Action

[all_onis_are_true]

[There's quite a setup in the park today. Crude-looking dummies are lined up, and currently several Pokemon seem to be trying to attack them. Apparently, someone is very serious about their training. Said person is currently going back and forth, monitoring progress, while a small set of gears follows him around curiously.]

Guertena, remember to keep a sharp eye. You have one Sketch, so make sure you make it count. Felidae, don't just leap at something expecting it to stay still long enough to be hit. Keep sharp, keep an eye out, and time your Charge and Spark properly. Martena, for GOD'S SAKE use something other than Harden or your opponents are going to whittle you away to nothing! Maxwell, good. Keep looking unassuming like that, then spring a Supersonic and a Sonic boom when they least expect it. Come on, everybody, we've only got so long to work on this.

[Takuro seems to be taking a breather.]

You too, Takuro. Remember, this was your idea. I'm counting on you to inspire the others, so you've got to do your best too.

[Takuro nods and renews his effort. Despite being tired, he seems... happy. Hiroshi watches all this, then mutters something quietly to the gears.]

...Spur, I really hope I'm doing this right...

[The gears nuzzle him a bit in reply. Or, well, something approximating nuzzling.]

3rd Tentacle (Video/Action)

[moemoetentacles]

[Video]

[The video flicks on to show Squid Girl standing on the shore near the ocean, with her Tympole and Basculin floating in the water behind her.  Her Bidoof, for the moment, is nowhere to be seen.  She's looking rather pale and out of sorts.]

I'm moving back to the ocean until those Team Evolution suckers leave, so if anybody needs me, that's where I'll be.  Don't tell them where I am - I don't want to live in one of their weird little balls.

[Action]

[And just like she said, Squid Girl will be spending at least the first day or two entirely in the ocean, swimming around in the shallows in Inkay form.  Swimmy the Tympole and Snack Pack the Basculin are hanging out near her, so it's probably pretty easy to find her for anyone who really wants to.

Alternatively, she can be found in her human form once in a while, as she also hasn't given up on training her Bidoof while all of this is going on.  During these times, she's wearing a Sharpedo costume and chasing it around in the water, waving her tentacles around and yelling 'raaaar I'm gonna eat you!']

ACTION

[kaidont]

[You know who's, for once, not found outside Union? This guy.

Partly because of the people camping outside. The city officials might be all chummy with them, but he almost got trampled by a rampaging Nidoking because of them, and he doesn't feel like talking to them nicely. Or handing them any piece of technology, for that matter.

He knows himself well enough to know he'll just start fights if he tries interacting with them, so he's keeping himself inside the walls for now. It's probably best after this mindless training anyway.

The other reason is currently resting against his legs. His egg finally hatched, revealing a Trapinch... which is cool and all, except it keeps kind of falling forward with the weight of its own head if it's standing on the ground... and he can't keep it burried all the time. Especially when you live in a tower.

So his baby Trapinch is slowly following after him, bumping its head against his legs whenever they stop. He would have lost his patience long ago, had his newly evolved Floette not been calming him down.

Be careful not to fall into any holes. Thankfully, they shouldn't be too deep]

~05; action | video

[tinytactician]

[Action]

[Oh look, it's everyone's favorite earnest, well-meaning, kind-to-all-living-creatures blond kiddo, just chilling in the park with his Pokemon buddies...

...including the absolutely enormous Steelix who's dozing and giving out gravelly snores. In fact, Armin and his little Pokemon friends -- including Nim the Mareep baby and the just-recently-hatched Espurr baby who insists on being held at all moments -- are sitting on top of Gertrude-the-Steelix's head. So anyone trying to approach...best tread lightly.

Armin is clearly in a mood.]

[Video]

[Not so much that he doesn't turn on his Warp Band and ask, shortly, with one of the most grim expressions he's ever worn:] Is anyone signing up for this Tournament?

[...the creepycute baby Espurr sort of ruins his brooding aura, tbh.]

Voice

[ladyofluminosity]

With everything going on, I think it goes without saying that we should be treating these new visitors with the utmost respect. The reason, however, might not be what one would immediately think of.

Yes, they come from a very different background. Their theology is very different than ours, and trust me when I say I like the idea of using Poke Balls about as much as anyone else. The machines are dangerous. A lot of us were down there, and we can attest for how much they hurt people and Pokemon alike. It seems all too convenient that they want them back and the only offer they give us is a literal display of skill.

I don't like it. I don't like it at all.

If they want their machines back, I think that they should give us something in return. Something material, something that we can use. We've been able to use the machines for good things as far as research is concerned, but it's very obvious that it's just the tip of the iceberg. What are they hiding? Why are they so tight-fisted when it comes to helping us, when it's very obvious we have something that they want?

I'll be voicing my concerns to someone who will hopefully listen in the next few days. If there are other things people want to add to the quickly growing laundry list of things that should be made apparent to the council, voice them now and I'll address them as I can.

