Fandom Sands of Darkness (Pokémon)

[Gold.]

Introduction
~
“Welcome back from the break, we’re continuing our coverage of the missing ship known as the S.S. Libra which vanished under mysterious circumstances only just three days ago. Rescuers are conducting an on-going search for the missing people and Pokémon lost at sea, but foul play is expected. We go now to one of the men heading up the case, Detective…” Ryker heard the sound of the TV coming down the hall first. A sigh and a roll of his eyes. Of course they were still going on about this. He entered the kitchen, unsurprised to see his grandmother seated at the kitchen table, peeling potatoes and watching the news. She’d had the TV on multiple different news stations since the incident three days ago, and she’d been pretty attentive to it since.

“Why don’t you watch something else, Nana?” he suggested as he strode past her to one of the kitchen drawers. He opened it and fumbled around the miscellaneous items inside, forgotten coins and fortune slips clinking together. She had to be getting sick of watching the same story over and over. Ah. There it was. He fished an old, grimy police's badge out of the drawer and slipped it into his pocket, satisfied.

“Are you kidding? This is the story of the year!” she exclaimed at him from her spot, giving him that look like, ‘do you have to act so young and stupid?’
“Are you going out today?” she asked him before he could reply. Out, Ryker knew, meant out of town.

“Yeah,” he responded with a slight nod. “I’m going down to Gateon to pick up that bike part for Yuri.” Yuri was an acquaintance of Ryker’s who battled at the colosseum sometimes. He lived on the other side of town, and he’d crashed his bike last week and was trying to repair it. He’d had to order the part from elsewhere, but since his bike was totaled, he couldn’t go and get it. Ryker had offered to pick it up for him.

“Good, get some papaya while you’re out,” Nana said without even looking at him. “And don’t you dare forget this time, unless you want to be disowned.”

“I won’t, Nana, I’ll get the papaya,” Ryker promised with a sigh, knowing her threat was an empty one. She always said that ever since he’d forgotten her papaya one time. “I’ll see you in a bit,” he said, then walked towards the front door. He pulled on a long duster hanging on a coat rack and grabbed a set of keys off a nearby hook. Then he opened the door and stepped out into the hot sun.

“Well hey there neighbor!” Keegan was leaning up against the rinky fence that wrapped around Ryker’s yard. Lurking about, as always. An easy smile was spread across his features. “Are you going out?” Keegan reached a hand over the fence. Ryker took it and they did a little bro handshake absentmindedly. Out still meant out of town. Ryker noticed Keegan was wearing a dusty black leather jacket himself.

“Are you?” Ryker asked, quirking a brow at Keegan as he opened the gate and exited his yard. Little bits of sand shifted under his feet as he walked.

Keegan's smile widened slightly. "Only if you are, neighbor," he said. A pause as they crunched over the sandy trails and then, "What happened to 'It's not a good idea for me to leave Pyrite Town right now, I don't want people to worry?'" As he went, he dropped the tone of his voice, mimicking his idea of Ryker's speech patterns. The man in question rolled his eyes. "Seriously though," Keegan said, his face growing serious. A rare display, coming from him. "People are starting to get a little bit worried." A nod of affirmation from Ryker. He knew that already, of course. "I think maybe you should come out and say something, put people at ease. Y'know, work your usual magic!"

He knew that too, of course. "It'll sound a lot better if we have something concrete," Ryker murmured in reply. What a disaster. This whole incident, suddenly Orre was in the spotlight on the international stage. No one had cared about them before and now it wouldn't be long before things escalated further, trade sanctions were put into place, more Interpol would show up... he needed to find this stupid ship, and find it fast. But oh, things got better, as they always did. The media was stoking people's fears about kidnappings, evil villains, and crime syndicates; an article had been written about Ryker himself dredging up his past, implying he'd been part of the ship's disappearing act. People were really starting to freak out, even the criminals he knew. For three days now he'd been trying to hold things down in Pyrite, keep the colosseum operational for normalcy and finance, and try to dredge up information about the missing ship.

"Anyway," Keegan said after an unusual, extended silence from him, "I heard you're going to Gateon 'for Yuri,'" air quotes at that part. "Why? I told you, nobody out there knew anything. And your weirdo stalker was hanging out there. Oh, are we going to teach him a lesson?" Keegan's eyes were alight, and he clapped a fist into an open palm.

"Get real," Ryker said with a sigh. On the edge of town, they skirted around one of the rocky outcroppings that protected Pyrite from the worst of the desert storms, heading towards where a series of bikes were parked. The vehicles all belonged to residents, specialized to get around a region that, otherwise, didn't have any infrastructure.

"Forget the harbor," Keegan pressed. "I've been thinking about it, we should head north and question the Crane Lab, hit Clover Sanctuary. They were heading the research project, maybe they wanted to steal all that info for themselves. And the Sanctuary, they've got rare Pokemon. Maybe they've got something like that leviathan thing." The single eyewitness report from the incident. A report of a massive sea monster carrying the ship away.

"Aren't you the one concerned about public image right now?" Ryker quizzed. "If you're so worried about your stalker friend writing about me, do you really think I should go out and harass a sanctuary for Pokemon right now?"

Keegan frowned as they reached their bikes. Ryker ignored the expression, double checking the extra supplies he kept in the bike bags in case of emergency. "You should take this guy seriously, he could ruin your reputation!"

Ryker swung a leg over his bike, settling back into the seat. He turned a blank expression onto his friend. "Are you coming with me to Gateon or not?"
Keegan mirrored his movement, the frown leaving for a cheeky grin instead. "Someone has to work the PR team around here." There was a roar as they started their bikes, sand flying in all directions. In only a few moments, they were riding off under the morning sun, west towards Gateon Port.

Ryker
~
It was only a four hour drive (with good weather) to Gateon from Pyrite. The two pulled it off in three hours and thirty-nine minutes. At least I'm getting a win on something around here, Ryker mused as they parked their bikes outside of town and began descending the slight, sloping incline that led into the city proper. The buildings were in Gateon were old, crumbling white structures that had probably been quite pretty when they were new. Along the docks, dilapidated boats were moored, bobbing with the tides. The rest of the town was sort of tiered and many of the buildings had signs darkened with age or cracked neon displays. The most eye-catching structure was a nearby clam house that advertised a musical dining experience. The two men passed a group of rough-looking sailors huddled together in the plaza, playing a dice game. Ryker made eye-contact out of the side of his eye with one, and the man looked away with haste. Ryker's own gaze flicked away, uninterested. No one would bother them. The sailors in town might've been the rough and tumble sort, intimidating in their own way; but Ryker and Keegan were dressed for the desert, and everyone in Gateon knew better than to pick a fight with anyone that came out of the east.

Ryker spotted his target and locked on, his stride picking up the pace, scattering a flock of Wingull pecking at the cracking plaza tiles out of his way. Shellder Shack Hotel. The only one in Gateon. The one that housed almost all the outsiders that came for a stay in the region when they first arrived. The only place for a tourist to charter a dune buggy to leave town. And the best part? They kept their records old school. Striding past any people lingering outside, Ryker slammed the heel of his palm into the front door and shoved it open, not breaking step for a second as he entered the outdated lobby. The floors were fading beige carpet and the walls had once been white, Shellder statues and other motifs decorating the space. The woman behind the counter stuttered mid-greeting as they came in, seeing the look of intensity on Ryker's face. He was at the counter, slamming the grimy police badge down on the counter in a flash. "I need your records and financial status on everyone who checked in or out in the last month."

"I-I don't think I can--" the woman stammered. "I would need to ask my manager--"

"Then go get your manager. This isn't a request," Ryker growled.

Keegan
~
"Sorry, 'scuse us!" the blonde said with a friendly laugh and an apologetic smile directed towards the people outside that Ryker stormed past. "What the hell are you doing?" he hissed into Ryker's ear, smiling all the while. Keegan knew better than to try and stop Ryker once he was on target though, so he simply picked up his pace and rushed after his friend. Oh boy, and here we go, Keegan thought, watching Ryker slam his police badge down onto the counter and start barking orders. You didn't wanna drive by the sanctuary because too conspicuous, but what the hell is this then?!

"I'm so sorry, miss," Keegan cut in smoothly, smiling his easy smile. He opened his leather jacket, briefly showing off the shiny OPD badge pinned on the inside. "My partner doesn't get to leave headquarters very often so he has no idea how to act in public, please ignore him. If we could just see those records in a timely manner...." A gentle laugh and a casual appealing glance to the other people in the lobby, as if to say, nothing to worry about here, folks!

 

[Zedalith]

Vegas Riviera

The Journalist

Krabby Club

smooth sailing

interactions

me myself and i

Idle din and clanking cans. This place amounted to aught else. Patrons nursed from sizzling cola and discount fries like hapless morons–stomachs bulking with heavy paunches protruding from their belts. They ignored the world around them, the panic, the terror–instead, they stuck to mindless hedonism while the world crumbled around them. It assaulted his senses, vile scent clinging onto the fabrics he wore, violating and odorous.

The Krabby Club, stood in an unassuming corner of Gateon Port with music so thunderous that you could hear it before you even saw the sign. The bar was sparsely populated. The noise of boots squeaking against the floorboard was audible in the brief pauses where the song changed.

People had a habit of striking up conversations in places like this. They drank, they cried, and spoke words that best go unsaid, not knowing who was listening.

Everything in Orre was bronzed and dusted. Creaking floorboards, worn roads, and an uneducated populace were just some of the amenities the denizens were kind enough to provide. Everyone he addressed always had a look in their eyes that communicated their desire for him to hop on the first boat elsewhere.

His pen rasped against paper while a thumb massaged the back of his notebook. The digital age brought with it a boon of advances in exchanging information. But, there was just something intimate to pen and paper. That aged feel in your hand and the inky scent of dye-staining paper had a way of enthralling him and helping him become his best self. It was a needed aid, given his standing here.

