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 Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2023 1:54 pm
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Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2023 2:30 pm
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Brian looked at Deo when the Luxray hybrid asked if he and and Amber knew each other. "Aye, we did, years ago," he said, his voice quiet. "Her family and mine were friends when we were growing up. Her younger sister, Lily, was my best friend for years. I haven't seen Amber for nearly a decade, so seeing her now is kind of a shock, given the fact she's a hybrid now when she wasn't the last time we saw each other. I'm sure it's as much a shock for her as it is for me to find out we're both part of Snagem."
He knew Amber had heard Deo's parting comment, though she didn't respond. "Amber's got a fear of heights that stems from when we were kids," he said, as a way of explaining her reaction on the taxi. "Now that she's back on solid ground, though, she'll be just fine."
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Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2023 3:18 pm
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Sub and Larrimore had rode in the same taxi together, Sub insisting upon it as he knew some of the other Snagems weren't too happy with the Pinsir hybrid right now and the Kalosian had enough people angry with him as it is. He knew consoling Larrimore wouldn't be helpful, the hybrid the type of person who doesn't like people carrying on over him so instead they sat in silence, only giving each other looks that said all they needed to. A quiet ride with a non-judgemental friend was exactly what Larrimore needed and Sub was glad to provide it.
When the taxi landed and the two exited in silence they would share a look over the top of the taxi and give each other a final nod before approaching the rest of the group entering the walled and moated city of Mesagoza, both in awe of the sheer size of the door they were passing through let alone what they were to find on the other side.
Mesagoza was unlike any city Sol had just mentioned, maybe not bigger than them all but certainly one of the most beautiful cities. As they entered the first thing Sub noted was the ground, the old bricked roads. This coupled with the moat and walls this place oozed history, a castle town in times long gone, once a bastion of kingly power. Fortunately for him Paldea didn’t have any kings sitting around, just waiting for a legendary Pokemon to pop up and blame the Dark One for missing out on catching it. That said Mesagoza definitely gave him Lumiose City vibes, that is the centralized place of regional power at the center of everything. Larrimore would feel similar to Sub, his instincts telling him to slip into the shadows and avoid others at all costs, the lingering fear of something like the Royal Guard just waiting to attack.
Sub’s original intent upon arriving in the city was to locate their place of summons, Naranja-Uva Academy, however there would be no need to ‘locate’ the place as they all immediately spotted it upon entering the city. “That’s…a big building.” Sub commented as he spotted the huge Pokeball erected above the castle-like academy, he was told you couldn’t miss the place but you really couldn’t miss it. Looking at his teammate he spoke. “We’re going to head straight to the academy so try not to get too distracted. Once we deal with our business here we’ll do some more sightseeing.” He told the Snagems. With that said they began to walk through the city, Sub seeing no need to rely on Sol as it was painfully obvious which way to go.
—--
[Half an hour later.]
They had made it to the academy, finding its staircase and pathway leading to the door both audacious and regal and the inside lobby slash library combo to be downright opulent, purple and orange flags and banners draped all over the place inside and out. Their large group received many stares along the way and even more once they were inside the academy. The group would wait but for a few minutes, the receptionist expecting them. Shortly after arriving they would be ushered through the school and into the central courtyard where playground equipment, little corners of nature, and several battlefields could be found. There were several students here enjoying the amenities including one battle going on, Larrimore himself taking note how the student body was incredibly diverse in both age and species, humans mixed with all sorts of hybrids. The Pinsir hybrid was shocked to see such a cosmopolitan society just next door to his exclusionary and bigoted home region, it was almost unfair.
Here the Snagems would be asked to wait, allegedly they were to meet with the academy’s director. Why they would have business with the academy director and why the Indigo Alliance would send them to meet with said director befuddled Sub, however he would go along with it. The team had worked hard to earn their title of legitimacy, their license to legal operate in most regions, and he certainly didn’t want to risk losing it so he would wait.
[Fifteen minutes later.]
“Welcome! Thank you all for coming!” A white haired older man declared as he entered the courtyard, adjusting his purple and orange jacket as he walked up to the gathered Snagems and up a small wood platform erected in the courtyard, now standing above them all. Sub just gave him a suspicious look but kept quiet. “I am Director Clavell and you all must be Team Snagem! First and foremost allow me to welcome such illustrious heroes to our humble academy! Your exploits are known the world over!” Clavell greeted them, adjusting his glasses after. “While the reasons that brought you here are not a happy one I do hope we can all make happy memories together all the same! Now, before we go on, why don’t you each introduce yourselves? We can’t go on a journey together if we don’t know each other!” Clavell asked them.
Sub was taken aback by this request, introduce themselves? What was this? He thought they were going to be meeting with some Paldean diplomat and get chewed out and threatened with some sort of legalese, but instead they were at some academy, meeting essentially the principal and were now being asked to introduce themselves as if this was some drug intervention meeting, as if Sub was doing Paras shrooms again or something. Looking from Clavell to his teammates he really wanted to question what was going on but instead decided to play along and see where this was going, so far nothing bad has happened so he had to be thankful for that.
“Okay…uh, I’m Sub, leader of Team Snagem. Not sure where I was born if I’m being honest but I kicked around Johto a lot back in the day. That’s…probably all you’re going to get out of me. The last time I made myself public I got thrown in a dungeon and almost lost my head.” Sub said, beginning the introductions. Clavell gasped at Sub’s comment, as if shocked to hear such a scandal. Sighing Sub would look to the others and wait for them to say their parts.
