bravenewworld | Departure

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?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ What, don't you trust their stealth? Neither does she. But the night's catching up to Haruka, too, so rather than sass, she stirs the pot. Ready for the seasonings when you are. ] We're making good time.

[ Flight does not seem to understand at first what the towel is for, but after phasing a piece of Berry through its cell wall into its mouth, it transfers its dinner to just one giant psychic hand and accepts the towel with the other. It's supposed to place this on its head...?

The towel levitates, floating over Flight's head and staying there. Apparently the cell doesn't quite understand this concept just yet. ]

It has been uneventful, I'll give them that. [not that she minds. Better uneventful than filled with problems. And here you go, Michiru's handing over the small packets.]

[huh. That's pretty cool. Buuut...] Rose! [Lulu picks up a (dry) towel and then wears it like a hat. Tada! Like this!]

Forty years of security works in our favor. [ Thank you muchly, Michiru. Haruka adds the ingredients and stirs the pot: this kind of cooking, she can do. ] If only we were as prepared as the enemy's unprepared.

[ Oh, making contact. Flight understands now, so the towel descends. A shiver runs along his cell wall, sending the whole thing shaking like gelatin. That's cold! It even startles a laugh out of the Pokémon.

Haruka pauses. She won't give this event more than that, but....that laugh was noticed. ]

I'd suggest a more militarized structure, but... [Michiru has difficulty acknowledging superior officers as it is.

Lulu giggles happily, hands the towel over to her Trainer, gets it back damp, places it on her head, and plops down next to Flight. Yeah! Now they match!]

[ Yeah, Haruka's smirking under her breath at that. ] Don't even joke about it.

[ She doesn't honestly mind, but still, she.....would rather not imagine that. Union does foster quite a few independent spirits, which is nice except when you need them all to unite for a common goal but still be sensible. Attempts to impose discipline would only end in a lot of speeches.

She's been trying to keep an open mind about that stuff, though, so she'll say no more and keep stirring their dinner. Not much longer here.

Flight observes that they do, indeed, both now have towels on their heads. He eats another piece of his dinner, then notices Lulu does not have anything she's currently eating. So he offers her one of his dried Berries.

They're supposed to match, right? Here you go. ]

[Michiru just chuckles and continues digging in the bag for pre-rationed packages of trail mix consisting of dry Pokemon food and dried berries.]

Not a fan of discipline?

[Lulu's eyes get wide at the offer! You sure? That's so nice!] Rooselia! [and she'll carefully pick it up and nom on it with relish.

Waltz nibbles at her dinner and wonders if she should tell Lulu about hers.]

Not necessarily. [ Yes, this face is saying what you think it's saying. These openings are rare; she takes them when she can.

Flight watches Lulu eat. Sustenance appears to make this other Pokémon happy. That is a sensible thing, it supposes. Food is necessary to maintain one's health.

So, although this is just as rare as it laughing, it speaks up. Are you that interested in living a wholesome life? ] Reeee?

I suppose you're not one to shy away from such things. [that was as much a question (challenge?) as it was a statement.

Lulu seems a bit confused.] Rose? [like the way Breeze digs a lot?]

[ Was it now. Haruka flicks her eyes around the campground, indicating how far their wagon is from everyone else's. This is probably as private as someone can get on this expedition. ] I'll do what I want.

[ The pasta begins rising to the surface of the pot. Must be getting hot over here.

Flight eats another piece of Berry and considers this. It had not been aware the holes were for scavenging. Its colleague is more versatile than it'd thought.

So it nods. Let's go with that. ]

That - [insert smirk here] - is the opposite of discipline.

[Waltz finally dangles Lulu's dinner in front of her. Whoa, food!!] Selia! [oh wait. Here, Flight! Have some!

Oh yeah.] Rose rose. [she doesn't do that much digging, but it's nice to dig her feet into the ground and just relax!]

[ Haruka laughs, stirs the pot, and sets about dividing the contents into servings. This one's for Michiru.... ] Eat your dinner.

[ More food. Flight makes a mental note that should it ever require special sustenance, an unlimited bounty appears available from the other Trainer and her Pokémon. It noms the rest of its handful in order to accept this new one.

While it does so, it thinks over its companion's answer. She is a Grass-type. Perhaps the dirt provides nutrients unavailable to Psychic-types. Though....

...what is "relax"? ]

[Michiru just chuckles at that and obediently takes a bite of her dinner.] Bossy.

Selia? Rose. [Relax? You know, it's when you're basking in the sun and then you almost fall asleep and it's all nice and warm!]

[ Saying anything more at this juncture would be dangerous, so Haruka blows on her own dinner and eats. Her eyes seek Michiru's, and she smiles. This is a nicer warmth than the desert's.

Flight is also contemplating warmth. It's trying to recall whether it's ever experienced what Lulu is describing....and coming up blank. If it almost falls asleep in the sun....then it is not doing a good job as a guard, in their current circumstance. That would be bad. But relaxing is good? Is it something that can be taught? ] Reee....

[her gaze holds yours, looking impossibly fond - and then she's deliberately turning back to her meal. Cute.]

Rose rose. Selia! [yeah, she'll totally teach Flight! Maybe later, when they're not doing Important Mission Things, but that's a promise!]

[ You too, Michiru. You too. But right now is for eating, so Haruka eats.

Flight bobs its head - Important Mission Things do take priority - and finishes its food. It should probably alert Breeze that food is available, so it rises slightly into the air. Then it remembers it's wearing a towel and psychically picks the item up off its head.

While the towel is still floating above both Pokémon, Flight folds it telekinetically and then lets the towel hover near Lulu for when she's finished eating. Thank you for letting Flight borrow that. It was an interesting experience. ]

Departure

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