Brave New World

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.

The warriors of Union fought hard, and in the end, victory was their reward. Seeing the battle lost, the fanatics of the Elite Four fled into the night, those that were not killed or captured of course. Sveta was nowhere to be seen, nor was her mysterious companion, and as its rage was reaching its peak, the mighty Dragon simply vanished in a blaze of energy, recalled by its trainer but not before slamming the mysterious red dragon into another tower for good measure.

As quickly as they had come, the gods of Union vanished, leaving behind the ruined, devastated city. What was once panic has subsided to a quiet shock and horror as the dead and wounded are gathered and people try to find out what was damaged and if their family and friends are still among the living.

While the damage is great, the defenders of Union can take heart in the fact that it could have been much, much worse. The habitat suffered a major blow with a great hole blasted into it, but it is otherwise undamaged and salvageable. The forge likewise had one smithy station destroyed from a divine claw smite, but is otherwise unscathed. The signal tower took moderate damage from the initial attack, but it is reparable, given time. The biggest toll, however, is on that of the people. The Residential District, as well as parts of the Entertainment district lie in tatters. Several towers are gutted, and a few even fell completely, many of the citizens inside them trapped and unable to escape. In all, the death toll numbers around 700, with at least 1,000 wounded, and is expected to rise as rescuers desperately comb the wreckage in search of survivors. Never before has Union lost so many of its citizens, never before has such suffering and violence come to Union. People are afraid, they are angry, but, in the true spirit of Union, they are banding together. The City of Union has survived. But it will never be the same.

An unsettling calm hung over the streets of Union, a chilly, early morning fog settling in. The words of their newest visitors were unwelcome, and when word spread that the two would be leaving at sunrise, the people were grateful, if not a bit apprehensive. The Elite Four, their Champion, and the whole of Ever Grande—their radical ideologies were not only off-putting, but their methodology was more than a bit off-putting. They would need to be watched, closely.

In the early hours of the morning, warp bands around Union buzzed with life, a gentle light spilling from the devices. “Hello again, friends.”

It was her.

Her voice rang clear, and while her face wasn’t present, one could hear the smile in her voice. “I hope I didn’t wake any of you up. I wanted to thank you all for being so hospitable to Alina and myself, at least initially. But talk about the Union chill. Normally I like a little cold, but this is a bit much.

“When we first heard about Union, we were excited. Finally, we had found a worthy ally for our cause. So you can imagine our... disappointment, when we saw your true colors. You’re nothing but cowards! And here I thought, a city championing for peace, who were blessed by the Gods themselves, willing to live alongside pokémon without subjugating them to your will, would be able to understand the world that we wish to create. Instead, you hide behind your wall, hide behind others, and assume that by ‘defending yourself’ or those you deem unable or unfit to fight that you’ve somehow absolved yourself from guilt.”

Her voice grew cold, turning deep; “People like that make me sick.”

“Divinity is wasted on you, to be quite honest.” Her voice bounced again, chipper and clear. “If you can’t walk alongside us, then you’ll only serve as stepping stones toward a peaceful tomorrow. Union, like Glacier and so many other settlements before it, will serve as an example to those who wish to defy the will of the Gods. The pit of humanity needs to learn its place, crawling on its belly in fear from the true inheritors of the earth. We lay ourselves prostrate to their glory!

“Union believes that they’re able to decide what is right and what is just, but I disagree. I bring to you, the divine word of the Gods themselves! Listen well, people of Union, and all others! This is the world we seek to create, our perfect vision of peace! Hear me, O Great One, and come to my aid. Strike down these heretics where they stand!”

BMG: Gates to Infinity: Clash with Kyurem!

Answering Sveta’s call, a great dragon bearing the frost of the deepest winter appeared in the center of the city. With a roar of power, it’s unearthly presence sent waves of fear in the souls of even the bravest citizens of Union. Opening it’s vicious maw, it unleashed an enormous roar, a battle cry of deafening proportions, a Hyper Voice attack! While the sound was ear splitting to all who dwelt within Union, its power was focused. The great Signal Tower, a beacon of Union technology and innovation, began to crack heavily. Jagged scars appeared as chunks of stone fell unbidden from the tower. It still stood—but against such an assault, not for much longer. The force of the blast sent cracks sprawling through nearby towers as panicked shrieks began to echo throughout the city, a chorus of terror at the power of the god before them.

But in that moment, the humans were not alone. Two high-pitched cries met the titanic roar as twin dragons flew to Union’s aid, spiraling around the mighty ice dragon and attacking with twin Dragon Breath attacks. Once again, the great hounds and birds, as well as the Lady of the Moon and the Lord of Nightmares, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Entei, Raikou, Suicune, Cresselia and Darkrai stood at Union’s side, unleashing their own attacks. The people of Union felt the blessings of the gods with them. Here they would have to stand and fight—drive back the invaders and save their fair city!

[OOC: With the damage to the signal tower, Warp Band communication is offline and Pokemon cannot be summoned - thankfully the habitat is close and your Pokemon allies will come to your aid as the logs begin]