019 // action: verdant forest, streets of union, divine theater (closed)

[actsmagnificent]

[ a - verdant forest ]

Easy.

[ Haruka Tenoh, as per usual, is sitting astride a mighty, majestic Pokémon. It's not a Rhyhorn, however. It's Uranus the Salamence, now sporting an impressive set of battle scars and testing wings that are sore from disuse. All winter. She'd remained grounded all winter, afraid to try flying again even after she'd healed. But now, with the spring breezes stirring hope in her breast, she dares to imagine that they can support her weight again. She dreams once more...of flight.

Honestly, Haruka is mostly here for moral support, as the Salamence's wings flap once, twice - its feet leave the ground - and slowly, beat by beat of those massive wings, Uranus climbs into the air. They clear the treetops. They speed towards the clouds.

Uranus bellows in triumph and sets out to loop around the city spires. Anyone else in midflight right now may find themselves with a joyful companion. She doesn't want to be alone for this. She wants everyone to know.

She's flying!!! ]

[ b - streets of union ]

[ At the same time this is happening, however, an Amaura collapses onto the cobblestones, even her long neck stretched along the ground. Her tongue lolls out of her mouth, and she takes a heavy breath. She'd been looking...for a good place....to watch her friend fly....but Union gets so warm!

Help...and please...don't step on her...even though she's blocking foot traffic.... ]

[ c - closed to divine defense force ]

[ A successful voyage doesn't mean Haruka's own buoyant mood lasts. Instead, she's landed with even more purpose in her step than before, and a light in her eyes. One by one, she's tracking down the people she's responsible for, and asking them a single question: ]

Are you ready?

[ Just that. Because no matter what Union votes on the current crisis of conscience, for her, the way forward is clear. The Divine Defense Force saves gods from humans, and humanity at large from gods.

War is a small price to pay to stave off the apocalypse. And let the blame for that war fall on her shoulders. She's prepared. ]

Comments

[incousinswithyou]

[huuuh. Well, he doesn't have any Ice moves, so. Allegro looks around, trying to find somebody to pawn the ice dino off onto.]

Shaa... [how is this street so conveniently abandoned? Alright, fine! Let's go home. Gotta be somebody there who can help.

Michiru's smile disappears and she takes a moment to hoist herself out of the water, sitting on the ledge with you and wringing out her hair. Dratini seems a bit put out by this turn of events.]

Do we have a plan?

[actsmagnificent]

I'm consulting with everyone. [ Which is to say, she'll take stock of how ready everyone else is to start a war, and then act accordingly. The less willing they are, the more she has to do.

But, you know best, so... ] How would you do it?

[ Home...Amara likes home. She looks up at the sky, as if she might see Uranus there, and then tries, leg by leg, to stand. She keeps glancing up, though. It would be sad if she missed the flight. ] mmmm....Mmma....

[incousinswithyou]

We'll need more information first. We don't know how they're being sedated and how we should go about reversing it.

[flipping frantically through a manual while on a time crunch won't be very useful. Though to be fair, it's unlikely that anything they do will permanently damage a god, but they really shouldn't try to make them angry right off the bat.

She casually kicks her legs, thinking out loud.] Our exit won't be quiet at all, so we have to bet on the fact that the gods won't turn against us - or at the very least, that they can be redirected to other targets.

If they find out who we are, we have to make sure Union is ready.

Oshaaaawott. [Allegro moves close, trying to prop up the dino - even if he's smaller than Amara. C'mooon. That direction!]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka frowns. Those are all good points. She shouldn't ignore caution, but - but... ] But if we leave things as they are...

[ Smash up, get in, get out. Then leave Gigas to fend for itself with the angry gods in its midst. Yet Haruka knows they've been foiled by too little information in the past. Michiru is right. But. But.

She doesn't sigh so much as force her own stiffness out of her mouth slowly. ] I'll talk to Rise.

[ A lot of that sounds like her scene. It's a lot to ask of one person, but Haruka would rather not involve people outside the Divine Defense Force. Besides, Ami has come out vehemently against this plan. (Haruka has decided not to think about what it means that the Smart Person is making a fuss.)

Amara is propped. Sort of. She's missed it, hasn't she. She's missed the flight. Her fins droop. All of her droops.

Onto Oshawott. ] Ra.

[incousinswithyou]

[here's a slight smile. And the side of her hand nudging yours.]