“Bonjour, je m'appelle Larrimore. Je suis un fier hybride de La Ruche dans la region de Kalos. Merci de m'avoir fait entrer dans votre beau pays.” Larrimore spoke up, saying the whole thing in Kalosian and much to his surprise Clavell thanked him in Kalosian! Though was it really surprising that Paldeans might know a bit of their neighbor’s tongue? Not really, but was still nice to see.
(Introduce your characters with as much detail as you want.)
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Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2023 3:41 pm
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"Hey, get up,"
When Keiko made it to the academy doors, she leaned on the wall they were attached to, and... well, she couldn't remember anything else, so she must have dozed off. Used a little too much energy on Agility, maybe? Not like she wasn't already tired from the mob and the obnoxious pilots. She opened her eyes after hearing my voice, and looked up to see Abby and i standing nearby. "Where's everybody else," she asked groggily.
"Already inside," I told her, though most had only just gone in, so it wasn't like a lot of time had passed. With that, Keiko pushed herself off the wall and to her feet. She then followed us inside.
~*~
To say this sort of greeting was unexpected was a gross understatement. At first, I was taken aback at how fancy this place was, a far cry from the near-spartan dressings of Pokemon Tech. At least, in comparison. The academy I went to didn't exactly have a city surrounding it, either. The air inside certainly felt familiar, though, albeit not as much as I expected. It had been a decade since I last stepped foot in Pokemon Tech. Keiko must have been surprised by the fancy digs, as well. As groggy as she seemed before, her eyes were wide open, now.
Back to the greeting, yeah. I couldn't help but wonder exactly what was going on, here. Still, Sub and the others were playing along, so I might as well follow suit. "My name is Terashi Toumei, and this is my wife, Keiko," I said, motioning to the shiny Lopunny hybrid standing next to me, who took that as her cue to speak up. "Hi," she said bashfully, not sure how to process this change of events.
"Absinthe Deathrage," Abby said flatly. While I was merely surprised by the greeting we got, this was about as red a flag as Abby had ever seen. This was NOT right. The old man was WAY too nice here. Something else had to be going on, or at least she thought so. Still, she knew there was little she could do but keep her guard up so long as Sub was playing along.
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Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2023 3:45 pm
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Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2023 5:26 pm
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Both Brian and Amber caught a feeling that something was off with the whole situation. The walled city didn't bother them, but for some reason the way the director of the Academy greeted them rubbed them the wrong way. A glance at each other told both were thinking the same thing: this is way too nice. Especially given the reason they were sent to Mesagoza in the first place. Brian couldn't put his finger on what it was that made him want to turn and walk out, but he stays in place until given the OK to leave. Amber's instincts were telling her something wasn't right, but she just didn't know what it was. Hmm, better to wait and see what would happen than to just leave and possibly wind up getting the rest of the team in trouble.
"Name's Brian," Brian said, deciding to play nice. "Pokemon Breeder-in-training." That's all the director is getting from him, even if the man seems nice. "Amber," is the Froslass hybrid's curt reply. She's not usually one for making small talk, especially around someone she doesn't know, so getting even this much out of her is a feat.
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Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2023 7:15 pm
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Mesagoza was bewildering, revealing its face past the gates and moat. There were seemingly innumerable side streets to disappear into, a warren of shops and sundry structures. The cobblestone streets, old brick buildings... Centuries of history.
And yet it was indeed impossible to miss their destination. It towered on a hill over the city, a castle that absolutely dominated any north-facing cityscape with a signature treehouse top. Clearly, some alterations had been made over the years: that massive Poké Ball glass wall definitely did not date from eons ago.
***
The walk up the famous—or infamous—Steps of Knowledge was exhausting, and the sight of a large traveling party ascending it earned a few stares. But there weren't many. Much like its terrain, Paldea was bewilderingly diverse. There were students of all ages, hybrids, and others, all dressed in that eyecatching combination of orange and purple. This ain't Kalos, Monique thought in relief.
Upon walking through the threshold and into the front entrance, the academy's grandeur came to life. The lobby was a massive, three-story library that also served as a corridor to the secured wings of the academy. Students were reading books, chatting in low tones, and walking to and fro. But they all looked at the sight of Team Snagem, a motley crew even by Paldean standards, walking in.
A receptionist quickly led them to the large central courtyard, a space featuring several battlefields, a running track, and playgrounds for the younger students. Two people were battling on one of the fields.
"Wait for the director. He'll be with you shortly," the receptionist reassured them. The wait seemed eternal, particularly under the circumstances.
***
"Welcome! Thank you all for coming!" With an excessive dose of vigor and enthusiasm, the man known as Clavell burst onto the scene and onto a small dais, introducing himself in a manner that made Monique less than comfortable. Imagine going here and having to put up with him every day, she thought.
Clavell asked for introductions, an odd request in the moment but one Monique was willing to indulge. She'd been doing a lot of introducing—a body and ability like hers tended to make her the subject of a lot of interest, not all of it completely kosher. Still unsure what this man wanted and slightly suspicious of his motive, Monique kept her introduction brief, even a bit cryptic.
"Monique Ka'ana'ana, Sheriff of New Po Town, Alola." She gave the traditional Alolan handwave, which she'd seen a lot of on her recent trip there. She had the feeling Clavell would have a few questions for her anyway.