His eyes flitted upwards to look across the top of the page. The bartender swiped the bartop with a grey, well-used rag. They dusted the tabletop with large and smooth motions. The bartender’s cheeks were sullen. Gray hairs spouted from his chin like mold after the rain. His glasses sagged from his right ear, ill-fitted for his thin, gaunt face. There was an obvious attempt at avoiding eye contact with Vegas that was made by the older man.

Vegas only offered a silent appraisal. Pitch-black eyes sifted through the barkeeper's countenance, greedily devouring every inane detail. The barkeeper's shoulders became slack, and he seemed so much smaller.

“Can I help you?” The words jolted out of the barkeep’s hastened lips. Their eyes became much more ravenous, donning a challenging glare. The barkeeper’s fingers clamped down on the tabletop, leaving imprints in the shape of their nails in the soft oaken wood.

Vegas returned the glare with a smile and a mouth full of mirth. He leaned forward, white coat swaying at the sides of the barstool.

“I’m new in town, and I could use a friend. Someone whose job is to talk .. and hear things,” he spoke coyly. His arm reached over the tabletop, and he rubbed circles into the wood with the top of his pen.

A scoff was relieved from the older man’s lungs. It was a long and croaky sigh–his lack of amusement was unmistakable. “I can’t help you with that,” he spoke dryly. His shoulders flipped as he spun around at the ankle.

“You have a ring on your finger, are you married?” Vegas asked to deaf ears. The barkeep paid no mind, instead, they drew further apart, legs carrying them an increasing distance away from the source of his irritation.

“That younger girl you were talking to earlier–she your wife?” Vegas cried, his hands forming a makeshift microphone so that his voice might carry across the bar. The barkeep's legs locked in place. His hands clenched tight. Curious looks became pointed their way. Save for the sound of music blaring in the background, the bar fell silent.

The barkeep turned and waltzed forward. His lips formed a tight line that sliced across his jaundiced face. His lowered eyelids became a loud warning, danger mingled with the latticing of his leathered skin. “Keep it down,” his voice was low and gravely–like the rumble of a bear when you’ve stepped too close to their cub.

Vegas’ smile turned up at the corner. He then lifted his right leg to cross over the opposite one. Vegas reached into his pocket and pulled out a card, before sliding it across the table with his palm resting on top of it. “You hear anything about Cipher, Ryker, or our missing boat, you give me a call?”

The barkeep stared down at the offered item. His brows grew closer while wrinkles settled even further across his weathered forehead. Vegas blinked and the card was snatched from his hand. The older man grumbled something under his breath and turned his neck to begin to step away.

“Wait! Before you go…how about you buy everyone here a drink of choice?” He asked, no, demanded. His neck twisted and his head tilted at such an angle that white tresses draped from his head. “Say it’s on V.” His bright pink eyes flooded with mischief.

“Tch… A round of free drinks, courtesy of V!” The bartender declared, with a baritone voice rich enough to carry through the wide walls of the bar. Satisfied, the younger man ushered the bartender away with a flick of the wrist.

With the tension defused, the rumble of the bar seemed to return. The clatter of glasses and the pouring of fizzy beverages overtook the scraping of his pen as he scribbled a note within the confines of his notebook.

 

[Teh Frixz]

Kira
*THUMP*

*THUMP*

*THUMP THUMP*

Panic hit Kira like a hammer to the head. Eyes still deeply locked into her own abstract dreamscape, they were forced open as the primal part of her brain was set alight in fear. Cave in. The fearsome reaper of Oreburgh, the tales she'd heard as a child of miners trapped for weeks in the dark, watching their supplies of water and air slip away. Heart racing, she rolled to the side, avoiding a vein of limestone and falling off her bed. The immediate panic she felt was replaced by the throbbing pain in her head as it bounced off her poorly positioned backpack that she'd tossed aside when arriving in her room. Gripping her head and groaning, she looked up just in time to blink sleep out of her eyes and to see Igg stare right at her before running into the door once again, eliciting the same

*THUMP*

Kira's pained groan turned into a growl of frustration with the irritating little Rolycoly purposefully ramming the door to annoy her. He did this every single time he was excited and it was getting old fast. "IGG!" Kira tumbled forward from her seated position and tackled the Pokémon, ignoring both the heat and the hard edge of the coal Pokémon to lift him up and toss the nearly thirty pound creature onto her bed with a thump. "See how you like getting tossed around..." She felt momentary concern about the state of the bed before Igg began rolling in desperation, the sheets feeding into his wheel. Quickly she grabbed the sheet, pulling it free and laughing at the fearful look in Igg's eye. "C'mere, stop worrying you lug."

Joining Igg, she gave the living lumps of coal a bit of a cuddle, feeling his distress at being tossed around fade. He wasn't a comfortable Pokemon, to say the least, but he was hers and she was his. They'd been through so much together already, nights of worry for her Dad, the anxious pacing outside the hospital while her baby brother was delivered. She'd looked into that stupid red eye countless times and each time whatever worry that engulfed her, felt lessened. Igg spun his wheel as she released him, letting him return to the floor of her rented room. He sped off to go bother her dirty clothes while she inspected herself in the mirror.

It was early for most but for Kira, this was sleeping in. They'd just gotten in to Orre the night before and travel always took it out of her. Something about hurrying up to wait, then hurrying to a transfer, then waiting again, BLEH. Kira shook off the last of the feeling of travel and ran her hands through her hair. Her tan skin set off against the dark of her hair, the same green eyes staring back at her just as they always did before landing on the patches of coal dust now present on her from Igg. She sighed, trying in a futile attempt to rub the dust off her muscular arms but failing. Stepping away from the mirror, she crouched beside her pack and carefully withdrew a pokeball, gesturing to Igg who'd been watching her from his makeshift bed. "C'mon Igg, can't have you tearing up the room while I shower off. Let's go." He rocked back and forth once in the gesture of a nod before she opened the ball and in he went, leaving her alone in her room for the first time since arriving.

Grabbing a towel and a few bath items, she tossed it over her shoulder and left her room, hurrying down the the showers while it was still dark outside. At the very least, a perk of waking early was the ever present amount of hot water.

A little later, a squeaky clean Kira, newly dressed in shorts and a black tee half ran down the stairs to the lobby with all her things neatly packed up on her strong back. Breakfast was just getting setup and one of the tables had her name on it. The seat creaking under the weight of her and all her things until she decided to simply set her pack on the other chair sharing her table before getting in line to load up a full plate.

It was a big day after all. Her first full one in Orre and a day full of opportunity to start the hunt for exploitable land rich in mineable resources. She openly gobbled down her plate, eating quickly before returning to fill another plate. It was going to be a long day and dinner had been meager. If she was going to find anything, she was going to have to go where people weren't already at and that usually meant roughing it. Good thing Orre was practically empty, even by Sinnoh standards. She continued tearing into breakfast, watching people begin to slowly filter in. She'd have to wait some time anyways till the right clerk came in and she could schedule a buggy out to the wild. Pulling a map out, she covered the table with a detailed geographic representation of Orre and lost herself in planning for a while. That's what a good miner did. Measure twice, dig once.

Enough time had passed before Kira realized that she probably had to get in line to get a buggy. Her brain had been lost in planning and details of the frustratingly ill surveyed Orre for so long that the Lobby of the hotel had filled up. People idling about, chatting, getting breakfast and snacks. She looked about to see a pair of young men talking to the woman working the counter. The same woman who she checked in with here at the Shellder Shack but now she seemed a bit distressed. Kira frowned, never liking to see staff mistreated. Her family and most of her town were working class and they didn't get paid enough to get harassed by customers.

She prepared herself to say something before the second man came over to smooth things out. They looked the same way the rough sort that always expected the mining lands to be ignorant of their misdeeds looked. But whatever the issue, it seemed to be taken care of with a smile and a laugh. She got up anyways, making eye contact with the laughing man before getting in line with her things a few feet away from them.

"Hey, don't mean to barge in..." She started, totally barging in to their conversation with the clerk. "But do you intend to be long, something made me realize I've been here too long and need a ride into the desert..." Kira nodded to the brochures. "Running kinda late now." She gave the slightest of knowing smirks.

Gold.

 

[Lilure]

Pale dawn light filtered in from the dirty window panes, the heavy drape drawn aside by the Eevee perching on her toes along the sill. Her ears twitched as she watched a Persian down below, slinking over the darkened plaza tiles and between two trash cans, disappear into a shadowed alleyway. "Ee-vui," the Pokémon murmured softly, her head tilted in curiosity. Early in the morning as it was, the streets below were otherwise empty. Stella jumped down from the window sill with practiced ease, landing squarely on her paws and padding with a purpose towards the suite's bathroom. Yucca and Cricket were playing a game together, the other Eevee chasing the Jolteon around in circles, only to then be chased in turn, so Stella had to give a small leap to avoid being caught up in their antics. She had an important report to give, after all!

The bathroom door was cracked open, and Stella widened the gap as she slipped past the frame. Music played from Iris' phone on the counter, the tiny Eevee phone charm dangling over the edge and indicating its presence to the small Pokémon. The trainer herself was standing in front of the mirror, a messy bun and fluffy spa headband pushing her brown hair from her face as she massaged moisturizer into her cheeks, dancing a little jig along to the beat. Water sloshed dramatically over the sides of the nearby tub when Stella entered, and Nixie was peering at her curiously over its porcelain edge. "Eevee!" she called out.

Iris glanced over at the announcement, smiling. Scooping up her phone, she turned the volume down. "Did you see something interesting?"

