bravenewworld | Arrival in Gigas

Arrival in Gigas

The City of Gigas is unlike anything the people of Union have ever seen before. The city is immense, a sprawling metropolis that covers the land as far as the eye can see. Built up primarily around enormous centralized towers, unlike Union these towers are dark concrete buildings, covered in glass windows. The buildings seem to serve any number of functions, and have a startling variety in construction, style, and even size, creating a unique skyline that is breathtaking to behold. The city is connected with roads of asphalt, upon which whiz smoke-belching steel carriages at frightful speeds, the engines (and piercing, constant horns) creating an ever-present din that engulfs the city in loud, chaotic sound.

“Downtown,” as the Gigans know it, is a huge collection of stores, apartments, and businesses. Apparently, the larger homes are built in Calderan-style but tend to be further from the main commotion of the downtown areas, of which Gigas citizens assure Union citizens that there are several, each with their own district name and culture. The technology is quite advanced as well, full color televisions are standard in every home and built in devices so slim and with such sharp images that they seem decades ahead of Union’s own technology. Pokemon are still quite present in Gigas, many people riding flying types and the buildings having huge perches to accommodate them. As with the vehicles below, however, Gigas seems to regulate air traffic to individual lanes and the birds seem well-trained as they convey their trainers to and fro.

Humans are just that, here, Human. No unusual shapes and sizes like the Enlightened and Earthkin of the Union Alliance, and those displaying unusual traits receive odd looks. Like many civilizations to the east, Battling is a common sport though in this place it’s more like the combat arenas of old. Several stadiums dot the cityscape, the sounds of Pokemon Battles and cheering crowds echoing for blocks all around, and it’s a stadium where humans are not welcome. Unless, of course, they want to make a show and spar against a Pokemon, of course.

This is Gigas, the City of Reclamation. Union civilians have free rein to explore this grand city as councillors are invited into the massive capitol building to negotiate with the Gigan leaders. Gigas civilians, for their part, are polite, friendly even. While many of them are caught in the bustle of their daily lives they regard Union citizens with interest and curiosity, willing to talk about their city, extolling its virtues while complaining about the noise, the crowds, the lines, and the expense all the while. One thing is clear though, the people of Gigas are proud of their city and their accomplishments. This is their home, and they are eager to show it off to the world.

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The trip to Gigas was relatively uneventful, as far as Gwendolyn was concerned. While there was certainly undercurrents of concern and legitimate wariness within the group, the welcome at the doorstep to this strange city had been as warm as the local weather: extremely.

While hers was not a direct voice or vote in the Union Alliance council, Gwendolyn had been asked to sit in attendance as a representative of Citadel, a charge she did not take lightly. That means she may turn down offers to explore the city if she's required at one of the meetings, and anyone looking for her will most likely catch her at the hotel looking stiff and formal in her best armor -- one wanted to make an impression, after all. Her swablu and fletchling stay close, small enough to perch on her and stay in her room without requiring too much additional consideration; Gladr the Rapidash plays at being 'merely' a mount (albeit a very swift one), and she'd received ample reassurance that he'd be well taken care of while she stayed at the hotel assigned to the dignitaries.

She does take at least one day out and about, however, trying not to ask questions like 'how can anyone sleep with so much noise' and 'don't you miss having trees?', and admiring the flight paths set around the city.

Sinbad kept himself away from the delegations for various reasons, though he takes his time to explore the city properly, and schmooze with potential business partners... if everything goes well with the meeting.

"Ah! Gwendolyn!" He calls out in greeting as he spotted the young woman, quickly running over. The young man was dressed quite different, jacket and vest, with an ankle-length sarong that covered most of his tail. "How have you been doing?"

They've finished early for the day, which feels a bit like a miracle, and Gwendolyn is mopping her brow as she steps out into the sun when she hears a familiar voice call her name.

"Sinbad!" There's a small smile, followed by the cheery chirping of the Fletchling on her shoulder; Firesong hops up and down excitedly to see a familiar friendly face, and only takes flight towards him when he gets a nod of permission from the Valkyrie. "So far, things seem to be going well," is the reply as Gwendolyn follows behind. "Though this heat bakes things so thoroughly. That they can keep rooms as cool as they do is a marvel."

He laughs softly as he lifts an arm to let Firesong land if the Fletchling cares to, as Focalor squawks on Sinbad's shoulder in greeting.

Hey there - have you tried the food here? It's delicious! You should try it.

"And if you keep doing that, you'll get too fat to fly." Sinbad snorts at his pokemon. "The technology really is amazing, I think I understand how they're able to produce things like those Pokeballs now, so guess it's both good and bad."

Firesong does care to, shamelessly flicking his tail and twittering at Sinbad and Focalor in happy musical tones once he lands. He's still a tiny bird, but there's strength in those small wings and brightness in his eyes.

They provided a little bit, but I did not get much. He has to be quiet during the meetings, out of respect for how serious things are, but he can be himself out here! We're going to lunch soon, though!

An eyebrow arches at Sinbad's reply to Focalor, but her expression is more relaxed. "It is truly something else. They take great consideration of both form and function. And such training..!" Her hand gestures upwards, towards the skyways. Outside of formation flying as a Valkyrie, Gwendolyn for one has never seen the like before.

Edited (html fail. orz) 2016-04-06 00:16 (UTC)

He gestures with his free hand at the Rufflet. "He's a glutton." Sinbad explained.

Well you could stand to eat a little more, scrawny. The flying pokemon retorted.