[Filtered to friends]

I wanted to let you all know, I might be disappearing for... a while. I'm returning home, for hopefully a short amount of time, to talk to my father. He's a senior member of the council, and it's been mentioned before that they make decisions that might be viewed as... as detached. I don't know what my feelings are on Team Evolution, but I do know this: We shouldn't be giving them everything that they want. I have a feeling that that might be exactly what the council is thinking of doing, and I'm going to plead my case.

...

Wish me luck.


[Filtered to Fai, backdated to just before Team Evolution's arrival]

Fai, are you in town? I need to talk to you about something, preferably in person.

01| Video/Action

[maright]

Video:

[The image flickers on, but nothing coherent can be made out for several seconds- only blurry images and a great deal of clattering and crashing. Every now and then, it steadies and a bright blue Nidoking comes into view, roaring and pacing about, obviously agitated. Mari's voice comes in from off-screen.]

I know, I know- but you have to calm down, behaving rashly will only- ah!

[The video stops as suddenly as it started. A few minutes later, though, it turns back on. This time there's only Mari, smiling calmly enough, though it does look a little strained. The sounds of chaos have momentarily turned to some subdued growling in the background.]

My apologies, it seems I turned the video on by accident earlier. I hope I haven't disturbed anyone.

Action, for Kaido and Atsuro:

[So. There's a severely upset Nidoking in your house, that Mari is currently just barely able to stop from charging off and attacking Team Evolution single-handedly. What do?]

002 | video/action

[tagteams]

[Back out in the forest near the Forest Shrine, the video is generally showing a Pikachu and Sandshrew training together in battle. It's been going on for a few minutes with the Pikachu relying on physical attacks while the Sandshrew attacks with physical strength and strong moves like Magnitude to bring down the Pikachu enough to make it yield.

If you are still watching, what might catch your attention finally is that the Sandshrew started to glow and change form. Evolution.

The glow fades and a Sandslash stands in place of the Sandshrew. The two Pokémon ran straight for the camera, the one recording reaching out to pet the Sandslash.]

You evolved. Congrats, Kaia. You fought and grown well with Jas these past few days.

[The camera is now turned to face Quinn and some of her Pokémon. She's been resting against a tree, Kaia the Sandslash moving to sit in her lap. Valor the Rufflet is on her left shoulder and a Klefki is sitting next to him, humming and jingling her keys in a small tune. Jasper the Pikachu climbs into her lap with the Sandslash. And then there is Edan the Fletchinder on the other shoulder.

Yes, she's used to being covered in Pokémon. This is normal to her.]

Kaia isn't the most active Pokémon I bonded with, but she really did work hard to get to this point with her training. This was all on her own free will, to train with her allies and was never forced to do anything she doesn't want to do.

I'm sure most of you can agree that evolution is a thing that should not be forced. Our visitors are different and all, but I am feeling uneasy with them as much as some of you are. There is also something that bugs me about this tournament. If you are participating, I wish you good luck. I also wish for everyone to stay on their guard. Just in case.

I already gave my thoughts on... "everything" to a strong connection. They listened, but I don't know if it's enough. For now, all I can is wait and watch. I'll act according to whatever happens next.

-----

[If you are near the Forest Shrine, you might catch Quinn against the same spot against a large tree. Surrounded by her Pokémon, she is sketching a small group of Deerling eating off in a fair distance. It's a chance to catch her off guard yet her Pokémon got their eyes out for any danger or visitors. She will greet anyone who comes to see her if they are around, just don't try to interrupt the Deerling group she is sketching.]

Action/Text

[giantprince]

Team Evolution is not terribly popular in the city, and so the Council saw fit to grant them guards. Sword of the Savior guards. So you have Manfred (and several others) following them around at a discrete distance, making sure no one throws rocks at the new visitors. He doesn't look terribly happy about it, but judging by the bloodshot eyes, that may have less to do with wanting the throw a rock himself and more with being hungover.

Later that evening, after he was off duty and devested of armor in the Swords Barracks, he made a post.

[Text]

I dunno, after all the fuss on warp band channels, I thought they'd have glowing red eyes and scales. Maybe a smell of brimstone. Team Evolution looks like it's made of regular folk to me. Maybe we should cut them a little slack.

Video/Action

[eggsellence]

[Video]

In all these years I've spent here in Union, I can't help but be a little impressed with what our, err. Friends over at that evolution team are capable of. It's "different".

[He gives a sober look. The good doctor has been mulling over this for a while now... or at least, mulling over how he should present the issue... no, opportunity.]