"Eevee!" Stella answered, turning towards the door and glancing over her shoulder expectantly. Familiar with this routine, Iris followed her partner back into the bedroom. Peering out the hazy window, Iris leaned down closer to Stella's perspective along the window sill. "Vee," Stella whispered, staring intensely at the alley where she'd seen the Persian vanish, as if that would communicate the sighting to her trainer.

"Hmm," Iris hummed. Of course, she didn't see anything. Just an empty plaza and a lightening dawn sky. "Tell me if you see it again, okay?" she said, reaching down to massage the top of Stella's head and her ears. The Eevee pushed her head up into Iris palm, clearly enjoying the affection.

Waiting for her moisturizer to set in, Iris flopped down onto the edge of the bed, mindful of the lump in the comforter that indicated her still sleeping fire-type. Almost immediately, Yucca was batting at her toes, stopped by Cricket pursuing her a moment later. Iris unlocked her phone with some worry. The service in Orre wasn't super great, which had been expected. Even still, the alert in her notification center was blatant: blank unread messages. She opened her text app, clicking into the new alerts.

Lorcan : The boat thing is really freaking me out, the news is saying all kinds of crazy stuff here. I'll seriously come out there, just say the word. It would make me feel better, please bestie.

Xander : Do you want me to send Lorcan to you? I can close the restaurant, I can come too, if you want.

Aster : Wait, did you go to Orre tho?

Val Pal : I know you can handle yourself, but people are talking about kidnappings. Just be extra careful, okay?

With a sigh, Iris fell back onto the bed, letting her phone fall to the side as she frowned at the ceiling. Her friends weren't wrong... but they were starting to freak her out! When she'd arrived in Orre last week, she thought it would be a quiet desert vacation. Try some new things, photograph the sites, help Yucca to evolve. But then the S. S. Libra vanished, and the media outlets were taking things super seriously ("Which, they definitely should be! All those missing people and Pokémon, someone needs to find them!"). It was a tragedy to be sure, but Iris had planned to just go about her business as usual. She didn't know anything about this big mystery, after all! Her friends though, had other ideas. Right as the news started breaking internationally, her phone had started blowing up.

Iris rolled onto to her side, playing with a loose thread on the hotel comforter. Nothing was going to happen to her. But with the cascade of messages, she was starting to have a teeny-tiny doubt.

Yucca landed like a dumbbell onto Iris' side, causing the girl to fold in half with a gasp of surprised air. Iris rolled and caught the Eevee around the middle, looking up into the fluffy, happy face as Yucca shouted, "Eevee!" as loudly as possible. Cricket was on the bed then too, pawing at Iris' shoulder as if checking to see if she was still breathing after Yucca's assault.

"You're so cute!" Iris cheered, squishing Yucca into her torso and cuddling the Eevee tightly. Cricket wormed her way into the embrace somehow and then Iris was buried under the duo, fur pressed into her face and shoulders from all angles.

The two resumed their game and Iris sat up, feeling renewed. This was fine! Everything was fine! Picking her phone back up, she quickly texted her friends back with reassurances that she was all good, they didn't need to come out here, and she'd come and see everybody on the next travel circuit. Jumping to her feet, she headed back into the bathroom to finish with her sunscreen. Nixie was still lounging in the bath tub, though the Vaporeon called out when she re-entered, happy that she'd returned.
~
The girls had their breakfast and then Iris was heading downstairs, Stella perched on her shoulder, to have her own. Making a beeline straight for the baked goods, she broke into a series of muffins and danishes, letting Stella nibble on each and give her own rating. As she ate, she scrolled through the pictures she'd upload to her phone last night, examining the sands glittering under the sun and the occasional rocky outcrop. No luck with the outer desert, so far. "My reservation in Phenac is for tomorrow, so the timing works out well," she mused to herself. A last day exploring the outer desert, then, before she was on to the harsher interior. Iris double-checked the map she had of the region, marked with place she'd already gone to take pictures at. With two taps, she marked the next junction she intended to be dropped off at.

The lobby was busier than it had been the last few days. Iris got in line behind another girl who looked like she was carrying several pounds of traveling equipment, just in time to overhear her asking if the two men at the front desk would be long. "Oh, I'm heading into the desert, too!" Iris added, supplementing the girl's earlier words. "Would the three of you mind if I rode along with you?" You could book a public or a private charter. Iris didn't know which they were going for, but she was excited to get back out there. Going along on the first trip of the day would save a lot of time!
Iris examined the trio closer as she waited for a response. The duo looked like the might be together, but the girl in front of her didn't seem to be a part of their group. Actually, paying full attention now, the clerk behind the desk looked a little frantic. And one of the guys looked pretty worked up about something. "I-If that's okay with you guys, of course! If not it's totally fine!"

Interacting With:
Kira ( Teh Frixz ) Ryker & Keegan ( Gold. )

 

[CHUUYAS_HAT]

Orre Region, Lobby

Code by Serobliss

Gold. --- Teh Frixz --- Lilure

Iono Suzuki

The flurry of a charcoal pencil drew along the firm, thick, white paper that was bound to a mini sketch book that was merely portable. Stars dances along the edges of her drawing, but soon enough was crossed off by Iono. Something simple like that wouldn't be appreciated much-and she had done something similar before. There were many things she had done, with half the book itself filled halfway. But the girl needed more inspiration, and Orre was clearly dry on ideas right now. Quite literally, in fact, by the latest examination of the land.

Iono was in the corner, squished by the overfilled lobby of the hotel taking up the actual appearance similar to it's name. Well, that was for her, at least. She had only checked in recently, figuring here would be an easy place to come and rest after day adventures, but looking at everything now, it was a bit too popular. The hood of her yellow jacket covered her bright hair, Iono hoping to keep a low profile for no particular reason. Hey, an artist should be kept at peace anyway.

A sudden wave of small squeals and gasps, and shoes shuffling only slightly backward brought her attention up from her 'work'. Two men-one gathering the aura of unease-while the other that had barged in angrily by the looks of it seemed down right serious. The head woman at the desk was terrified, tripping over her own words as well as the main guy practically interrogated her poor soul. Something about manager is what she muttered, and the newcomers wanting to know who checked in and out.

Thankfully, another person came to have a proper voice, interrupting the two...'officers' friendly chit-chat with the receptionist that probably had been here very much earlier then what it already was. It was true, everybody was waiting on the ones who demanded entry to files of the guests. Iono supposed it was simply part of their job, and at least one was trying to be a bit more kinder, but being rough was no exception. Those who worked just wanted to complete their tasks that were assigned to them, not to live in fear.

She didn't know whether to intervene as well, because nothing seemed to be going well. But Iono slipped her sketchbook back into hiding and slid down her hood to have a breather and see everything more better. Her mother definitely had not warned her that she'd be dealing with others' problems! Though, that was just being too dramatic on Iono's part. She squeezed past those who wanted to see everything first hand, able to reach the front of the crowd that had doubled from the little quarrel.

~ Before Everything

Iono rolled around at her desk, groaning from the stress. A small canvas sat in front of her, splattered with a few splotches here and there. She tried doing some abstract art, but that failed, and she instead changed it to a brown river from spilled coffee. It seemed like a newest trend around the towns, but that made her feel like she was copying other artists. She needed something to call her own, and that wasn't happening lately. Whether it was pencils, markers, even crayons and pastels-nothing worked.

Her frustrated noises must've flowed out her door because another woman appeared in her bedroom, leaning on the wall with a concerned look. Iono always wished for her parents to stay out of her room, but her mother sometimes popped in to give some weak ideas or small company. Right now, that was probably what she needed. Iono gave a limp shrug at the older female.

"Oh come on Ma', stop looking at me like that. I'm already roughly trying to get an artwork out everyday, cut me some slack."

But that clear didn't fall with her mother-Osana.

"Cut some slack? You're acting as if I'm making you work. It seems that you've lately been needing air. Water needs to flow through your brain, it's drying up. I would think it's best you hold off for this and pretend your sick or something-a break. And even if you don't want to do that, you haven't been on a real vacation. Do you really think I'm going to let you slumber around while acting like a zombie in my home? Not a chance."

Iono frowned at her, not getting the mood Osana was clearly having.

"What do you expect me to do then-go out and do some gardening in our backyard? You know how mad you can get when I ruin your 'lovely' plants. And I've drew countless of them within my arts. I don't even think battling would satisfy the...'hunger', okay?! You know what type of typical 'trainer' I am. I am well with all that, but I wouldn't mind passing on the chance."

"I don't mean that, but more like actually going out-not one of the regions you always go to-but maybe that Orre Region that had been nearly the hot topic around the town. It seems like an interesting area, don't you think? Especially since you haven't been there. Perhaps the Pokemon there would give you some inspiration-or maybe doing some good realistic drawings based off whatever is there would do you proper."

~ Present

Oh, now she remembered. That's where everything started. And now she was here.

Another girl had done what Iono couldn't-approaching the pair and the woman with a softer approach; asking if she could join their group. Well, if she had to mention it, she needed to go the same way they were going but Iono wasn't so sure about joining the group. Besides, they all didn't seem so well coordinated just yet. But something else did catch her eye-an Eevee-sweet!

 

[Minteafresh]

Zavion Pierce
The heat of the Oree Region was just as Zavion fondly remembered; memories resurfacing he sat atop Lady Luck; the Salamence roaring loudly as she flies. There's no need for an inside voice in the sky, though Zavion has a suspicion that she's enjoying spooking the other flying types in the air, if the nasty looks from the Mandibuzz were anything to go off of. She's always had a bit of a vendetta against them, having been teased when she was flightless. So undoubtedly, Lady Luck was flaunting her strength. Despite being one of the most even tempered pokemon that he had the pleasure of befriending - she still had her moments. And right now, she deserved a little moment.

