if you spent the next month with Tracer's team rather than me. If only so that you and Nadia can be together.

It's up to you, though. You're your own Pokémon now, don't forget.

Lake: <...I know.>

...Do you need some time to think about it?

Lake: <Yeah. This won't be an easy choice to make.>

Well, you can take all the time you need. It's not like we'll have much to do on that plane, anyway.

[AU] Nidoran Colony, West

-Spots Terio and his escorts.-

Oh, hi!

Cinder: <Hey!>

Lake: -Shyly.- <...Hi...>

Bullet: <...>

Cinder: <Okay, this silence thing isn't particularly clever or funny. Stop it!>

Bullet: <...>

So...Are you guys ready for us?

-At Jubilife Airport-

-Overhearing Luke and Lake while recalling Kat-

"Whatever you two decide, we'll understand."

<Scratch: "I'm sure that your mate will too. Whatever it is that your heart leads you to do... Erm... Shoot... What was the name that we gave you again?">

___________________

-In AU!Celadon, a week into the future, entering a plaza with interns and our Pokemon-

-Thinking-

"I'm not sure if life here will ever be the same for me... But even if it isn't..."

Jeff: "Oh! Hello!"

/b/-tard: "Hey! What took you so long?!"

<AU!Iggy + AU!Audrey: "TRACER!">

"There will be others there to get through it together with me..."

"Hi, everyone. Has everything been going well since we last met?"

/b/-tard: "Who are the other three?"

"They're some colleagues of mine..."

-To the female trainer-

"And I take it that you're Randy's friend?"

Trainer: "You could say that, I'm Carol."

-Looking at the statue-

<Hale: "Oh wow... They replaced that thing fast...">

<Milo: "Well considering how much of a local landmark it is... Can you blame 'em?">

<Jaws: "They recast it from the old one. Looks good as new, doesn't it?">

<Kammy: "It sure does...">

"I wonder how you're doing, other me... I hope that you'll be able to get through this well too..."

edited 5th Sep '11 6:06:35 PM by TracerBullet

Kensei: -is very quiet, still-

-Sunny has fallen asleep leaning against Kensei-

-To Lake.- What was it?

Lake: <Bubble Tooth.>

Oh, yeah! Because they really liked that Bubble Shield of yours. Especially the younger Cubone. So sweet...

Lake: <Yeah. But thanks guys. I'll think long and hard about this so that I don't make the wrong choice.>

But I'm sure that won't happen. We're all sure.

Kensei: -notices that Sunny is asleep, and carefully rests his head against Sunny's, and closes his eyes as well-

-Kensei's mind-

<This is nice.>

<...>

<What?>

<It feels...strange...>

<How so?>

<Almost like it is...wrong.>

<...>

<My apologies. I am just stating how I feel.>

<Well...I don't think that it's wrong. I don't think there could be anything more right.>

<...If you say so...>

-falls asleep-

-notices Sunny and Kensei leaning on each other-

Awww...

Felis: <Why...?>

Hmm?

-looks up at Mezzo's "awww"ing and sees Sunny and Kensei-

Awwww...

Must...resist...urge...to write...

-Every is somewhat distracted from this by the realization that Breeze and Salamence have stolen his keys again- Hey! -attempts to grab them back-

[AU] Nidoran Colony

-Terio moves ahead and bows to Luke-

Terio — <Yes... sorry for being late to this.> — nods to some of the other Nidoran, who run away to the South. — <We've been expecting you...>

-walks and stands before one of Luke's mons-

Terio — <..."Cinder". The leaders of our Army wish to see you.>

-Terio steps back and asks Luke and company to follow him. A group of Weedle cover their tracks-

~-~ AU timeline: A place known in Deep Draconic language as the Opal Plains, 10 thousand miles north-west of Unova ~-~

-Drake, in a heavy brown hooded cloak, walks northwards towards a place known as the Diamond Mountains. 5 pendants hang around his neck: The Green Scale, the Lapis Claw, the Topaz Wing, the Opal Tear and the Ruby Flame. He glances at the latest message on his X-Tranciever from Daisy and smiles for a moment-

~-~ Normal Timeline: one of the rooms of the villa. ~-~

-We're practicing-

edited 5th Sep '11 6:29:38 PM by Pentigan

-At the airport in Jubilife-

<Scratch: "Ah, right! I knew that it was something related to bubbles!">

"Well... Whatever you decide, I'm sure that we'll all understand, Lake..."

-Begins to board the plane-

__________________

-Present day, In AU!Olivine-

-An Ampharos is standing, looking out to sea with a certain gym leader as the sun sets-

Jasmine: "It's been quite a while hasn't it, Amphy?"

<"Amphy": "It really has... I'm just glad that we're back together Jasmine...">

-Thinking-

<"Amphy": "I hope that you're also doing well, other me... Wherever it is that you are...">

_________________

-Three days into the future, at an approach to Dragon Spiral Tower, a group of around 20 Pokemon is waiting-

<Goon!Dragonite: "W-Will they r-really take us b-back?">

<Goon!Druddigon: "My friend went back here earlier... And he didn't come back... So... Maybe...">

<Goon!Mienshao: "H-He was conscripted! We weren't!">

<Goon!Druddigon: "It's worth a shot, isn't it?">

-A forest patrol stumbles upon the group-

<Random!Mienfoo #1: "Hey! Who's- Oh no...">

<Random!Druddigon #1: "... Seriously?">

<Random!Druddigon #2: "You've got a lot of nerve to show your faces here again! Especially you guys from the trial!">

<Random!Mienfoo #2: "Yeah, you don't honestly expect us to believe that you were all captured and pressed into service, do you?">

<Random!Druddigon #2: "And even if you were, that would say an awful lot about how cowardly you we-">

<Dragonite: "...">

<Random!Druddigon #2: "... Right... Oops... Why isn't he at the moat again?">

<Random!Mienfoo #1: "He just got back!">

-Looking hurt-

<Goon!Druddigon: "... This was a mistake...">

<Goon!Dragonite: "Y-Yeah, w-we'll leave now...">

-The group turns away downcast-

<Random!Mienfoo #2: "Now hold on there... No one said that you were allowed to come back... But...">

<Dragonite: "There probably isn't any harm in letting you stay and talk for a bit...">

-The group turns back-

<Goon!Druddigon: "... Thanks...">

edited 5th Sep '11 6:39:28 PM by TracerBullet

-Mumbles to himself-