I couldn't care less about their ideology, their theology, or whatever keeps them sleeping soundly at night. [As if Union's beliefs are any better, he thinks.] What's important is we have evidence there's a wealth of resources still left intact, just like our Old City out and beyond. We have something they don't have, but more importantly, they have something we don't! We don't have to like them. Worst comes to worst, I'm expecting at least a couple tussles. I mean, look at them, flexing their muscles at our faces. After reports of people injured, that's just asking for trouble.

Consider this a public statement from me, Dr. Ivo Robotnik. Why don't we use whatever's ahead of us as a learning experience? While we have the chance.

This is nothing less than... yes, an opportunity, I daresay. It's an opportunity for the ages!

[Action: University grounds]

"E-G622, I beg of you, do something about your butterfingers. For my sake! Unlike E-K599 or E-M081, you're the only one with hands!"

[Outside the university walls, but still within the campus fields, a rotund man is overseeing a rotund Golett lifting some heavy metal weights... only whenever he lifts them, without much issue, it promptly trips.]

"Ugh. Out of all the little clay automatons deciding it wants to follow me, it had to be the one with the balance problem. Looks like my assistant search is still on..."

[He sighs and rubs his forehead, knowing that endeavor's doomed to fail from the start. The Golett lifts itself up, still trying its darnest to lift the weights.]

"... There's no such thing as an A for effort, you know." [Robotnik crosses his arms, waiting for the Golett to stop trying.]

IV; (forward dated to Monday)

[heartstorage]

[Locked to Armin and Roxas and maybe Lea later]

[Sora had every intention of signing up for the tournament. However he had been putting it off for a day while he tried to figure out which of his Pokemon would be best for this, as well as training for himself. Sure, he had a few misgivings about this whole situation- but Sora was never one to turn down a chance for competition. It'd be a good way to see where he stood against the other trainers, right?]

[Well, before he went to sign up, he decided to swing by the psychiatric ward Medical Center to do a regular visit to Roxas. He had hours to kill before the deadline came anyway. And on the way, he ran into Armin who decided to tag along. It was...a little strange, having someone else along to visit his brother- but Armin knew Roxas! So surely that'd be okay, right? Maybe it would cheer both Roxas and Armin up.]

[And so they make it to the medical center. After signing in to the visitor form, Sora makes his way to the direction of Roxas's room.]

Roxas's probably in his room right now. It's still a few hours until the cafeteria starts serving ice cream.

[That...is pretty much the only explanation that Armin has gotten so far to what's going on here.]

01 Video--Action

[blindrockstar]

[The camera is resting against a rock on the forest at an angle since Toph threw it to the side in a hurry. It's pretty clear that the video is an accident, as Toph is too busy waving her arms around over her head to pay any attention to it, though a Tympole is aware of the video and is bouncing for the camera.

Toph, meanwhile, is the most unamused. This may be because her hair is in a poof]

Y'know, Shi, the reason I bonded with you was so you would stop taking my headband, you sorry excuse for a Murkrow! We're not going back to the city until those weirdos leave, so just come down from wherever you are and gimme back my headband!

[Said Murkrow happens to be three feet to Toph's left and not even that far out of reach, headband in her talons as she flaps. Shi would very much like to see the city like Toph promised and the headband is her hostage until Toph keeps that promise.

Thankfully, Toph manages to brush against the band with her flailing and grabs it, pulling it loose from Shi's talons and sitting down on the floor of the forest to get her hair back into submission. Shi squawks in displeasure but the Tympole, still bouncing, just chirps back at her to be nice or Lin will drench her feathers.]

I'm getting you a bell, Shi, so I can find you next time you go flying off. Get the band from wherever I threw it, will you? And where's Lin?

[Lin the Tympole heads over to Toph with a soft noise as the camera is momentarily obscured by the Murkrow's talons. It's dropped on the ground by Toph's left. The girl reaches for it, groaning when she realizes something.]

It's been on the whole time?!

[If someone wishes to see this in person, they're in a quieter part of the Verdant Forest, by a lot of rocks]

video;

[sturzflug]

[ Jean's normally spiky/fluffy haircut is even spikier today, if that's possible. The culprit? His baby mareep, which has decided to perch itself on his fluffy head. Babies are tiny, ok. And also full of static. ]

So the egg hatched the other day. You wouldn't believe what a pain it is to keep an electric-type from friggin' waking you up all the time when you've got feathers. This dumb mareep won't stop messing with my wings! But ma' likes her a lot, I guess, so we've been keeping her at home. Personally, I think she just wants free wool. (Don't let her know I said that.)

Anyway I guess I'll add my two cents in saying this tournament stuff is bullshit. But it beats getting attacked by weird machines so whatever, y'know? As long as they don't pull that shit again, who cares?

[ Pause............ ]

Oh, and I joined the Rangers, I guess. You can blame friggin' Eren and his dumb face. I know this shit ain't my journal or whatever but I've been kinda busy so I figured I owed some of you guys an update.

Still sucks that I couldn't get into the Swords, though.