Tenth Dream: In Review [Action/Video]

[rainsrespite]

Video:

[Today's broadcast blinks on to show Yuuna out at the gate, standing there in a different outfit than usual. No Ranger's jacket, but a beat up looking traveler's outfit of good, sturdy make. She's got an oddly reflective look about her.]

Anyone ever stopped to think about how life was before all the recent upheaval? I don't mean all the fighting and the strange things the gods have been throwing at us, though. I mean before Union really opened up to the outside. Back when we thought that we were the only humans left alive. So much has changed, and hell...it's like the world we grew up in changed overnight.

[Beside her, something shimmers, and a near exact copy of Yuuna seemingly flows into view. It's eyes are just a bit off though, lighter than hers, and it waggles a finger.]

I don't mean all the new Pokemon we've discovered, or the new people we've encountered. But that's definitely a big shift if this guy is any indication. I mean, it's been a whole year as of today since I left Union for the first time...and I was one of the later trainers to really go out on my own.

[She huffs a laugh at the Ditto-Yuuna and shakes her head.]

I never thought I'd fight a god, or in a war. I definitely never thought I'd spend a week in the body of a man, or that I'd find a whole new species of Pokemon that die if they stop bouncing. And heh...I'm not even going to start trying to describe meeting the Savior. But it's been a hell of a year.

[The Ditto makes a face, wiggling it's tongue.]

Anyway. I've been uselessly nostalgic long enough. But indulge me, folks. What are some things you thought you'd do that got turned on their heads this last year?


Action, Verdant Forest

[And just like she'd done a year ago, Yuuna takes a trip through the Verdant Forest, walking down those old familiar paths. This time, though, she's got a trio of very different Pokemon. A Magnezone, Politoed, and Hitmonchan. They'd evolved, all three of her oldest friends, and the wilds all around them didn't seem quite so mysterious anymore. She's got an arm hooked around the Hitmonchan's shoulders, walking casually, the two of them pointing to various things and sharing a quiet joke here and there.

If they happen to meet someone, they'll get a friendly wave.]

Heya, out for a walk too? Care for company?

Action, The Coastal Ruins (For Merrill)

[Yuuna'd decided to go down that way with Merrill later on, a little bit of an outing to give the place another once over, see if there was much of interest there. She had some of her stronger types on the warp band, but the only one she had out? Was the newbie. A little Zorua who'd yet to prove herself, simply named Shinko, trotted along ahead of the two explorers, snuffling the ground while they talk quietly.]

Comments

[untalented]

They-- they sure are friendly!

[His eyes were wide and cheeks were reddened in embarrassment as he was effectively pinned to the ground by the affectionate Politoed. Awkwardly patting Uzu's head, he wondered if Atlas would ever get big enough to do the same thing...]

What's special about today? [He asked after a moment, not even daring to try to pry himself out from underneath Uzu. There were some things that just weren't worth fighting over, and a giant frog hug was one of them.]

[rainsrespite]

Because they like you, dude.

[Have some toed cuddles. He's really just an affectionate frog, and he's spoiled too. But in a way that Yuuna at least finds endearing.]

Today? It's...our anniversary, in a way. We left Union for the first time today, one year ago. Makes me feel all nostalgic.

[untalented]

[It's impossible to resist the 'toed cuddles, and cuddling a giant frog isn't the weirdest thing he's done so far. The danceur of a Foongus he had on his team liked to do his fair share of cuddling too.

Waver keeps gently petting the Politoed on his smooth, soft skin while he looks up at Yuuna with a renewed calm.]

Really? And, according to the refrences in the Library, Union was still quite isolationist not long before that. Sanctuary's always maintained ties with the outside, even when Gigas had our city under lock down; this all must be an entirely new experience for everyone in town.

[A thoughtful look crossed his face.]

And, considering that and everything you've had to learn in such a short period, the influence Union has is nothing short of impressive. It makes you what the world will even look like in another ten years.

[rainsrespite]

[And the little Politoed doesn't seem to mind, and he's good about not licking people anymore. he just kinda nuzzles happily, gurgling in enjoyment.]

Well, meeting Caldera was the first experience. That was a shock. And then Citadel and Refuge, and now Sanctuary. I can say...unfortunately, that Sanctuary is a big change from the last three. Even just our first meeting.

[But she seems to perk up at the mention of that. And she even has a theory.]

And you know it's probably due to the isolation. We didn't have conflict, and we had quite a lot of resources stored away. The tunnels and the Old City have a lot to them, y'know? And, then it could also be divine providence.

[untalented]

If Sanctuary is different, then other cities none of us have met yet are liable to be different still. People and pokemon adapt to their individual situations in peculiar ways...

[Perhaps there were even other civilizations who, like Union believed themselves to be alone in the world. It was such a terrifying, lonely thought.]

Hm. The Gods have taken to the people from Union in strange ways. The information in the library is very up to date in that regard. It's enough to make anyone wonder about why they've picked this place, and why they're choosing to act now.

[rainsrespite]

You've been digging on them, huh?

[Yuuna smiles somewhat vaguely, pulling out her Warp Band.]

Do you want to see the first one I ever ran into?

[untalented]

I've been studying everything; there's four decades of contemporary history that Sanctuary needs to catch up on, and five centuries worth of data on another culture to learn.