It might have sounded mundane. Yet all the books in the library couldn't help Clavell find New Po on a map. Even if it was her hometown, that was a good thing.
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Posted: Mon May 01, 2023 4:42 am
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"...hm?" Sol turned after he opened the gates, noting some surprised glances from the others. "Perhaps I should've brought up some of the city's history? It is one of the older cities in the region, but I thought it'd be better to save the lesson for after we've taken care of business. Plus, as you can see," He'd pause to gesture at the academy in the distance. "It's quite hard to miss Naranja-Uva from here."
Amaranth coughed as she tried to get back her composure at the immediate sights, gobsmacked at what she was seeing. Granted, the taxi ride could've been better, but this felt entirely worth it. Her earlier attempts at researching still fresh in her mind, she wanted to know more about this city. Its origins, the history, the culture. She was sure there'd be a chance to at some point, but she hoped it still held true later.
"No kidding..." Cera remarked at Sub, looking to Sol and grateful that her charge had finally quieted down for the moment. And, apparently, fallen asleep now that things were quieter and less overwhelming. "I feel like you're almost underselling the city here."
"Maybe a bit. Though, I can concede that even now it's a sight I find myself looking forward to. For what it's worth, I'd already planned on us coming here, just... not quite for business reasons," Sol replied, mentally leaving out how the others' looks reminded him a lot of his first few times in the city. Or when he set foot into the academy.
"Yeah, thanks for that," Aden commented, though only slightly bothered by things being upended by those responsible for it. If anything, he was trying not to let his mouth stay agape, like he'd just stepped into an earlier era for a bit. He was pretty sure he hadn't this time, though. "I'm with sis, though, anything you've remarked about Paldea so far... has not done it justice compared to seeing it. I would've been all over this place as a kid. Not that I wouldn't be now, of course."
"Then let's get the business part of this out of the way, right?"
The group had continued well into the city, taking in what sights they could along the way. It wouldn't be hard at all for them to get to the academy, practically a straight shot from where they were. The stairs were a bit of a rough time, though. Apart from Cera just floating over them because the idea of climbing that many at once sounded like the opposite idea of fun. As they reached the door to the academy, Sol found himself stopping for a moment, looking around before looking at the door again with a sigh.
"Of all the ways I thought I'd go through these doors again..." he remarked to himself, slowly passing through them for the first time in decades.
"...doubt this is what coming back from a successful treasure hunt's supposed to feel like."
---
Getting into the courtyard, Sol could note that while a lot had changed, a lot of it stayed the same. The various ages weren't a surprise at all, but there were more hybrids now than there used to be. Not that this was the biggest surprise, these were better times for them and all and the academy was one to embrace its diversity before. Apart from that, it was safe to say renovations had been made at some point. Stuff fixed up, more modernized. It was expected as a matter of course, but it did give him a reminder that he'd be relearning a lot about the region too. And it seemed that it'd start with the current director stepping up.
And if anything, he was more surprised that this was more like an orientation than some sort of interrogation or reprimand. He was fairly sure this wasn't about Sub and the Paras shrooms again, and he was fine not reliving that saga. It still seemed a little odd, like there was something more to the meeting, but he saw no reason to go against the request. Clearing his throat briefly, he'd contribute his own bit to the roll call.
"Hola y es un placer, you can call me Sol. One of the team's founding members and a Paldean native. Used to attend the academy when I was growing up too, until I decided to explore beyond the region. Afraid that's all you'll get from me for now, and don't bother looking up that name in the school records because you won't find it."
---
Cera tried her best not to remark on how this felt like the calm before a slight storm; probably nothing too bad, but still likely to be a bit unpleasant. Setting the Pokemon in her arms down, she'd take a breath and revert back to reveal a Mew where the 'hybrid' once stood. "Better if I just let this one out of the bag now, not that it's any sort of big secret in the first place... I'm Cera. Yes, I'm using telepathy to translate my saying 'Mew' in a lot of different tones. Yes, a Pokemon really is a member of this team and has other Pokemon alongside her. It's been really nice to visit Paldea too, but please don't tell me they make the uniforms here in my size because wearing clothes when I'm not transformed feels weird."
---
"Journey together? Why do I get the feeling we've been enrolled...?" Aden commented, shaking his head. Nothing to do for it now, he felt. "Name's Aden. I'm his kid," he spoke up, motioning towards Sol. "Don't take quite as much after him in the hybridization, though. My mother was a Celebi hybrid, so..." He shrugged after a moment, unsure of how much he really should disclose here. He quickly summised that answer was 'not a lot, and don't repeat the mistake at the alternate reality Mahogany Gym'. "Anyways, it's been great to finally visit the region in person, though maybe without whatever went down last night..."
---
"Amaranth," she spoke up, still trying to process everything she'd seen so far since going through the gates to Mesagoza. "Kind of a channeler, getting a lot of history lessons at once. I... don't remember much since before being experimented on and fighting the team at one point, so there isn't that much for me to disclose. I'm glad for the chance to come and learn about the region, though." She'd twirl the bit of Evergrow Wood in her hand, hoping the much larger and more obvious hammer strapped to her didn't cause too many heads to turn.