We won't. [leave things as they are by doing it right the first time.

Dratini, tired of being ignored, flops out of the pool and onto Michiru's lap for pets. She's not being too careful about getting water everywhere either.]

O-osha...! [oh no. T-this is heavy. Allegro pushes up, standing on his tippy toes and trembling from head to foot. H-he can do this! Maybe!!!]

Sh -

[nope. He slips and falls towards the pavement!]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Hello hand. Haruka turns her own palm over to welcome those fingers. ] You -

[ She's wide open for splashings. And thus, splashings happen. Haruka blinks, whatever suave comment she was about to make cut off by the fact that her bangs are now dripping water onto her nose.

Amara feels something go "squish" beneath her. She looks down and, horrified, pops right up off the pavement, sluggishness forgotten. Oh, no!! Are you all right?? ] Ma, ma! Raaaaa!!

[incousinswithyou]

[giggling, Michiru uses one hand to bestow Dratini with scritches and the other to brush those bangs to the side.] Yes?

Osh... [Allegro is still lying facedown on the ground - and looks a bit flatter than usual.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka smiles as Michiru's fingers brush her hair (and her forehead? Who knows). ] Nothing.

[ It's something you already know.

Meanwhile, Amara feels so bad. So very bad. She is also beginning to feel hot again, but she did this. So she has to make it better.

Her head lowers so she can sniff Allegro. If nothing happens, she'll start trying to work her nose underneath him and peel him off the street. Maybe she can get him up onto her back. ] Aama.

[incousinswithyou]

[palm of her hand against your cheek. Her only response is a smile - and she doesn't look at all apologetic for dripping on you.

The prodding gets Allegro to twitch, wiggling enough to roll over and whoa! He's off the ground!]

[actsmagnificent]

[ You can drip on her all you want, Michiru. Haruka rests her forehead against your own drippy bangs, in fact. ] The children are lonely.

[ They're also present. Or well, one is. Which is one more than Haruka would like for all the things she's imagining right now.

Allegro is off the ground! He is either on Amara's head or her back, depending how much progress she has made! She will shift to try and keep him from falling off, eyes rolled up in an attempt to see where he is. This is hard. ] Maaaara!

[incousinswithyou]

[a murmur] Are they?

[Michiru shifts, about to steal a kiss when a Dratini forehead joins their huddle.] Draaa...! [somebody's feeling left out.]

[Allegro finds himself on Amara's head and then leans over so he can look at the ice dino in the eye. Oh hey, you got better!] Osha, oshawott!

[actsmagnificent]

[ ...And now her pants are definitely wet. Laughing half to herself, Haruka reaches up to pat the baby. ] What were we learning today?

[ Further inspection will reveal that Amara is hardly all better - she is pushing herself for Allegro's sake, and her breathing is labored. Where were we...going again? Before her knees give out...? ] Rrrrra?

[incousinswithyou]

[Michiru almost sighs and leans back on her hands, though that smile is fondly exasperated. Dratini, meanwhile, squeaks happily and nuzzles that hand.]

Twister. I had Melody show it to her a few times and she's slowly getting it. [or rather, she's more interested in playing, but Michiru isn't above making a game out of training.

Nonethelss, Allegro seems satisfied that Amara is all better now! He points in the direction of the theater.] Osh.

[...at least he sort of counts as a hat. ]

[actsmagnificent]

She has a good support system. [ Haruka seems not to realize just how absurd that sounds coming from the person who usually lets her Pokémon raise themselves. Does baby like ear scritches? ]

Mmmm. Mmmma. [ Amara will try! She does like giving other Pokémon rides, but having a hat on...makes the heat worse...

Still, here is one foot being placed in front of the others. And then another. And then another.

Super Beauty, this ride ain't. Her head begins to droop. ]

[incousinswithyou]

[from that smile, Michiru doesn't seem keen on bringing it up either] Nonetheless, she'd be nosing around in the theater if she could get there.

[just wait till Dragonaire learns it can fly. Right now though, Dratini finally stops wiggling and stays stock still, eyes closing in enjoyment.]

O-osha... [whoa, his perch is tilt forwards! He tries to hold on tight, but too little too late. Allegro falls forward, reintroducing his face to the pavement. O-ow...]

[actsmagnificent]

One step at a time. [ Scritches continue, then wrap up as something occurs to Haruka. ] Will you show me?