"If I could negotiate a trade agreement here, that would really work out quite nicely for both Union and my Business."

"That sounds like my rufflet friend, Volstagg. He loves Miltank burgers." There's a disagreeable noise from the red bird on her shoulder, he doesn't understand the appeal of meat. But Volstagg was nice enough in spite of that.

"Trade is certainly something they want, whether they'll admit it or not out loud. Have you an eye on something in particular that might appeal to them?"

He chuckles at the pokemon's retort. "Nor would most of Union, given their lacto-ova or pure vegetarian diet." The young man added. "As for Trade, I think given the level of tech that their top priority would be raw material goods for manufacturing, and I found a way to get people to talk is to present food, so presenting them with something common to us but exotic to them would be a good starting point."

"They are more open than I was led to believe." Though the Calderans had over a year to work on them before Gwendolyn arrived, so there's that at least. Nonetheless, he does have a point, and there's a glance around them before Gwendolyn steps a little closer, motioning for Sinbad to keep walking with her. Her voice lowers a bit; she's not sell state secrets, but they'd hardly want fellow rival merchants listening in!

"If not Gigas, then I certainly recommend looking towards Crescent as well."

Magnolia liked to keep himself in practice; even traveling to a new place, that was no exception. This very human city full of clanking metal and noise is rather new to him, but he can't say he'll be sorry to see it go. So he's been wandering here and there; it's inevitable he'd wander to the hotel eventually.

"Aren't you bored, sitting around in here? I would be." He knows Gwendolyn in passing, but to see her in presumably full splendour is something else. He has no interest in the trappings of the Valkyries, but she does look rather stiff.

His Murkrow swivels from their position to caw in agreement with his master. Are you not bored?

A blink, before Gwendolyn's head turns as her attention returns to Here and Now, rather than some distant point. "Oh! Hello." She'd been waiting so long, she'd started daydreaming - stupid! To be caught so unaware. Her lips purse a moment, before her shoulders shrug.

"Tis not for me to complain about so serious a task as these talks," but in spite of her neutral expression, her eyes make it clear it's not been a duty that holds her interests well.

The Swablu peeps sleepily from where it's still perched on her shoulder. Out of the cloudy wing fluff, the red head of a Fletchling appears uttering a similar sleepy twitter. It's interesting to people watch, But it's also good time for naps.

"Complaining is good for you, though," he says, with amusement, noting her expression. "Clears the air a little. It doesn't do to keep everything so bottled within."

He seats himself, comfortably settling into a nearby chair (though the chair itself is admittedly not very comfortable at all, he makes himself at home regardless).

"At least move once in a while. I doubt they were expecting a statue."

There's a lot more people than I'm used to. Almond shuffles, shifting weight from claw to claw. He doesn't like it very much.

"Maybe so. But there is an appropriate time and place for that." Meaning, not right now, in public anyway.

She looks amused at the mention of statues. "I think they were expecting something far fiercer. Or perhaps more barbaric." Which Valkyrie can certainly be. But Gwendolyn wasn't here to satisfy expectations of the locals, merely those of her sister and of Citadel.

Is it really so bad? The Fletchling hops out of its cotton-wing pillow, taking over speaking duties; Muninn seems to sink back into sleep, but rest assured, he is listening! The people here certainly seem very...human, compared to our people, and our People. By which he means regular Unionites and Enlightened respectively (of which his trainer is one of the latter).

"Ah, perhaps you could strike a pose. Something fearsome, perhaps," he says lazily. "I suppose that might impress them. Or make them feel better about themselves. Such is life.

But I suppose that's below your dignity. Do they have anything interesting to say here, or do they just talk your ear off until you sleep?"

It's crowded, the Murkrow says, after a moment. It's very narrow here. There isn't much room to breathe. I can't say a lot about the people. I didn't watch them. He doesn't concern himself with the business of humans, overmuch. Only if they engage with his charge.

"I hardly think they need us to make them feel better about themselves," she replies, albeit under her breath, before she stretches out her legs for the first time in quite a while. Her bird pokémon adjust accordingly, well used to such movements. "There is of course a great deal of talking. There are very important people on both sides, and all must of course be heard."

And once the loud voices had fallen silent, then the real conversations could begin. Gwendolyn hoped that would be soon, though the Calderans and Sanctuary representatives hadn't been helping on that front. (As was their right, really, but it made her no less annoyed at sitting through the same spiel several times.)

"Have you seen much of the city yet?" Asked of Magnolia, unaware of the specifics in the conversation between birds. The birds here do not seem to fly in very natural formations. I suppose they don't really have the room we are used to. Still, there are an awful lot of people but it seems a big enough city to accommodate. Any trees?

"Hah, of course. But do they have any opinions worth hearing? I do wonder." Magnolia's smile is teasing, but his voice is low. "But you don't seem like the type to gossip, so I won't pester you with questions.

Me? I've been around. There's a sad lack of trees in this place, I have to say. All metal and smog."

They fly in very orderly ways. Do they order the patterns of the birds around this city, too? Almond shifts, nervously. I don't like it very much...

I suppose they do. There's a worried tweet, before feathers are ruffled. I am glad they do not do that back at our nest. By which he means Union, of course.

"There will always be gossip. But I am not the best at offering it, or receiving in turn." She is sometimes a little too earnest, a little too forthright. But she appears to receive the teasing with good grace, at least. "It is strange that they use so much metal. The area around here does not appear to have much in the way of mining. I suppose their technology helps keep things cool."

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Arrival in Gigas

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