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Posted: Mon May 01, 2023 7:22 am
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The whisper troupe, minus one of course, wound through the city with their eyes primarily, Odd taking in the sights of the city's ancient structures while Clare was called to the beauty cobblestone streets, the polished stonework of the buildings and the fashion of the people moving from place to place. Wren, on the other hand, was observing the businesses, catching sight of many a restaurant along the way. None of them really caught what was being said by the team's resident tour guide along the way, unfortunately, too caught up in it the sights until Clare's newest team member hopped from their arms and ran toward one of the restaurants, where it proceeded to jump up, grab a piece of someone's food and then tripped off the table while trying to run off with said bit of food. "Oh no! Mirage, you little klutz. Be careful!" Clare chided as they rushed over to retrieve their Pokemon, apologizing profusely to the patron whose food she had tried to steal.
"No hay necesidad de disculparse." The young hybrid replied with a small laugh. "Capsakid can be a handful when they're young. This one looks like it's still un bebé."
"Capsakid, huh? Thank you! I wasn't sure what kind of Pokemon it was until now." Clare replied with smile. "I'll try to keep a closer eye on her in the future."
"Buena suerte, amiga." The young hybrid responded with a small wave as Clare picked up Mirage and rejoined the other Snagems along the way.
~~~
Upon arrival at the school, the trio all stared up at the massive doors leading into the school's entryway. "What's with this town and giant doors?" Odd asked as they approached.
"So ostentatious." Wren remarked calmly, though he was laughing on the inside. This was ridiculous to him.
"At least they look nice?" Clare commented as the doors were pushed open.
The three were all blown away by the sheer size of the main hall, the doors opening into a vast, multi-story library with a service desk directly inside. Odd was more interested in the counter and the person behind it as the group was instructed to wait for the director to meet them. Wren was simply impressed by the diversity of the student body. He could see humans and hybrids of all ages and types scurrying around the various floors of the library, grabbing books from the massive shelves for study.
Clare was the only one to speak at this point. "These uniform colors are horrible... They clash so badly it hurts my eyes..."
~~~
A few minutes later, standing in a grand courtyard comprising of a large assortment of supplies for student enrichment: a playground or two for young students, a couple of battle courts, one of which was currently in use, and an arrangement of training weights along with a track for running circuits around the courtyard all adorned it, neatly upkept. The trio stood with the remainder of the Snagems, waiting to see who this director they were to meet was. Upon the director's arrival, Odd and Wren were both a bit surprised by his appearance, Clare averting their eyes for a moment. That split-color waistcoat was a hideous offense to fashion.
Upon being introduced and asked for their own introductions, Odd stepped forward first. "Name's Odd. My fiance, Lykas, isn't with us on this trip but I'm sure he'd be as happy to meet you as I am. " He introduced himself. "I'm not giving you any more than that, though." He added, the tone of his voice making it clear he didn't think any more than his name was needed here."
~~~
Wren stepped forward next and offered a small bow in greeting. "I am Wren Briony, business owner and entrepreneur from Lentimas Town, Unova. And I'm curious if this is some kind of open house? It's unusual to be invited to a school this way and introduced to the director in such a public manner." He wasn't going to pretend he wasn't suspicious but he felt less like this was something devious and more like they'd somehow been conscripted into the school's student body without their knowledge. Or consent for that matter.
~~~
Clare didn't step forward but waved politely. "Clare. Clare Asmia Kristel." They introduced themself. "I'm a member of Snagem and that's about all I know. Nice to meet you."
Cap cap!" Their Capsakid exclaimed, bouncing in their arms at this point, bright red powder falling from their body as they did. "And this is Mirage." Clare laughed, beginning to search for a Pokeball of some sort to tuck the little pepper away in.
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 1:42 pm
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It was going to be a bit of a trip for three of us at least. We each peered out the windows of the airborne taxi, looking down at the landscape below and I had to admit it was something else. As communication was held between Sol and the other Snagems, something had my attention elsewhere. As I peered out the windows, I looked on with a bit of curiosity. The crater we passed by. I was almost certain of it that was where that pure feeling in the air was at its strongest. It felt…ominous, if that was the best way to describe it; nothing like the dyna-whatever stuff as I suspected, but it did…feel quite off. With people living in this region, surrounding this crater, for some time, I suppose nothing was wrong, but just the fact that it was there was…weird. Maybe the hunter really got under my skin more than I thought. Perhaps I am getting overly paranoid. I do find it odd, though, that such a crater exists. Doesn’t look like what remains of a dead volcano or anything of that sort.
Arriving in Mezagoza, Freth, Tristen, and I was a bit in awe as to how this place looked. It was literally a castle town, if that was the best way to describe it. Walls and all. In some respects, this place screamed this region’s Pokémon league, for sure, but at the same time, save for some minor battle fields dotted here and there I can see from up above, I don’t see anything that would resemble any place to hold any major competitions other than this one building only a short distance away that looks like it was built as an afterthought. The taxi would finally land and we would find our way off, checking the taxi to make sure we did not leave any of our things. I took notice though the flock of Squakabilly that carried us was a lot more exhausted than the rest that carried most of the others. It would probably be a bad time to mention I was back to wearing my heavy fire-proofed wear. I should have probably just tried to fly on my own and tailed everyone. I am almost certain that the taxi drivers probably wondered why the avian hybrids weren’t flying now that I am thinking about it.