"Almost there girl!" Zavion says brightly as he guides the dual dragon and flying type; briefly peering past her to the ground below. It was a dizzying experience, seeing the world from high up - but the thrill of it never failed to brighten his mood, especially since he wasn't rushing off to quell an out of control pokemon. Not to say that it was a leisurely trip back home since there was more to it this time- but he at least wanted to enjoy the moment for what it was.

Eventually, the large Salamence lands on the ground, kicking up waves of sand. She flops down on the ground, and Zavion slides down and steps away; throwing his hands up to shield his face as she starts rolling in the sand - no doubt happy to be back after their week long trip to a colder climate. She's far too big to be a dog, and a spray of the grit gets all over his jacket. No doubt he'll be shaking sand off of him for the rest of the week, the stuff was like glitter sometimes.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself." He says, taking several steps back to give her a wide berth of room; watching her for a bit, nothing but affection in his eyes as she sprawled out across the sand, a happy canvas.

In the distance - town. He didn't land directly in one for obvious Salamence sized reasons but he figured he'd head there to restock on the essentials, maybe take a trip to the center as well to heal up his team. Huh. He better check his bag for what he needed.

With nothing better to do, Zavion slides it off his shoulder, jostling the belt where his team was held. "Oops." He pats each ball, freezing as his hand touches one that's lighter then the rest of them.

Venus was gone.

Head turning frantically, he can just spot an inky black figure scuttling top speed towards town, and he can swear that a head turns and smirks at him. Zavion isn't worried about her personally, he knows the Salazzle can handle herself. But she's a criminal. A criminal who he probably shouldn't let wander freely.

Man. He should probably go get her....well maybe after snapping one very quick picture of a happy Lady Luck, keepsakes and all that.

Mila Jackson
"Mom? Are you getting up?"

Mila pries open the door to her mothers room, hand resting on the knob. She peers in, amber eyes zoning in on the lump beneath the covers.

She waits, though doesn't get a response. Not that she's surprised, she's learning to not expect them now. Regardless of the fact, she answers anyway.

"Okay...so I uh...need to take Snaps out for his daily dig. But I won't go far okay? I'll be as far as the store, get you those breakfast sandwiches you like?"

No answer again. She tries to not feel too disheartened about it though as she backs away and closes the door.

She nearly bumps into Pontus, the Totodile looks up at her with big eyes. For once he's quiet, red eyes looking up at her before he tilts his head inquisitively.

"To?" The croc snaps his jaws once, though it's oddly soft.

"It's alright. She's just sleeping in late today." Mila assures as she heads to the steps. She hopes, even if a bigger part of her knows the truth. Ever since the unfortunate news about the S.S Libra; her mothers usual pep had disappeared, turning to slow mornings and a distant gaze. She was still there, it was just buried. Mila didn't know what would dig her out, but she was determined to try.

Heading to the stairs, she sets down them. She's already dressed for the day; having gone over her plan. It wasn't a good plan by any means, but she hoped to improve upon it as best she could.

She pauses to lift Pontus up into her arms, lugging him down the stairs. His little legs were not built for it, yet he still insisted upon sleeping in her room every night - which meant the needed assistance. He got up them with some effort, and could go down them - but he was spoiled. He knew he had to lift his arms up, and the work would be done for him.

By the time she gets downstairs she's greeted by an antsy (no pun intended) looking Trapinch. Snaps chomps the air near her when she's close enough, only to be shot an unimpressed look from his trainer before she opens the door and lets him out. The orange pokemon darts out with surprising speed and springs into the air. His body twists into a wide arch; and the Trapinch sails into the ground, spinning like a drill and he tunnels underground with very little hesitation.

Mila watches him go, though doesn't question it. Instead she pulls on her shoes and grabs a harness - looking at Pontus. "Do I need to use this today?" She asks, getting a head shake. Mila obviously doesn't believe him, but puts it in her bag to give him the benefit of the doubt....for now at least. Alongside with that Mila looks over everything one final time, feeling more certain when Dodger dives into said bag before it can close, Mila ensuring the straps are done loosely so that the Zubat can exit it need be.

She then sets her bag onto her shoulders; and is all set to head out; a notepad and pencil settled into her pocket.

"Alright, let's go." She squares her shoulders with a steely sort of determination, exiting the house. She starts at a leisurely pace, lost in thought whilst being careful to not bump into anyone. Sometimes she'll see the fellow residents of Agate Village whom she's grown up with, giving a slight nod before continuing on her way. Pontus follows gleefully, swinging his arms in the air and skipping - undoubtedly pleased that he's not a backpack leash kid...at least not yet.


Anthony Clovers
Waking up early in the morning has been routine for as long as Anthony can remember. Sit up, stare blankly in the dark of his room and inevitably get greeted by the family Ditto.

What Anthony doesn't anticipate however that morning, is the pair of dark brown eyes staring back at him almost listlessly. A near perfect replica of himself, so good it's like looking in a mirror.

"It...to?" The replica leans forward, a quizzical sound escaping it's mouth despite its expression not changing at all.

"Good morning Jerry." Anthony says calmly; and reaches out a hand to pet... himself? It's...not really an action he ever thought he'd do, but the not-Anthony closes it's eyes and melts. Literally. Into a familiar pink blob that worms it's way onto his bed. Holding a ditto is like holding putty, and Anthony squishes him a bit. "That was a very nice transform you did." He remarks. "You even got my birthmark down. And I see you've been practicing expressions, haven't you?"

The ditto croons, seeming to inflate slightly with pride. It looks like a happy puddle, which Anthony then sets down. It was nice to see the confidence in it return, after being thrown aside for being 'too creepy' or whatever, as if copying wasn't a dittos entire gimmick. Anthony opts to not think too hard on it - and instead begins his usual routine. It starts in his room of course, and ends roughly half an hour later outside.

His timing is always rather good, the thundering of talons against the sandy ground alerting him to the presence of the Espathra who guarded the sanctuary fiercely. There's a few Flittle hovering about, and Anthony comes down the steps of the porch.

"Good morning everyone." He greets, gaining the sentient staredown of the century back. He nods, because that's all he ever gets. Not that he minds. Usually, silent staring means that no one tried to break in and steal a pokemon (because people are weird). Anxious preening or even the sound of the alarm at any given moment throughout the day usually meant that something bad that happened.

Though the only bad thing that does happen is one particular Espathra parting through the group with a swagger.

"Paa." Halo pops the 'p'; managing to sound entirely condescending with one word.

"Oh yay. You weren't stolen." Anthony deadpans as though disappointed, gaining a dirty look from the pokemon. Before the pokemon can try and peck him, Anthony walks down the steps and over to a large burlap sack by the stairs. He unties it and digs in a handful of treats; starting to slow process of passing them out. The Espathra worked hard after all, and had done a good job. It was only right to reward them - especially since they were technically wild pokemon with no obligation to the sanctuary. It helped to keep them interested.

Afterwards he waves them off to dismiss them, Halo heading off with them. Despite being his pokemon, Anthony didn't really do the whole 'keep them in a ball' thing. Not unless it was for ease of transporting. Though he didn't have a busy day planned ahead of him; so he settles on the porch chair for the time being. Some construction crew was coming by within an hour or so to do some digging for the sanctuary; so he was waiting around until then.

 

[CHUUYAS_HAT]

Pokémon

!

Sands of Darkness ♡

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• h
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  location

  
  

  Orre Region.

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Time

  
  

  Day.

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
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  weather

  
  

  Weather's Perfect!

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  attendance

  
  

  here!

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  mentions

  
  

  Gold. Lilure Teh Frixz

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

after day

music writing

the scene

...

Albedo had just swung by Shelder Shack Hotel for a few days stay in in case he planned on staying here for much longer than 24 hours-which he was. He was stalled from his time of collecting Pokémon noises and was instead forced to eat and do the usual necessities of being a human being and trainer. His morning wasn't as bad as he's thinking-just a bit too used to sticking to listening to music notes all the time.

Currently, he was just making his way into the hotel when two men shoved past in what looked like a hurry. Albedo frowned upon the disrespect, even Pikachu who was perching on his shoulder let out a confused 'pika?' Albedo pursed his lips, hoping to think whatever the issue was with the men was something light and didn't have to pause his own schedule. But as he entered past the winding doors, something was definitely wrong because he couldn't even make it properly inside.

The humid air was harsh in here, like hot-but-damp clothes after a terrible attempt to dry the cloth. He was deciding whether to just dip the hotel entirely, but seeing the glitter of something on the reception desk made him try to push forward. Albedo was juggled around in the crowd, hearing concerned whispers from within it. Pikachu let out a few squeaks, ending up on his head to get the best view. Albedo made sure not to tilt his head back, but caught the official glimpse of four people. They all seemed to be communicating in some way, but it disturbed him at how the lady behind the counter seemed frightened.

A shorter intro post for him ~ Might make la Cyno & Choei appear elsewhere...

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[blitzfritz]

Louisa Shaw​

Spoiler: Current Status

Location: Orre Region, Gateon Port, Shellder Shack Hotel

Current Team:

> Minsk the Scizor // Female, Technician // Healthy

> Billy the Honchkrow // Male, Super Luck // Healthy

> Fives the Golett // Genderless, Iron Fist // Healthy

> Karnak the Druddigon // Female, Mold Breaker // Healthy

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

The scratching of pen to paper and the audible noise of a movie playing through the hotel room were the only sounds inside this particular suite, as one trainer-slash-movie actor was intently focused on writing, flitting her gaze between the paper and the film that was playing on her portable movie player. What was playing was, in fact, one of the movies that she acted in- one of the few where they were put into a protagonist-like role; a small indie movie called Forevermore, a historical fiction about two opposing families situated in Relic Castle long ago, back when it was a thriving city. The families hated each other, but two young adults of each side start falling in love despite the forbidden romance keeping them apart; They both die in the end due to a misunderstanding, but it's a poignant if not cheesy film intended to give an artistic rendition of society back when Relic Castle wasn't, well... a relic.

