Departure

[bravenewmods]

The time has come.

At General Ironborn’s direction, the assorted troops of Caldera, Citadel, Refuge, and Union begin to roll out of the gates of the city. It would be a long trip – Sanctuary lay far to the west of Caldera, beyond any of the territory currently known to Union. Crossing the perhaps now-familiar desert would be merely the first leg of this journey. The atmosphere, as they depart from the gates, seems chipper. There are high hopes for the reclamation of territory from Gigas, and the people of the Sanctuary Resistance, especially, begin to entertain the appealing notion that their city might be free once more for the first time in decades, exchanging wide smiles and congenial laughter.

They do not travel light, of course. Caravans pulled by Ponyta and Tauros accompany them, stocked to the brim with food and supplies to last their small army for weeks. Their efforts hopefully wouldn’t last much longer than that, but they are assured by the Sanctuary natives that so long as they were able to reclaim a portion of the city, the people would happily provide them with what they needed. Other wagons are stocked with odd-looking machinery and gadgets – those sitting inside will spend the majority of the journey fiddling with equipment. Anyone who inquires will be informed that the technicians are making preparations to highjack Sanctuary’s communications network for their missions – perhaps they would care to assist? Still others are filled with armor and weaponry, useful Enhanced Items hurriedly crafted by the artisans of Union, and a few even tote heavier Pokémon who wouldn’t be up to the task of traveling the distance alone.

As it turns out, war is very troublesome to wage.

Over the course of the journey, there is plenty of time for idle conversation and brief side excursions or rest stops. The caravan eventually elongates and stretches out such that the furthest travelers are several miles in front of the rear – still, it is simple enough to go between wagons. In a pinch, the Valkyries swooping in the sky are always happy to take on a passenger for a short ride.

Eventually, word would spread that they were only a day’s travel from Sanctuary, and the mood will become somber, serious. But in the meantime, why not chat up your fellow travelers?

Comments

action, open/Mission 10

[incousinswithyou]

Action

[Michiru is sitting with a bubbly Roselia in her lap. The Pokemon doesn't seem to be overly worried about the impending fight and is apparently enjoying the fact that she's gets to sit with Trainer! Usually the baby Pokemon get first dibs...

Gardevoir sniffs and then tries not to look too jealous as she pointedly sits next to Michiru and then scoots closer. This one is of a height with her Trainer.

Michiru smiles and offers a hand to Gardevoir.] I hope you're not bored.

Mission 10

Shall we take stock? [she's met most of you, huh?]

Action

[actsmagnificent]

How sweet.

[ Haruka isn't accompanied by any Pokémon - both of hers are scouting ahead. But since it'd feel weird to not be riding anything, she's atop the Pokémon pulling their wagon. Never trust anything you aren't driving yourself: that is the Haruka Tenoh way.

It's calm, though. Calm enough she can glance over her shoulder and grin at family bonding time. They'll need that loyalty soon enough. ]

[incousinswithyou]

[Michiru chuckles.] Do you think it's moving enough? [emotionally, in any case.

Waltz takes that hand - and then looks away, ignoring the slight flush on her cheeks.]

Rose... [Lulu is busy looking around at their surroundings, wondering if she would have time to find a souvenir for Natto.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Whatever's pulling this caravan appears to be in no hurry, Lulu. You're probably good. (How well can you run, just in case?) ]

I thought that kind of thing was better taken slowly.

[ Just like certain other kinds of bonding. Lowercase "b" this time. ]

[incousinswithyou]

[he's going to end up with a small collection of interestingly shaped leaves and maybe a couple of rocks if Lulu gets her way.]

That depends on who is at the receiving end.

[are they still talking about the gods]

[actsmagnificent]

[ EXOTIC LEAVES FROM FOREIGN CLIMES be still Natto's unadventurous heart. Seeing the new fashions as people from Caldera and the Citadel visit Union is really neat, but....leaves...!!

Haruka just smiles. ]

I like private performances best.

[ Now they're not. For sure. Or maybe they are simultaneously, and she's also admitting she's not liking the idea of being spied on and judged, even by omnipotent creatures, but there's not much she can do about that except make passive-aggressive remarks.

Haruka! ]

[incousinswithyou]

Just for you?

[Lulu chooses that moment to sit up straight, staring at a passing bush. She's never seen that type before! Looking up at her Trainer and] Roselia! Lia?

[Michiru glances at Lulu's object of interest and then turns to Waltz.] Would you...?

[the Pokemon huffs, but stands up. Lulu excitedly hops off the wagon as Waltz follows sedately. Even if they are moving slowly, Lulu could take her time if she's got Waltz with her.

Michiru looks fondly at her Pokemon, but that smile gets coy when she turns back to you.]

You're getting spoiled.