Speaking of other avian hybrids, Doc would be disembarking his own taxi. Doc would take out a Pokeball and release the Machamp, Orderly, back out to be at the doctors side. Doc still wasn’t having any luck in trying to get Darts to speak up about whatever was troubling him and it started to look hopeless at this point. Doc needed help with what was getting to him; he was a doctor of medicine, not psychology.
It took about a half hour before we made the trek across Mezagoza and arrived at what looked to be one of the most prestigious academies that I have ever set foot in. We were all guided through the various facilities until we met with the rather eccentric older gentleman at the academy’s courtyard. Introductions were apparently in order. I just shrugged to Freth and Tristen, and when we waited for a spot to jump in, we did so.
“I am Freth.” The female Galarian Articuno hybrid spoke up. “Violet City, Johto region. Not much to really say about me other than perhaps a somewhat mild mid-life crisis, but as is life.” It was going to be hard going into detail to someone like this man, presumably, about what is out there beyond this world, her recent transformation, or her unsavory past affiliations and occupations. It was perhaps just as well. All this man needed to know was that she was part of Snagem just as everyone else were.
“My name’s Tristen.” The Manetric hybrid teen would speak up. “I’m uh…from Johto too, Mahogany Town.” Tristen didn’t want to delve too much in his own past either, let alone that being Jhotoian is an outright lie, let alone what got him into Johto eventually either, though from his tone of voice, it could come off as him being somewhat shy, which could play into his advantage. “I’ve been a bit around. Been in a couple of competitions in Challenger’s Cave in Unova and Sevii Islands in Kanto.”
“Don’t forget about the Battle Dome in Hoenn, Mr. ‘The Bolt’.” I then spoke up to Tristen.
“I…nearly forgot about that.” Tristen said.
“I’m Blizzard, apprentice and to-be Gym Leader of the Mahogany Town Gym in the Johto Region.” I said. “Years of competitive battling, perhaps almost as many trying to protecting the peace at this point.”
“Especially with your whole stint of ‘Noble Hybrid’.” Freth would say, nudging me a bit.
“…I would rather not talk about that one.” I said. “All the same, these two are with me.”
Doc Owl would then finally speak up. “Dr. Anthony Owlwood, or as those in these circles know me as ‘Doc Owl’.” Doc Owl would shove up his glasses for a brief second before continuing on. “I don’t go off gallivanting out to save the world, that sort of thing is well above my capabilities, but I am one who studies the medical sciences to aid this group. This is my assistant, Orderly.”
“Machaaamp.” The Machamp would speak up.
“We we’re along for the ride to enjoy a nice vacation, but I suppose that is going to be easier said than done since we’re here.” Doc then stated.
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 1:56 pm
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Reno would keep his eyes locked onto the mysterious Clavell as he made his speech to them. Happy memories together? What, were they being sentenced to a campout with the director for a multi-day brow-beating? If it went as well as the last camping trip he was on with Sub, then it was a good thing Reno had his Mega Stones and channeling team on him. But no need to worry about random hypotheticals and go on imagining how 'cool' he'd look confronting these random imaginings when he was still able to talk amicably about these things. "Hi. I'm Reno. Current Co-leader of Snagem. Uh....dunno what else to add. I'm a cyborg, I guess?" reno told the director, raising his left arm to show its mechanical nature. Or at least he would have if it had been there. Staring in confusion at the blank space where his arm was, Reno would quickly see the culprit running away with its metal rattle in one hand and his arm in the other. "Leslie! Why is it kidnapping my arm!?" Reno cried out, taking off after the small pink Pokemon to retrieve his wayward limb.
Leslie would let out a laugh as she saw the comedy of errors. "Run, Mori! Take the arm and build a bigger hammer! Chase your dreams!" Leslie called out, smirking as he saw Reno dive to catch Mori and only catching air before Mori's jump landed her on top of his head. Looking over to the director, Leslie would give a wave. "Leslie Serket. Former hybrid, future hybrid, big fan of whatever Pokemon Mori is." Leslie said, continuing to watch Mori and Reno's chase before a thought crossed her mind. "Wait. Why the hell does this sound like the first day of classes?" A look of horror would cross her face before a snarl ripped across as well. "Oh hell no! You'll never take me alive!" She cried out, taking off to grab Mori and get them both out of her before things got worse.
Beau would just look between the director, Larrimore, and himself. "Uh....mostly what he said. " Beau added, slightly confused over Larrimore's move to use Kalosian as their introductory language. Did Clavell do something imply he'd actually understand or did Larrimore want to try and show off? Whatever. he wanted to be a little pretentious with the introduction, who was he to judge?
And finally, given the time to fully prepare her entrance, a few bright stage lights would ignite as Aria presented herself. "I am Aria Glissando! Musical artist, social media personality, PR specialist of Snagem. And I am certain that if we can discuss things and we allow for some uses of the platform offered to me by both my personal accounts and the Snagem ones, we can make sure that all of these problems are settled amicably to the public's eye." Aria offered to the director, giving a small smile and a wink as she walked up to shake his hand. It seemed that she had taken the small offer for introduction to try and turn this into a discussion. Bold strategy, but it was going to be seen how well that would actually work out for her.