Louisa scratched her cheek with the pen in her hand and shifted a little on the bed to keep their butt from going numb- they had been at this for over an hour now, and despite having watched this movie over and over once Mr. Deeoh gave them the disk for the finished product, the actor was still very critical of their performance. This line could've had a better tone, this gesture could've been articulated better to convey the feeling of the character's actions, ect. ect. Billy, who was in a broody fluffy ball taking a nap at the end of the bed, opened one eye to check on his trainer, watching the actor get a focused look upon their face as she was studying another scene she was a part of.

// "Xavier, please, you must stay!" Serena- the princess of the Red Dutchy, and the youngest of the Ferelden line- begged her lover as he was beginning to step away, tears starting to well up in her eyes. Risking the both of them if someone caught the two speaking, they would meet at the witching hour, sneaking out of their homes to see each other in secret. They were deeply in love, both of them could see it- which is it evident that this decision by Xavier to stop these meetings had come as a shock to poor Serena.
"I can't, my love." Xavier- heir to the White Monarch, and to the Kavalan bloodline- spoke softly as he took another step back away from his dearest. "I cannot keep leading this double life. It's tearing me apart, and what if our parents found out? The conflict would only worsen." He stopped backing away, reaching out to take Serena's hands and bring her close again. Lifting a hand to cradle her cheek, wiping the tears that slowly trickled down the princess' face as she let out small sobs. It was breaking both of their hearts, for certain, and he slowly leaned in to give her one last kiss... //

Louisa knew what scenes came next in the film- a servant of the Kavalan house would chance upon seeing the two, and Xavier would get in trouble and have the White Monarch give the ultimatum of him serving as a frontline general with his Escavalier against House Ferelden, or to be locked up for betraying his family and his house. He would accept being a general, but on the night of the attack he would drink a poison that would put him into a deep sleep, giving the impression that he killed himself. Word would sweep across the kingdom, and Serena would hear of it, and in her grief, she would drown herself to be with him. He wakes up with both families in disarray because the youngest in the Ferelden line is missing; eventually he finds out that Serena had genuinely killed herself by finding her body on the shoreline. He also becomes grief-stricken and dies of a broken heart. The end; exit, stage left.

In Louisa's opinion, Pokestar Studios had better movies in their repertoire of produced films. The popularity that Forevermore achieved was nothing to sneeze at, however; her royalty checks that she was mailed from this movie had paid for this trip to Orre and its costs. Plus, it helped form new fans and connections around Pokestar Studios' list of people- the trainer could add "met Champion Iris" to her achievements in life. In a role call of mostly bad guys and side mentors, being one of the protagonists was refreshing.

A coo from Billy had Louisa break her attention from the movie after she scribbled a few notes on some potential improvements for the future ("the acting looked a little stiff", and "i didn't look emotional enough"), closing the video player and tossing the pen and paper onto the appliance before shifting to face the Honchkrow. He was awake and had fluffed up, chittering for attention despite looking like a fluffy ball, and with a chuckle the trainer gave in and gave him chin scratches. A satisfied sort of purr emanated from the Big Boss Pokémon while his trainer spoke, "Spoiled thing, always looking for attention, hmm?~"

Ms. Shaw adored and loved all of the Pokémon in her possession, even the ones that needed more care than others. She didn't fault them- they were creatures that had their own needs and feelings, a fact that the actor wished more people would put to use when complaining about their or another person's Pokémon. Pulling away from Billy, the trainer let out a sigh as they finally got up from the bed, stretching with a yawn and hearing the cracks in their back get popped out. Getting used to the hot weather in Orre was not fun, but the region would offer some peace after being dragged around for the last few months to conference after conference regarding the Mimikyu controversy in the idol industry, and of the new details regarding the next film they were in, which wasn't named yet but, big surprise- they would be playing as antagonist again.

They were in some loose-fitting shorts and tank top as they did some morning stretches to keep limber, her Honchkrow watching with a languid curiosity. Louisa had arrived at the region two days ago to get settled in; on the first day, she got boarding set up and got in contact with her father's friend to see where his construction work would take him. On the second day, she spoke with the hotel people to grab a rental dune buggy for personal use to cross the desert sands during their stay- any damages sustained would be incurred as an additional fee, as written in the contract.

Once the stretches were done, Louisa took out a pair of clothes and got dressed in travel wear- her black varsity jacket a staple of the trainer's appearance (despite what is almost certainly hot weather outside), a red plaid shirt tucked inside cargo pants and deep-tread boots. In addition to the outer garments was a silver double-wrapped necklace around their neck, a Seviper ring on their finger that held an embedded mega stone for her Pokémon, a pair of dark aviator's shades for the harsh glare of the sun, and what looked to be an X-transceiver on their wrist. That X-transceiver was modified by Silvester, Louisa's father, to also have an installed PokéGear as a holdover from her adventuring days in Johto- it pretty much functioned as a radio as well as a video caller.

Cycling the trainer belt onto her pants, she grabbed her Pokémon's pokeballs and attached most of the team onto the clips in the belt. Billy's Pokeball was empty, as he was still chittering on the trainer's bed, but an outstretched arm and a click of the tongue instructed him to fly and perch on her shoulder as she clicked his ball and had him returned into it. With everything settled, Louisa had started to head downstairs to grab some supplies before heading out to Phenac City due to the long voyage.

A commotion on the ground floor piqued the trainer's interested as she reached the bottom steps, watching as two men who looked to be rough sorts interrogate the lady behind the counter, while a third person jumped in to try and diffuse and a fourth lady who jumped in for her own reasons. Something something, needing a ride into the desert? A quizzical look showed as she made her way around the tables, apologizing to people they pass, and to the far edge of the counter, not willing to jump in because it already seemed like the receptionist was getting overwhelmed. It just made the trainer feel a little awkward, though.

Gold. Teh Frixz Lilure

 

[mimitchi]

@fluticasone

start of cs copy paste + specific variables for images

banner area

icon area

KRABBY CLUB | VEGAS | Zedalith ​

Shit hole.

That was the only word that came to mind as Estella stepped inside the Krabby Club. The scent of cheap booze, sweat and greasy food instantly assaulted her senses, almost making her gag. Why on Earth would her manager want to meet up and discuss the recent incident at a dingy place like this? Couldn't he have at least booked the VIP room? No, that was too much to ask for since it required an ounce of energy from his measly brain cells.

"Damn idiot." She muttered under her breath, a stark contrast to neat braids and ribbons she wore. Frankly, she looked more like plain Jane that stepped out of Accumula Town rather than a pristine idol that performed on stage for hundreds. Even if management reassured that no one would recognize her in a tiny region like Orre ("your fanbase is practically nonexistent here!"), she still wanted to play it safe and wear unassuming clothes.

Of course that didn't stop some of the drunken sailors from leering and offering to buy her a drink when she passed by them. Though she cringed at the whistling, her sugary smile remained on her lips. Perhaps she should have gone with the simple t-shirt and shorts look, but that wouldn't have matched with her adorable pink nails! Plus, she'd rather stick her hand inside a Garbador's mouth than be caught dead wearing a ₽2000 t-shirt from the Pokémart. Speaking of garbage...

"Excuse me?" She beckoned one of the servers over, voice light as a feather. "Do you have salads by any chance?"

The man barked out a condescending laugh. "Salads? This ain't Lumiose City, sweetie! How about I just get you a burger with fries?"

"...sure! That sounds delicious! Thank you!"

Once he was gone, Estella leaned back against her chair and exhaled a sigh. Dear Arceus, how she wished she could be in a beautiful villa in Sinnoh right now, drinking an organic Pecha smoothie and watching her beloved Dollie frolic without a care in the world....yet, a loud, dirty club was her reality right now. Brushing away her bangs, she reached into her bag to pull out a luxury ball. All it took was a single press of a button and flash of light for her Mincinno, Muffin, to appear. "You need to get your steps in. You've been cooped up in there for too---hey!"

All it took was a single glimpse of her surroundings for Muffin to squeak out a scandalized "cinno!" before leaping onto a nearby bartop and using its tail to brush away any crumbs. Rolling her eyes, Estella stood up from her table and approached the lone man sitting at the bar. "I'm really, really sorry about my little Muffy's behavior! She gets so excited about cleaning, You know how Mincinno are..." She apologized with an abashed smile, yet her eyes flickered over to his notebook. Was he some kind of writer or something?

end of cs copy paste, insert next

 

[ScatheAriiasqDrayceon]

Orre region, Shellder Shack

---

Unbeknownst to all who passed by, hiding in the shadow of a particularly burly sailor, a reed-thin whistle of a person shuffled a deck of custom cards. Craps wasn't typically their game of choice—it could be hard to get others to play with one of their die sets—but the whole lot of the Soaring 'Wattriel's crew had been daydrinking themselves to death, so it wasn't like switching the die was hard. They checked the cant of Big John's wrist as he rolled the dice around in his hands. Yeah, there's no way he's making that seven. "I'll take that bet" they chirped, organizing a neat stack of coins onto the line. Blake glared at them from the mouth of the alley. They smiled, and it was all teeth.

A shadow passed over the alley just as the dice hit the ground.

Arii tensed, and, from his high perch, Jet whistled a sharp, warning note. Cops. Blake averted his gaze. Out of town cops. "Well," they spun themself out of their crouch, balancing on their toes. What were out of town cops doing here? Bastards. "That's my cue, hoes." John had rolled a four anyway. Two twos. The sailors scoffed collectively as they divided the money—masking the replacement of John's dice—and before they'd even realized Arii had taken an extra five, they were up the fire escape and running.