[He looks a little sheepish, but sincere in his sentiment-- and he tries to pry himself out of the Politoed's grip at Yuuna's offer.]

You have footage of it? Actual video footage?

[The concept of 'video' was still so new, and so novel!]

[rainsrespite]

Hah. Yes? I do. I don't have much, because it was trying to kill me at the time.

[Uzu flops free and bounces over to his trainer, hopping up to her shoulder.]

We don't know what it was called, but it attacked Citadel around this time last year. Not...too long after I started anyway.

[untalented]

[He scrambled over, drawn by his own curiosity about the whole incident.]

Why were you taking pictures if it was trying to kill you? [He asked, pointing out her own foolishness in lieu of admitting that he was impressed that she had maintained the strength and courage to do that amidst such dangerous circumstances. He still couldn't set foot in the Academy, even when deserted for the night, without feeling the impulse to flee.]

[rainsrespite]

[She starts going through looking for footage...]

I was there to fight it, actually. Because if I didn't it was going to burn Citadel to the ground. My team and I, and a couple of friends? Got in the way, and fought back. We had a rough time of it, but before we engaged I thought taking some pictures and footage of it would be useful for further study.

Y'know, if we made it out.

[untalented]

[Waver watched, eyes wide as he studied the fiersome beast that was beyond anything even the most arcane books in the Academy's libraries could contain.]

...It's good you did make it out, alive. For more than just this-- you're a good person too.

[And far wiser, and braver, than he ever was.]

[rainsrespite]

You think so?

[That was an odd statement, especially coming from Waver. It didn't seem like he was the sort to compliment others easily.]

[untalented]

[He wasn't, but he's too cynical for his own good. Yuuna, and Union as a whole, were experiences that were entirely new for him.]

There's no 'thinking' about it, [He replied in complete seriousness.] You figured out who I was and where I was from not long after Union freed Sanctuary, and you didn't make any judgements. People aren't that open minded back home. It's...different.

[And actually kind of nice.]

[rainsrespite]

Well...

[The optimist in her blinks.]

Why would I not be? I don't know you, I only know Sanctuary by reputation and a conflict. The only thing that's civilized to do is to give you a chance. Anything less is an slight to your character and my manners.

[untalented]

That's right-- Union as a society revolves more around what a person is capable of doing, and cooperation with eachother is what is the most valued here, right?

[Waver's been doing his research, Yuuna. It's why he sounds so confident in his assessment.]

The same can't really be said for Sanctuary. Connection and Power are so intertwined that you can't find the place where one ends and the other begins. If you're lacking in one or the other, you can't expect to go far or be treated as an equal by those who hold both in their hands.

[rainsrespite]

Yes, that's very true. Because for five centuries we thought we were alone, you know.

[Folding her arms, she listens intently to that commentary and files it away.]

I understand that library cards are a treasure. Is that really true?

[untalented]

[He nodded, for both counts. Union's history had been a large part of his recent research, as were the legends of the Savior and how she saved her people. Spending five hundred years believing themselves to be the last humans left in the world was definitely a large cause for much of Union's liberal ideas regarding crime and punishment...and why they were so hopelessly eager to help everyone.]

It is. If you don't know the right people or you lack the coin to attend the academies, then there aren't many opportunities available. Knowledge is the greatest of our treasures, and the Magi aren't likely to share it with those they've deemed 'unworthy.'

[rainsrespite]

[It was, as far as Yuuna knew, the way things had always been. And she was still in that mindset, too. That life was precious, and life needed preservation. It'd be a long time before that attitude shifted...]

That's really a shame. And it must make Union seem like a wonderland to you.

[untalented]

[That was an odd comment-- Waver wasn't entirely certain how to respond. The freedom of access was an unprecedented priviledge for him. No questions were asked of him when he requested a library card, no judgements were made, and no one complained when he stayed in there for hours on end literally devouring every tome he laid his hands on.]

It's a state of affairs that I've been hoping for, that's for sure.

....It'll never take hold. The Magi are too concerned about their own studies to bother changing their policies now. Union feels like the right place to be.

[rainsrespite]

[She smiles somewhat vaguely, waving a hand in the general direction of the city.]

Union is the right place to be. It might seem a bit ethnocentric of me, but we've been the ones chosen by the gods on more than one instance. We had the resources other civilzations lack, we've a more egalitarian society than any we've encounter so far, and quite frankly? Our towers are bigger than yours.

[untalented]

Sanctuary's libraries are still denser.

[He sighed, though, not wanting to really get into a petty argument over who's towers were really bigger.]

But I'm not going back anytime soon. The libraries here are still more open.

[And no one seemed to care, or at least make any comment over, his habit of literaly staying there into the deep hours of the night, furiously hand copying everything he read so that he could add it to his own meager references.]

[rainsrespite]

Probably.

[She waves a hand dismissively.]

You're getting enough sleep here, right?

[untalented]

Why wouldn't I be?

[The question was asked in complete innocence. His 'grandparents' made sure that he was well taken care of...that is, when he actually made it back to their home to sleep in a bed.]

[rainsrespite]

Staying up all night...

[untalented]

....Who told you?

[There was no point in denying it anyway. He was sure that anyone who frequented the libraries knew his habits very well by now. Atlas could only do so much in getting him to march out of the place.]