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Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 10:03 pm
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Aile and Crystal would have wound up going in different taxis, with the hybrid coming to the conclusion that she'd need to make a hard light seat for herself and just put aside some mental power to have it move with the taxi as they flew. The trip's biggest event left Aile stunned and Crystal rather intrigued, what with the hammer flying that high in the air. Aile in particular would be wondering what kind of region this was, with flying giant hammers apparently going around willy nilly.
The walk that took them into and through the school was uneventful, with Crystal looking around with mild curiosity, and Aile was just taking in the sights. Another big city with old architecture fused with a more modern look, Lumiose was similar in that aspect. Though, the school certainly caught her for a moment. As the group walked through the facility itself, the group would almost lose Crystal in the main hall, eyes literally lighting up in excitement as she stared at the giant library in front of her, wanting to go through it to see what historical books they might have had. The human woman would tilt her head, though, wondering why they’d be summoned to the school, instead of something like the region’s Pokémon League Headquarters. And then they got to the courtyard and the podium.
“s**t,” Aile grumbled. “I know I reminisced about my high school prom a while ago and what not, I didn’t think I’d be reliving the school parts as well…” A heavy sigh came from Aile once Clavell appeared and spoke, almost certain where this was going. Especially when they were all asked to introduce herself. Waiting for a moment as she thought about how to introduce herself, she’d speak up when there was an open spot. “Alysandra Wyndra,” she’d begin, giving a relaxed salute kind of wave from the top of her head with her remaining arm. “Also from Kalos, though Lumiose City. Anything more, and it gets… complicated. And awkward for me. Don’t want to explain it.” She’d shrug, sticking said hand in her pocket. Damned introductions… Yeah, this was feeling like a first day at school all over again.
Crystal herself had to think on how to do her introduction, looking down as she crossed her arms. Where to begin…. Once she had something sorted out, she’d give a small wave as she slotted her introduction in as one of the last. “Hello, the name’s Crystal. We… consider myself from both Johto and Alola. And we’re hoping to have a calm, relatively normal experience back on Earth after having a long journey through space.” Yeah, that would have to do. She wasn’t going to specify Ultra Space unless necessary. What she said was true, though. It would be dependent on others deciding to not use her as an Ultra Space taxi, though. At least for a while.
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Posted: Wed May 03, 2023 5:59 pm
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Espeon_Commander Crystal stared at Darts as they walked through the hotel, quite notably noticing Darts casually swiping a piece of toast from an unsuspecting hotel patron. She shook her head, sighing. “Oi… So, knocked out the not Tentacruel, only to find out that ‘Ferdinand’, as the locals call him, is a small celebrity around here, and they’re ticked that we just knocked him out. Oh, and he totally wasn’t a Shadow Pokemon. Sub’s cooled the crowd down enough, but we’re once again, not on good terms with the locals.” The hybrid's ears would flick as she grumbled. “Those are the big things of note… Pray tell, though, what were some of those dreams about, Darts? They sound like they might be some interesting stories.” Her own golden tipped hand would clap Darts on the shoulder as she asked, a grin forming on her face as they continued to catch up to the others. “I do like hearing them. Maybe on the ride through the desert?”
Darts' heart takes a non-usual turn downward here even despite his fake bravado. Here was somebody he knew, somebody that he trusted, trying to open up to him too. Maybe he could trust her...? But why burden her with what he had seen? "Oh sure..." He half-muttered, shifting his eyes around as he tried to avoid the subject entirely. All of this subterfuge was rapidly becoming bad for his health.
SubonicXP “Welcome! Thank you all for coming!” A white haired older man declared as he entered the courtyard, adjusting his purple and orange jacket as he walked up to the gathered Snagems and up a small wood platform erected in the courtyard, now standing above them all. Sub just gave him a suspicious look but kept quiet. “I am Director Clavell and you all must be Team Snagem! First and foremost allow me to welcome such illustrious heroes to our humble academy! Your exploits are known the world over!” Clavell greeted them, adjusting his glasses after. “While the reasons that brought you here are not a happy one I do hope we can all make happy memories together all the same! Now, before we go on, why don’t you each introduce yourselves? We can’t go on a journey together if we don’t know each other!” Clavell asked them. Sub was taken aback by this request, introduce themselves? What was this? He thought they were going to be meeting with some Paldean diplomat and get chewed out and threatened with some sort of legalese, but instead they were at some academy, meeting essentially the principal and were now being asked to introduce themselves as if this was some drug intervention meeting, as if Sub was doing Paras shrooms again or something. Looking from Clavell to his teammates he really wanted to question what was going on but instead decided to play along and see where this was going, so far nothing bad has happened so he had to be thankful for that. “Okay…uh, I’m Sub, leader of Team Snagem. Not sure where I was born if I’m being honest but I kicked around Johto a lot back in the day. That’s…probably all you’re going to get out of me. The last time I made myself public I got thrown in a dungeon and almost lost my head.” Sub said, beginning the introductions. Clavell gasped at Sub’s comment, as if shocked to hear such a scandal. Sighing Sub would look to the others and wait for them to say their parts. “Bonjour, je m'appelle Larrimore. Je suis un fier hybride de La Ruche dans la region de Kalos. Merci de m'avoir fait entrer dans votre beau pays.” Larrimore spoke up, saying the whole thing in Kalosian and much to his surprise Clavell thanked him in Kalosian! Though was it really surprising that Paldeans might know a bit of their neighbor’s tongue? Not really, but was still nice to see. (Introduce your characters with as much detail as you want.)