They crowed a mismagius' laugh as Jet soared at their shoulder, warbling a scolding sort of sound when a few shingles fell to the streets below. You weren't a street rat unless you broke a couple, anyway. They didn't get what he was so miffed about. People in this town watched the skies, and if they didn't, well...

Eh. It's probably only a little brain damage.

Probably.

Anyway, they stopped over the Shellder Shack, its parapet...ed roof providing an excellent perch for the both of them. Arii settled onto the stoneware in a Sableye-esque crouch, rocking their shoulders excited, curious. Then, for good measure, they hunched a little. Mischief.

The expression Jet fixed them with was something like exasperation. Foolish, he offered in a huff. Bad idea, hunted, runs-fast, but that one maybe-faster. It was just the flick of his tail and the cant of his head he needed to say as much.

That was true, they supposed. With the recent disappearances, it was far more dangerous to be suspicious in front of cops. Moreso with all of the snitches... er... tourists milling about. And they were sat ontop of the bulk of them. Their chances of getting caught increased exponentially with this...

But...

Curious, they repeated, cocking their head and eyeing the entryway—which was beginning to make no small amount of noise. Find-maybe, searching-still? To their knowledge, the sunken ship still hadn't been found, but if it had—

Philanthropy wasn't Arii's... thing, but they wouldn't let people die just cause the blue bitches were too busy looking for the culprit and not the people.

Jet sighed, and it rattled with a distinct growl. Annoyed, he told them in the whistling curve of his tail. Know-you. Looks-for-trouble. Bites-tails. His wings flicked. Another huff. Then, he dipped his head. Helps-still, he admitted in the light tug at the pocket they kept their antidote berries in. Love-you in the pressure of his forehead against their shoulder. Frustrating. He nipped their hand just hard enough for them to feel.

They smiled at him and pressed their own head into the curve of his neck. Love, love, love always. They squinted at him and clacked their teeth. Frustrating-always.

Arii ignored the fond scoff from behind, electing instead to half-fall, half climb down from their perch, using the conveniently-placed windowsills to roll and drop their way to the banister just outside of the entry way. Here, they settled to listen.

 

[Gold.]

Ryker
~
Ryker turned his head, refusing to do so from the torso, and spoke only over his shoulder. "Then you should've managed your time better," he sneered in a low, even tone. Glancing away from the girl pestering them to hurry up, he fixed his gaze on the clerk once again as she scurried out from behind the front desk and headed back, deeper into the hotel, ideally to get her stupid manager. His fingers drummed against the countertop, impatient, waiting. In the mean time, another girl joined the line, too dumb to realize they weren't getting a ride into the desert at all. An Eevee perched on her shoulder, her clothes and hair clean and pretty. A tourist and an Eevee trainer; he shouldn't have expected any less. At her request, he tossed a casual, "Get lost," over his shoulder, hoping that the two girls and the growing crowd would all take the hint.

Motion in the corner of his eye drew his gaze; the clerk was scurrying back, wringing her hands in front of her, keeping several steps behind a burly man in a simple but pressed suit. They made eye contact. "My clerk was just telling me you officers were requesting to see patron records. We can't just give those out without a warrant, you understand?" he said in an even, careful tone.

A warrant? Ryker's eyes tore up and down the man's figure, assessing. Was he from Orre? Or did he start working here after migrating? Was he just the manager or also the owner of the hotel? He looked too young, the Shellder Shack had been here since Ryker was a kid. He decided to opt for old reliable in his respone.

"I have a warrant," Ryker replied in a dangerous tone. He pulled the edge of his jacket out slightly, just enough to flash the six Pokeballs clipped along his belt, glinting black and red and gold under the hotel lights.

Immediately, the man grew pale. "You're..." he started, then swallowed thickly. A moment later, he was leaning down and withdrawing a thick, red ledger book and sliding it across the counter top. "My mistake, officer," he said, avoiding eye contact. "The Shellder Shack is happy to cooperate with you."

Ryker scoffed and yanked the book towards him, tucking it under one arm as he whipped around to face the crowd with flashing eyes. There were a lot of people here now, enough that Ryker was taking a moment to calculate which section of people he could barrel through in order to make the quickest exit.

Keegan
~
"I'm sorry, miss." The second the girl behind him asked if they'd be long, Keegan whipped around, a winning smile plastered across his face. "We're sorry for holding you up, we won't be much longer!" He kept smiling through Ryker's not-even-passive-aggressive comment, opting to ignore and evade. Ryker's sneer was followed up with an airy laugh, and an, "Official police business, you know! Just protecting and serving and all that!"

Technically this was his con. The first time they'd played cops it had been Keegan's idea. He got now why Ryker decided to opt for it here, but it was still super weird having the normally straightforward Ryker trying to play at being subtle. "Are you planning on traveling through the desert?" Keegan asked, cocking his head. The girl behind him was dressed for it, lugging what looked to be a heavy backpack. Some people enjoyed doing that, for whatever reason. "You should be extra careful," he advised. "The weather looks good now, but it's gonna take a turn for the worse later." How he knew this, he didn't elaborate.

Another girl hopped in line, an Eevee perched on her shoulder, asking if she could tag along on their ride. Keegan smiled in a friendly sort of way. "I'm not here to rent a ride," he said. "I've got my own. But hey, if you cuties want a proper tour, I'd be happy to drive you around the region!" he offered, a casual air about him. Then came Ryker's 'get lost' comment and Keegan followed it with, "Maybe don't do that. A desert isn't the best place to get lost, for obvious reasons."

Keegan glanced to the side as person came to stand by the side of the counter, just next to him. "Apologies," he told the older-than-him trainer. "Just getting some quick police business over with, we won't hold up the line much longer!"

What had he thought about Ryker? That he was playing at being subtle? About as subtle as a Rhyhorn in an antique shop! The manager came out, asking for a warrant, Ryker's well-thought out response was a thinly veiled threat. Keegan had to bite his tongue, literally, to keep from sing-songing out 'cops don't do that!' as a reminder to his friend. Would anyone else notice Ryker's threat? The two girls right in line behind them were probably close enough to catch the implication, if not full-on witness the whole exchange. The middle-aged person at the side of the counter had a full view. Outwardly, Keegan kept smiling away.

Teh Frixz Lilure blitzfritz

 

[Zedalith]

Vegas Riviera

The Journalist

Krabby Club

smooth sailing

interactions

mimitchi

His musings had a way of stealing him away from the world that he inhabited. Sight, hearing, smell, taste–all senses were lost, instead, he devoted the full heft of his processing power to his craft. Forming connections, finding leads, and knowing where to look next. Were it not for the drama of it, he would have fancied himself a detective instead. His pen lifted and he took the approaching moments to study the page he held. A list of names was scribed to the notebook. The contents were visible with a simple look over his shoulder.

A barkeep would be a tool well used, to be rusted and battered until it lost its luster. And now, the additional entry is formally put to paper: “a barkeep in Krabby Club. Not a friendly face, but I am certain that he will reach out.” Beneath it were several more entries: the name of a gardener, a tour guide, a taxi driver.

He began to get up to turn and leave, when something skitted nearby, too fast to follow. His eyes snapped to the source, while his hands clapped the notebook shut. A heartbeat passed and the source of the movement stilled. Closer inspection told him that the thing was just a mere Minccino. It scattered dust in the spots that it touched. Tiny hands worked frantically to clean, heedless of who was in the firing line. An involuntary cough loosened from his neck, spurred by the inhalation of dust. His smile shrunk while he tapped an impatient finger at the edge of the table.

Minccino. Native to Unova … Vegas would recall. Bellagio had grown too curious once and consumed one of these Pokemon the moment his trainer turned his eyes. Unluckily for Vegas, the poor Garchomp’s digestive system was not well acquainted with Unova fauna and it spent some days afterward coughing up puffs of fur. Not a pleasant memory. It made the sight of one much more damaging to his sensibilities.

His pen found the bottom of his chin. Soothing circular motions were rubbed into his skin while he watched the Pokemon work. Their likely trainer, shadowing them, approached the man as he sat.

“Watch them more closely next time. It could get in some serious trouble if it does that to the wrong person,” he warned, voice low. He had meant to rebuke them further with a firm scowl, but after making eye contact with the offender, something struck him. A memory. Not distant, but one he could not quite place. He craned his head at the neck and leaned forward. The back of his pen tapped the bottom of his chin. Once. Then twice.

“You look familiar,” he stated, after a brief pause of appraisal. She was not from around these parts, that much was obvious. She had a homely look about her, but it looked more like an outfit than a truth. As if a movie director spent the day ruminating over what Bystander #5 should wear and presented this outfit as a result. Vegas studied the contours of her face. The pores of her skin looked well cared for. Undoubtedly, the result of many mornings poring over some strenuous skin-care routine. Not standard for the usual profile of a denizen of Orre–whose mornings probably consisted of deciding which pickaxe they should take in for work today.

Without warning, his eyes became alight with electricity. Like a memory had directly beamed itself inside of his mind. His soft smile became more coy as his lips parted to start a soft hum. Gradually, as the crescendo built, it became obvious that he was humming an off-tune version of the hit song, “Mimic You.” His hand shaped into a finger gun as he pointed at her.

“Estella! That’s it,” he spoke into the air, as the full realization was made clear. He nodded his head to affirm his thought. Now, he pressed himself to find out whether this encounter was a mere coincidence or a grudge. The latter was an unpleasant scenario, but not so uncommon in his industry. Current evidence points to the former theory. Vegas had not known her well enough to decide whether she’d be so crude as to confront him herself, rather than hiring some musclehead to do it for her.

“I heard about … the incident,” his voice became low–as if he were telling a secret in private. “Grisly affair, that."

“Don’t tell me that Mimikyu is around here somewhere,” his eyes shifted through the room, in a feigned, frantic, pattern. “Didn’t some kid who witnessed your little incident have to get treated for PTSD? Should you be outside right now?” he spoke, with a voice laced with skepticism.