[ She wants to see this impressive move (and maybe get a small child out from between herself and Michiru)! Do your best!

Amara blinks down at Allegro in confusion. This is not going well.

She presents her side to him and then wiggles what little tail she has. Climb up from here, maybe, and hold onto her neck? ] Mau.

[incousinswithyou]

[Dratini opens her eyes, looking from Haruka back to Trainer. Michiru smiles and nods.]

How about the same target as last time?

Dra! [there's a bit of a determined glint in the baby's eyes as she slithers back into the pool with a splash.

Allegro peels himself off the road, rubbing his cheek.] Wott. [and, well. He's not going to turn down that offer. (Maybe it'll be safer this time). He deftly hops on up, having apparently forgotten that Amara isn't doing too well either.]

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka dips her dangling foot into the pool as she moves closer to Michiru to watch this. She doesn't want to miss a moment of baby's amazing new prowess. Or something.

Amara staggers when she's got Allegro's weight on her back, but knowing he is counting on her makes her that much more determined to make it to the Theater! Up her head goes. She takes a deep breath. She tries to ignore the way that stuck her tongue to the roof of her mouth.

And she sets off again. ] Ama...ra.

[ Hopefully this is the right direction because, frankly, she has no idea. ]

[incousinswithyou]

[here's a smile, as she folds her hand over yours.

Baby, meanwhile, swims over to a painted target suspended from the ceiling. She's only maybe 10 or 15 feet away from the target when she stops, concentrating deeply. She then spins her tail (and ends up spinning the rest of herself), forming a tiny Twister that squarely hits the target.

Michiru grins.

Oh hey, Allegro can get used to this. Getting carried around so his little otter feet won't get tired. And wait. You're supposed to make a left here!] Osha!

[actsmagnificent]

[ That's....

...well, it was unexpected. Haruka whistles before squeezing Michiru's hand, then letting to in order to clap. ] Not bad. You'll give the teacher a run for her money in no time.

[ Nothing against Melody, mind you. Encouraging the child.

It takes Amara a moment to remember what "left" means. Left is...is it this way? She yawns, the heat making her sleepy. But still one foot goes in front of the other. ] Ama. Amaaaaura.

....ma?

[ There is a cool breeze wafting from the street to the right. And someone calling out about fresh ice cream, made with help from real Vanillish.

Whatever that means. ]

[incousinswithyou]

Good job. Once more, now. [emboldened, Dratini tries again, this time with more twirling! The Twister's a little bigger this time, but it also manages to miss the target by a good foot.]

Ah. It's alright, try again.

[Allegro perks up a little at that. Hey, hey. Do you think they can beg for some ice cream?]

[actsmagnificent]

Deep breaths. [ Or maybe that only helps The Wind. Who knows. Either way, Haruka knows better than to berate someone this young. She saves that for adolescents and above. With interest.

Amara tilts her head, trying to think with a slowly baking head. Ice...cream? What is that? The air is cooler this way... ] Amauuuuura.

[incousinswithyou]

[Dratini smacks the surface of the water with her tail in frustration and then faces the target again, taking a deep breath. Seeing that training is resuming, Melody slides smoothly out of the water to take over the tutelage of the young 'un. Bass is off to the side, watching curiously.

Michiru seems content to let her Pokemon take over.] They're good for each other.

[Melody hasn't gotten to babysit since Hotaru.]

Osha! Oshawott. [ice cream is sooooo good. It's like snow, but it tastes better!!]

[actsmagnificent]

Their human doesn't hurt. [ This is a thank you, she supposes. For helping her calm down about what they need to do. It's all right. Michiru has Haruka's back, so Haruka can move forward as she sees fit.

Everyone trained by Michiru is so spoiled.

Amara is trying to listen to this explanation, but she gets stuck on the word "snow." There's snow? Down the path to the right?

She looks left for a moment, thinking, since home is that way. Then she turns and plods right, willing more energy into each step. Snow! She's going to find the snow. ] Ammmma.

[incousinswithyou]

Oh? Was that a compliment? [here's a smile. She should be thinking about this upcoming fight (war?), but well. It's alright when it's you. There's time enough to get her Pokemon ready by the time they get a plan together.]

Osha, osha. [oh, so we are going this way. Okay, just make sure you put on your best begging face.]