Blizzard120 Speaking of other avian hybrids, Doc would be disembarking his own taxi. Doc would take out a Pokeball and release the Machamp, Orderly, back out to be at the doctors side. Doc still wasn’t having any luck in trying to get Darts to speak up about whatever was troubling him and it started to look hopeless at this point. Doc needed help with what was getting to him; he was a doctor of medicine, not psychology. -- Doc Owl would then finally speak up. “Dr. Anthony Owlwood, or as those in these circles know me as ‘Doc Owl’.” Doc Owl would shove up his glasses for a brief second before continuing on. “I don’t go off gallivanting out to save the world, that sort of thing is well above my capabilities, but I am one who studies the medical sciences to aid this group. This is my assistant, Orderly.” “Machaaamp.” The Machamp would speak up. “We we’re along for the ride to enjoy a nice vacation, but I suppose that is going to be easier said than done since we’re here.” Doc then stated. Espeon_Commander Aile and Crystal would have wound up going in different taxis, with the hybrid coming to the conclusion that she'd need to make a hard light seat for herself and just put aside some mental power to have it move with the taxi as they flew. The trip's biggest event left Aile stunned and Crystal rather intrigued, what with the hammer flying that high in the air. Aile in particular would be wondering what kind of region this was, with flying giant hammers apparently going around willy nilly.
The Giratina hybrid had taken great care not to get sucked into a taxi with either Doc Owl or Crystal, needing some time to think. Even alone though he was having trouble bundling his thoughts into any kind of cohesive group, so he spent most of the aerial trip sweating over what he was going to say to the two of them. He wasn't going to be able to keep ducking them, they knew something was wrong. He took a deep breath, steadying himself as the taxi delivered the group. He would just have to continue on, like he always did. Even if that meant suffering, he could bear that burden alone. Even his inner turmoil didn't prevent him from letting out a low whistle of appreciation at the Naranja-Uva Academy and its massive structure they were all led to.
Most of his mind was still puzzling away at his problem as he was shoved in front of the podium, jacket flapping in an agitated sort of fashion as he composes himself. "Me...? I'm..." He pauses, his eyes darting slightly to the side where Doc Owl and Crystal stood, before formulating the rest of his answer, a little determination creeping into his tone. "My name is Darts, and I'm from Sootopolis City. Dragon Clan Initiate, Giratina hybrid. It's your pleasure to meet me, I'm sure." Up until now he had been slowly drifting through this entire excursion but anyone who noticed the change in his demeanor would see it in the straightening of his back to the bristling of his jacket. He wasn't going to let anyone see the team in a weak light, not on this kind of a stage. |
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Posted: Sat May 06, 2023 2:18 pm
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Director Clavell listened to each member speak with great intent, nodding at points, showing surprise at others, and giving quiet applause when appropriate. Sub watched Clavell as the school director listened, trying to get a feel for the guy. With his line of work, and the decades of experience he had in it, Sub was a fairly good judge of character and his first impression of Clavell, so far, was that of an honest man. To him he felt like the Paldean was earnest in his interest of them and for now suspected no ulterior motives, which was a nice change of pace. Larrimore however was suspicious, then again the hybrid often was such towards most people.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all! That said I can't say I haven't heard of some of you individually, such as the illustrious Noble Hybrid, who many Paldeans are familiar with and back during your time in Kalos the battle scene was abuzz over how you'd fair here in Paldea." Clavell revealed, Blizzard's reputation well known across the border. "And then of course I've heard of the hybrids of La Ruche. Never thought I'd be honored enough to see such stalwart men. I'm humbled." He address Larrimore and Beauregard. Before he could speak to anyone else Aria finally showed up, complete with stage lights. Clavell would frown, however accepted the handshake.
"Miss Glissando, you certainly are a bold young lady and it's impressive to see your team so structured and modern as to require your services, however you'll have to forgive me for the time as I have other matters I must address with you and your team." He said, a slight scowl on his face as he waited for Aria to step back with her team. Looks like he was too impressed with her entrance.
"Team Snagem, you a group that reflect the values we hold dear here at Uva-Naranja Academy. Diversity, comradery, and ambition. As such I feel like we will all get along just fine and you will make an excellent addition to our ranks!" Director Clavell declared happily. Wait...what did he-
"-say!?" Sub said, blurting out as his thoughts escaped through his mouth. Clavell immediately stopped talking and turned his attention to Sub who took only another second to consider his next series of words, however he found none that would suffice in the formality someone like Clavell would appreciate and said whatever popped into his head. "What do you mean by 'addition to our ranks'? We never signed up to join the academy." Sub asked, the director looking puzzled and confused in response.
"I'm sorry? I thought you were made aware. We had received, and accepted, a request from a representative of the Indigo Alliance to accept you into our academy. From what I gather the various regions believe you need more...formal...training if you're going to operate as an officially sanctioned force in their borders. Uva-Naranja Academy can provide you the discipline they require and while our coming together isn't exactly the happiest I do hope we can make the best of it." Clavell explained and as Sub listened what little color he had washed away from his face as he started putting the pieces together.
"Now then, let me explain how this will work..." Director Clavell would spend the next half hour explaining the workings of the academy and what was expected of them...
[One hour later.]