 

[blitzfritz]

Louisa Shaw​

Spoiler: Current Status

Location: Orre Region, Gateon Port, Shellder Shack Hotel

Current Team:

> Minsk the Scizor // Female, Technician // Healthy

> Billy the Honchkrow // Male, Super Luck // Healthy

> Fives the Golett // Genderless, Iron Fist // Healthy

> Karnak the Druddigon // Female, Mold Breaker // Healthy

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Watching the conversation as the blondie tried to diffuse the situation, Louisa giving a small dismissive wave when Keegan apologized for the wait. She was just observing after all, no need to cause a ruckus. What the dark-haired man did next, though, immediately put the trainer on edge; they caught a view of him flashing his Pokémon to the manager in a thinly veiled threat. She had the sinking feeling that neither man were cops, and such a fact made their stomach drop.

Louisa's body had tensed a little as she watched the manager shy away from the threat and hand over the records as asked. As much as they wanted to confront the two for intimidation, she didn't want to cause a scene as a non-local. The one problem, with her tensed nature at the moment, was that Karnak had a bit of a bad habit of forcing herself out of her Pokéball to defend her trainer from a perceived life-threatening situation, even if it meant charging and snarling at the presumed aggressor. One problem, which Louisa realized would've turned this situation south extremely fast if they didn't step in to calm themselves down.

With a quick glance towards Keegan with what almost was certainly a disappointed look of "I saw what your friend did, and I don't approve of it" behind her aviators, Ms. Shaw shot her dominant hand to latch itself onto Karnak's Pokéball to keep the Druddigon calm as they pushed themselves off the counter and stepped towards the two women who were brushed off. Clearing their throat, Louisa spoke as she tapped Iris' shoulder that didn't have a perched Eevee on it, "Excuse me, missus. I hate to interrupt, but I heard that you both needed rides into the desert?"

"I rented out a private buggy for some trips of my own, but the both of you are welcome to come with me if you'd like!" A simple offer, with a composed smile, but the glances she gave to Keegan and Ryker were of a wary, cautious sort. She didn't know if they had strong Pokémon on them, especially since her Johto League team and Championship metal was still back in Unova, in her father's possession for safekeeping. They would fight if needed though- trainer's honor or something like that.

Gold. Teh Frixz Lilure

 

[mimitchi]

cw: brief mentions of creepy fan behavior

​

@fluticasone

start of cs copy paste + specific variables for images

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KRABBY CLUB | VEGAS | Zedalith ​

"I'll be more careful next time!" Estella's promise was polite and sunny. Leaning forward, she ready to scoop her beloved Muffin into her welcoming arms until she caught the man's pink eyes scrutinizing her appearance. She cringed. Gross, was he checking her out? Couldn't he at least try to be subtle about it? Her mouth fell open, but before she could voice her concerns, she was slammed with three, horrifying words.

You look familiar.

Estella stiffened. Her curious gaze met his as the corners of her lips dipped into a thoughtful frown. There was no chance he actually recognized her, especially in a dump like Orre, right? Maybe he mistook her for an old classmate from kindergarten or a coworker he once worked with. Of course, her hopes were soon dashed when the humming began, hitting her like a tidal wave.

Her bubblegum-pink manicured nails dug into the soft flesh of her palm. It hadn't been 24 hours and someone had already recognized her, even with her boring braids and (somewhat) inexpensive set of clothes! Worst of all, his humming was atrocious! Even a Chatot could perform the song better than his useless ass!

Despite this, his off-key humming made one thing crystal clear: he wasn't a fan. She almost wanted to tell him to shut up, because the second-hand embarrassment was becoming excruciating, but froze at the mention of the incident. Time seemed to have stopped. For a moment, she was thrown back into the bustling venue where large hands, caked with sweat, squeezed hers like a lifeline.

"You were performing that song on stage for me, weren't you?"

A lump formed in her throat. Anger and humiliation threatened to boil over as she watched him mock her and Dollie, calling it a grisly affair. Trauma? The only one traumatized was her beloved Mimikyu who received the brunt of the backlash whenever she went out!

Her hand twitched. As tempting as it was to slap that feigned fear off his face, the last thing she wanted was to appear on the news for attacking a "defenseless" man. Swallowing the lump in her throat like a bitter pill, she pinched her brows and pressed her lips together into a confused pout. "Um...I'm sorry, but I think you had too many drinks....my name isn't Estella..." She feigned an awkward tone. Offering him a pitying smile, her gaze swept across the bartop---now spotless thanks to Muffin's hardwork--until something caught her eye.

A plastic cup, half-empty with soda, left unattended by a patron.

"...well, I should really get going! Come on, Muffy, let's hurry and meet up with uncle! I want to drink in the sights of Orre!" Her index finger curled, beckoning the Mincinno to follow her. Hesitation flashed across the Pokémon's face, but with a obedient cry of "mi!", she slapped the cup down with her fluffy tail, spilling its contents all over the bartop. Whether it dirtied Vegas' clothes or his notebook, Estella didn't care as she returned the normal-type into her luxury ball before she could regret her actions and start cleaning on impulse. Without another word, she turned her back on him and started walking away.

end of cs copy paste, insert next

 

[Teh Frixz]

Kira
If her eyes could have possibly rolled any harder there might have been a strong chance they could have generated enough lift to carry Kira back to Sinnoh. These sorts of towns with this sort of people. Getting lumped in with tourists when she’d been up ready to go since before the sun had even risen fully. Back home she’d have gotten her transportation and already been surveying before the crooks were out of bed and the fake customer reps were still working on ingesting enough caffeine to put on their ‘nice’ faces.

These guys couldn’t have been cops, they looked young and honestly, she’d yet to have met any cop that didn’t have a sort of world weariness on them. The two boys, they had a hunger in their eyes. A fire that hadn’t been crushed by the bureaucracy of governmental work. If they were cops, they were new and already messing up.

Her eyes returned to their starting point on the long journey of rolling, Kira crossing her arms.

“A group ride would be nice but I’m not looking for a tour or some sort of day trip, I’m registered and permitted to do surveying here in Orre. Weather or other people notwithstanding…”

She trailed off, looking at the crowd gathering as management came up to the opposite side of the desk. One of the ‘cops’ flashed something in his jacket and Kira clicked her tongue in displeasure, turning away to see probably the most beautiful man she’d ever seen walk in. His presence was almost distracting and the pikachu on his shoulder didn’t help. She shook her head once as if to clear it, looking back at the woman offering a ride.

“Yeah, It’s appreciated but with the reputation Orre is already living up to, I’d rather take something official. Apparently receipts and records are a big deal out here and I’d like to stay on the books.”

Gold. CHUUYAS_HAT blitzfritz

 

[Zedalith]

Vegas Riviera

The Journalist

Krabby Club

smooth sailing

interactions

mimitchi

Admiration and curiosity alike had swirled through his eyes. He carefully took in the sight of the star-smitten idol blatantly spitting in the face of truth. That fragrant act of stonewalling was enough to provoke his smile to curl. Her hurried gait, the twist of the brow, and those tightly pressed lips–it was an unspoken story told in the form of her body language. She was an idol, not an actress. His shoulders shrugged, while a sly grin planted itself onto his lips. “I see. Alcohol has a way of fogging the mind. Maybe you’re right, and I’m wrong,” he cooed in a sing-song prattle.

A flick of the tail caused a plastic cup to spin. His eyes snapped to the source, only to turn in time to witness the container spill out its sticky ichor. It dripped from the table, bright purple contents splashing across his coat like a canvas to an abstract painting. The lackadaisical joy in his face became deafened. Amid the ashes of its dying breath, he donned a mask of displeasure.

His boot stomped from the barstool into the puddle that the drink left behind. It splashed under his heel with a wet, popping, squelch.

He carved a path to her position, not allowing her the time to gain distance. His gloved hand snapped to her bicep, not forceful–yet not gentle enough to allow for much movement. “I’m a world away from the little fanboy your Mimikyu tore up. Don’t try anything stupid,” he warned, his voice notably lacking the whimsicality that usually carried it. Low, dangerous, with a threatening rumble to each syllable. At his side, the remainder of the freshly spilled soda continued to drip from his coattails.

The few bystanders lining the business took notice. Several curious eyes fell on the pair, with some looking like they were preparing to step in if things went awry.

“Running away from this won’t be enough to fix this,” he reprimanded, like a teacher rebuking the behavior of a misbehaved child. His grip tightened around her arm while he hovered over her–his presence as heavy as the shadow of a guillotine’s blade. Onlookers continued to watch the incident play out with cautious eyes.

“Luckily for you, we can make this blemish on your stardom disappear,” his voice was high now, chipper–as if the assault against him had never happened. He released her, his soured mood dissipating as soon as it had come. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a card and brought its contents close enough to read:

Vegas Riviera
Lead Journalist at PokéScope
Vegas.reviera@PokéScope.com
Reach me at XXX-XXX-XXXX

He held the card with his index and ring finger, before pushing it to fall somewhere within her bag. “Maybe it was all just one big misunderstanding? Your victim was just a pathetic fan telling a lie–all because you denied his advances,” he suggested, with a voice low enough that only she might hear. “At least… that is the story we can tell,” he claimed. His smile was bright, with a set of canine teeth too big for his face. It was wide, predatory, more fitting for a Mightyena than a man.

Stepping away from the idol, he took a spot in front of her, with his back holding open the door to the establishment. “In return. I’ll only ask for a favor.” He retreated away from her further, pushing the door open wide enough to feel the arid kiss of sea-drenched air on his pores.

“Perform for me,” his voice was oddly distinct as he spoke those disgustingly familiar words. His glare was both intrusive and insectile, as if he were looking through her, rather than at her.