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka laughs - at the Pokémon, at Michiru, at the whole situation. She looks around the traveling "army", thinking. It's very likely Michiru's words apply to Union at large, and they won't realize just how in over their heads they are until they're confronted with Gigas again. This won't be like Caldera. The enemy's had a fortified presence in Sanctuary for years.

She keeps smiling, but she sighs. ] Realizing that isn't so bad.

Do you sense anything? [ About their mission, prospective end of the world, etc. She's not too worried - she has a concrete goal and an idea how she can go about performing it - but the Team Evolution side of things always gets her a little touchy. What is their stake in consistently involving Union in wars? ]

[incousinswithyou]

Other than the fact that we're heading straight towards danger? [and incidentally, where they should be.

Her gaze stays firmly on your back, though.] Would you believe me if I said everything will go according to plan? [now she's just teasing]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka tips her head back to grin at Michiru over said shoulder. Would she believe that? Please. ] If it's you.

[ Too bad there probably aren't room for two on this Pokémon. But there's nothing saying Michiru couldn't come sit on the lip of the wagon... ]

[victimlessdetails]

Captain-ish Isabela, reporting in. I see I got the best-looking team again.

[Isabela is looking over the supplies herself, followed as usual by her Ludicolo. She's also openly sporting Pokéballs on her belt - not so much to antagonize as to get the inevitable arguments out of the way ahead of time.]

[incousinswithyou]

[Michiru hasn't failed to notice those Pokeballs.

Still, she doesn't look particularly antagonistic.]

Only because you're joining us.

[Michiru's Roselia seems to be making a game of following Ludicolo following Isabela.]

[victimlessdetails]

[Ludicolo catches onto this, and starts walking in circles around a cart to see if the Roselia will follow him, occasionally reversing direction.]

Oh, I'm certainly not bringing the average down, but you all were doing pretty well before I got here, too.

[incousinswithyou]

[follow follow follow and whoa! Direction change! Roselia turns around in a circle, looking for Ludicolo, and then starts following him again. The Grass type might be giggling to herself a little.

Michiru flashes Isabela a smile, even as she continues to see how many Potions they've got stocked up.] Is that an attempt at being humble?

[victimlessdetails]

If I attempted humility, I'd have to turn in my pirate badge.

More a compliment that ideally won't involve me getting in another duel with your girlfriend. Fun as the last one was.

[incousinswithyou]

[Michiru laughs quietly, even if her tone might get a bit flippant.]

I am perfectly capable of defending my own honor.

[victimlessdetails]

Oh, I don't doubt that. You wouldn't even be the only elegant lady on this team scarier than her swordfighting girlfriend.

[rainsrespite]

[Yuuna nods at Michiru, a faint smile on her lips. Looks like she and Merrill lucked out again.]

Heya Michiru.

[She too has Pokeballs on her waist, but they are all clearly empty, if the Pokemon around her are any indication. But the mun hasn't decided so let's leave them vague except the Hitmonchan]

[incousinswithyou]

Yuuna. [Gardevoir barely spares the other woman a glance, but Roselia looks up curiously and offers a cheery hello.] Rose!

You certainly seem to have your hands full. [if all those Pokemon are any indication.]

[rainsrespite]

[A nod.] Something like that.

[The Flygon at her side buzzes faintly and waves a claw at Roselia too.]

I...was just going to take two. The rest insisted on coming.

[incousinswithyou]

[Roselia is easily impressed and hops on down to see what Flygon is up to. She's never seen somemon like you before! Those wings are super pretty!!

The fact that a few rose petals escape to drift by prettily in the breeze is incidental at best.]

That speaks well of you. [re: the loyalty you inspire.]

How have they taken to the Pokeballs?

[rainsrespite]

[Yuuna sighs helplessly at the comment and looks at her Pokemon. Flygon's wings buzz when she notes Boss's discomfort, but a waved hand draws the Pokemon back to Roselia, and she bends down in greeting. HI!]

They...insisted on it. Wouldn't let me not use them. But they seem fine with it. [A beat.] They watched me make them. Nishimura taught me how, and we did it together. So they knew what to expect.

[incousinswithyou]

[huh. Who's Nishimura?]

That does change the situation, considerably. [depending] If you understand how it works... [her trust in Team Evolution is sort of in the negatives.

Roselia is full of questions! Chief among them is asking Flygon is if clouds really are as fluffy as they seem.]

[rainsrespite]

I do.

[She reaches for her belt and holds up one. While Flygon most definitely explains that they aren't, because they're just kinda wet...]

You know how the Warp Band transfers Pokemon as energy? This is just that. But it holds them in one space, without completing the transfer.

[incousinswithyou]

[Roselia seems to wilt a bit at that answer. Oh. She had thought it might taste a bit like cotton candy too.

Michiru looks a bit contemplative.] That makes sense. Old technology, modified for different ends.

[she's no engineer, however. Still, the similarities in the methodology would warrant some thought.]