"I can't believe this!" Sub shouted, pushing his sandwich away from himself on the table and then folding his arms and huffing, it was immature but he couldn't help it. They had been escorted to the school's cafeteria, Clavell wanting to give them time to process everything and eat something, it was hard to be mad with a full stomach, or at least that's what he thought. The cafeteria had been cleared out of students and only the few cooks remained, Snagem given exclusive access to it for the time being. "They really expect us to attend school like a bunch of children!? All because of a single mistake! And it's not like anyone got hurt!" Sub continued to rant.
"It's likely this last mishap was simply the straw that broke the Camerupt's back. The team has had some...messy...situations before." GRAY spoke up from Sub's SNAG on the table, the AI sounding like he was going to laugh and trying not to. Sub just glared at the device but ignored GRAY, even though he was probably correct, the alliance has likely grown tired of them behaving any way they like and making messes.
"He did say only [X number] of us had to attend and pass..." Larrimore spoke up. He was trying to lay low and not say anything as this was kind of his fault and was probably going to regret speaking, however Sub only gave him the slightest of glances and quickly turned away.
"True but I'm one of those they require attend, along with Reno, Crystal, and Sol which I guess I get it. The upper echelon. But still!" He shouted again, throwing his head back and letting out an exaggerated 'ugh' as he leaned back in his chair. "And they want us to live here!? This can't get any worse!" He complained.
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Posted: Sat May 06, 2023 3:11 pm
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After the allegations were laid bare, i found myself sitting down and leaning against a cafeteria table while Keiko paced around it, unable to keep still. Absinthe was sitting opposite of me, but leaning forward. She had a cup full of... something in her hands, which she'd gotten from the staff, but any sips she took from it were few and far between. We all had a lot to say about what we'd just heard, but, at least for the moment, none of us could put it in words.
As it turned out, I was the first to break the silence amidst the three of us, as Sub was basically shouting. "Well, this is a mess. I mean, I can't say the Indigo Alliance aren't justified in calling for this, though they could have said something to us, first. Not to mention that some of us have lives of our own to worry about."
"Tell me about it," Keiko huffed. "I'd rather not leave Yuna to your mother for more than a week, if I can help it, and my concerns about this region's volume stand." After a moment, Keiko looked over to Absinthe, who seemed unusually calm. "I'm surprised you're not pitching a fit over this," she huffed.
Abby's brow furrowed for a moment - but only for a moment - before she looked up at the ceiling. "To be honest, these are far fancier digs than my parents could ever get for me. Tuition's free, too. Not exactly a fan of the Indigo Alliance deciding things for us, but for somebody who dropped out of Trainer's school.., she paused, looking back down at her reflection in her drink. "...this is a far better opportunity than I deserve."
'Oh..." Keiko trailed off, surprised by Abby's sincerity. "I... guess that's fair. Also, sorry for the tantrum comment. I didn't meant to imply-"
"I figured," Abby cut Keiko off with a shrug. "We cool, Cake." Keiko flinched at that, surprised and a little uncomfortable at how calm and surprisingly honest Absinthe was being. Absinthe seemed to pick up on this and perked up a little. "I mean, I don't exactly expect it to be a walk in the park or anything. And if the Indigo Alliance keep treating us like this, they can go ~/~ themselves," she added assertively, which seemed to ease Keiko's concerns, which in turn elicited a smirk from Abby.
Keiko then looked toward me, and - assuming she knew my answer - turned to me somewhat sternly. "How about you?" she asked, as if bracing herself for disappointment.
By then, my eyes were gazing skyward. "To be honest, I'm kind of torn. This is an excellent opportunity to study Paldean-exclusive Pokemon, and I can share my findings with the people that helped me gather what intel I could about this place before the 'vacation' started," I said, making quotation marks with my hands when I spoke the word "vacation". At this point, I was starting to think it would be wise to be suspicious, or at the very least skeptical, the next time that word leaves Sub's mouth. "But between that, the Indigo Alliance's intended curriculum, and I suppose the culture and customs of this place, there's nowhere as much for me to learn, here, as Pokemon Tech had to offer. Certainly won't be a study fest like it was, there But then, that, in and of itself, could be to my advantage. I could use my free time to do freelance work online and raise money for our growing daughter's needs, though it'd mean being away from her and basically becoming my father in that aspect, which I'd very much like to avoid,"
Keiko rolled her eyes when I spoke of her father, but while she didn't seem stern anymore, she did seem skeptical. "I'm surprised you're not going on about reliving your academy days," she huffed.
This time, it was my turn to give a stern look. "This isn't my academy," I insisted, showing that I had some loyalty to Pokemon Tech, as if the years spent wearing their uniform post-graduation wasn't enough. "At any rate, they did say that not all of us were required to be involved, so you could see the sights for a week, then go pick up Yuna and head home after."
Keiko shrugged, then unfolded her arms. "That's the plan," she said curtly. I started to stand at that, but Absinthe stopped me. "Hey, can we talk later? I have an idea for a side project, and what you said about sharing info about Paldea Pokemon could work into it,"
I raised an eyebrow at Abby, and shot a quick glance at Keiko. She didn't seem to respond, which made sense once the initial surprise waned in my mind. The young Deathrage girl was 15, so it made sense that Keiko didn't see her as a threat in terms of our marriage. Why I had that impulse, I wasn't exactly sure, but I thought it best to ignore it immediately and hope Abby didn't pick up on it. "Sure," I said tentatively, wondering what the teenager had in mind.
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