“If you are interested–just give me a call! I'll even let you pick the venue!” he cried into the open air, letting the door shut hard behind him.

 

[CHUUYAS_HAT]

Pokémon

!

Sands of Darkness ♡

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• h
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  location

  
  

  Orre Region.

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Time

  
  

  Day.

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
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  weather

  
  

  Weather's Perfect!

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  
• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  attendance

  
  

  here!

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  mentions

  
  

  Teh Frixz

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

after day

music writing

the scene

...

Albedo glanced around, hearing an end of the argument just before brewing. The whispers aligned with calmed down and seemed to slightly lift in a more jovial manner to lighten the mood. He himself wasn't sure about sharing a ride with strangers to the desert-just like one had mentioned around the counter. After all, nobody would know if the person besides you on your ride did anything. Stealing, harming, the sort. Albedo would probably have taken the offer though, because having some others tour around with him gave some sort of relief. He glanced slightly towards his shoulder.

"Ah, well since we're here, I might as well make most of my time. I'm pretty sure I left it inside one of the smaller pockets-if you could get it bud?"

He spoke softly to not avert attention to him, and Pikachu responded with another "Pi!". The Pokémon turned around, leaning forward to stretch onto his backpack that was slung over his shoulder. This was more convenient rather than just taking his bag off and rummaging through it. Soon enough, the zipper to a pocket sounded twice and a small gadget appeared within Pikachu's grasp. Albedo took it into his own hands, twirling it around before shifting it on.

A voice recorder-something he was able to change voices with and morph it into a slightly appealing melody. After that, he'd either keep it for memories or set it in one of his newest songs so it blended in with natural noises. The busy audience was clearly enough, and after some button clicking, he was able to capture the unclear voices of people. This tape would most likely just show proof of his journey in Orre, kept in a smaller stash. But if he did choose to use it, he could just easily stretch it to an hour so it sounded like calm music-but he preferred making more of songs that could hide the true sources of the ones he used instead of just copy and pasting a sound of a bird chirping or something.

Upon the likings of recording everything, and soon stopping after 30 seconds, Albedo wasn't a sucker for these type of things either. Pokemon sounds are what he fetched for, either to just collect them to show how many he interacted with-being really friendly with the creatures helped with that-or to be able to sneakily hide maybe a Squirtle's squeak into a high pitched tune of his audios. Yet, he hadn't really let much see his before work-just sold few discs here and there of his music. Showing the melodies in general to someone felt icky-not to be discovered just yet but could be soon.

♡coded by uxie♡

 

[Lilure]

"Eh..." Was the only noise that left Iris as she stared, somewhat stunned, somewhat intimidated at the back of the dark-haired officer's shoulders. "Get lost?" she wondered. She didn't know a lot of police officers, but the ones she did were all super nice and helpful. The kind eyes and crinkling laugh lines of Mr. Miya's face popped into her head. He was with InterPol, but that was still an officer, right? She could never imagine him speaking to a citizen so harshly. "I'm... sorry," Iris offered, somewhat awkwardly. She certainly hadn't meant to be causing any problems, or worse--obstruction of justice! What if she got arrested!

Fortunately, the man's blonde partner was much nicer, and even somewhat accommodating. His counter joke to his companion's 'get lost' was enough to draw out a smile and a small laugh from the girl, enough that she managed to gloss over the fact that she thought he had just suggested she was cute. "A tour would be nice," she agreed. Having a local police officer to escort her didn't seem like a bad idea! Especially with all the recent hullabaloo, if she could tell her friends she was with law enforcement, everyone would probably feel a little bit better.

Still though... Iris cocked her head, asking, "Aren't you very busy with your work though? I don't want to interrupt any of it." Were these guys okay? The more she examined the pair of them, the more she wasn't so sure. Iris didn't like to judge people, especially not be appearance, but they seemed like the rough and tumble types. Not bad, per se, but warranting extra caution, perhaps? And, contrary to her friends' teasing, she didn't up and decide to travel with every person she met. These two were police officers, not dedicated Pokémon trainers. It wouldn't be like joining with Lorcan and Xander, or inviting Aster to tag along. That's what was different here, right?

A tap on her shoulder and Stella's soft exclamation of, "Eevui!" drew Iris out of her musings. Her Eevee had gone from staring down the dark-haired man to curiously looking at an older woman who'd appeared at Iris side. Delight immediately shot through the brunette when she noticed the newcomer gripping a Pokéball at her belt. A trainer! This was perfect! What was even more perfect was what she said next!

"Oh, would that really be okay?" Iris asked, though the excitement in her voice was clear. "I don't want to impose on your trip or anything, I'd be happy to pay you!" she said. Going off into the desert with somewhat suspicious police officers? Nah. Going off into the desert with a fellow trainer? That was perfectly fine. "Thank you so much for the offer, my name is Iris!" she said, sticking a hand out. "And this is Stella. What kind of Pokémon are you training?" The smile on her face was radiant, her thrill at possibly discussing Pokémon was palpable. The other girl she'd wanted to ride with, the surveyor, declined the offer. Wanting to stay on book was a good idea, but the eldest of the current group seemed okay to Iris, and that was good enough for her. Plus, Stella seemed a lot more interested in their offer than the one from the officer.

Interacting With:
Gold. blitzfritz Teh Frixz (mentioned!)

 

[Gold.]

Ryker
~
The draw to a belt clip immediately caught Ryker's eye--years of paranoia and real life experience, probably. There was an older person, one he hadn't been paying attention to before, with a death grip on one of their Pokéballs. In response, without thought, Ryker's own hand flew to his belt, shoulders only relaxing a hair when his fingers caught the familiar cool metal. At the touch, he felt Drax stir, curious. It was unusual that he called his ace day-to-day, so an out-of-sorts situation tended to spark the larger Pokémon's interest. Inhaling a tiny, hopefully imperceptible deep breath, he made a conscious decision to shift his grip from Drax's Pokéball to Spike's instead. Drax was a no-no, even in good spaces. This one was especially bad for Ryker's battling style, meaning the best way to make sure no one get hurt by flying sand or razor wings was to pick actually the smallest option. Amber eyes tore up and down the offender's posture, examining their face, listening intently as they offered to give a lift to the Eevee girl and the annoying surveyor. Were they looking for a fight? Maybe not. Maybe just posturing, so to speak.

Air flared hot and fast as he exhaled through his nose and shoved his way froward. He didn't care if he bumped into anyone. They were expected to move out of his way, or get run over. As he went, he kept the hotel's ledger tucked tightly under one arm, pressing it into his ribcage. These people were stupid tourists. No one was going to try to rip it out of his hand. Ryker knew this objectively. Still, he held it close. Not even checking to see if Keegan was following, Ryker cut through the crowd without another word, slamming the heel of his hand into the front door and shoving it open so he could stride outside. Salt caught in his nose as the light sea breeze tussled his hair once again. A flock of Wingull called out above. Ryker sighed, flipping the book up and examining the worn leather cover as he shuffled out of the hotel entryway, taking shelter in the shadow of an old awning. This damn thing better have a lead.

Keegan
~
"I mean, I can always put work on hold to show a cute girl around!" Keegan said cheerfully, replying directly to Iris' statement. As the elder trainer moved to stand beside the girl, Keegan watched her hand go to a Pokéball at her side. Almost instinctively, his eyes darted to the side. Sure enough, Ryker responded predictably, and the air was suddenly thick with tension. Keegan struggled to swallow. He wasn't gonna start a fight now, was he? But no. Ryker stormed forward and Keegan released the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. His eyes trailed over to the trainer again, a weary apology and an 'yo we're cool tho right?' in his gaze. Sighing, Keegan resigned that Iris seemed to be going off the this other trainer. Which, he got it, it made sense. Still. She seemed like she would've been more fun to hang out with than playing Ryker's referee all day like usual. "Hey," he said to Iris, fishing around in his pocket and then withdrawing a piece of paper and a pen. He started to scribble on it. "Good luck out there! If you change your mind or run into any trouble, feel free to call me." Then, he offered her a slip of paper with surprisingly neat handwriting: Keegan Cross, and then his phone/Pokégear number.

"Even if you're here to survey, you should still be careful," Keegan said, turning his attention to the survey girl now. "You seem experienced at your job, but Orre isn't like most other places you've probably been to. The weather turns fast and it's the number one killer out here." Welllllll.... desert-related deaths were super high in Orre. But sometimes it was hard to tell if someone got lost and died or if their body had been left out there after. Of course, he wasn't gonna say that to a tourist.

Keegan looked over the crowd then, smiling apologetically. "Thank you all for your patience and cooperation! You can all get back to your normal business now, thanks for supporting OPD!"

Lilure Teh Frixz blitzfritz CHUUYAS_HAT (generally)

 

[mimitchi]

@fluticasone

start of cs copy paste + specific variables for images

banner area

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KRABBY CLUB | VEGAS | Zedalith ​

Disgust flashed across Estella's face when Vegas gripped her arm, and she squeezed the luxury ball in her hand. Grabbing and intimidating a lady in a public setting? Either this man was an idiot or he had guts. Most likely both. Though she schooled her expression to a more neutral one, a wry smile formed on her lips. It was oddly satisfying to put a dent in his friendly facade. "Woooow. A spilled drink was enough to piss you off, huh?" She remarked, yet her eye twitched at the threat. Anger bubbled inside her chest; was he seriously expecting her to start crying and pleading for forgiveness? As much as she wanted to maintain her image as a cutesy tourist, her self-control began to dwindle with each passing second.

One of the luxury balls inside her bag trembled.

"...hey, have you ever wondered what's under a Mimikyu's rag?" Her voice was languid and quiet, a striking contrast to the grimace twisting her lovely features. "Because you'll definitely be the first and last to find out if you don't get your shitty hands off me, jackass. Don't fucking test me." Manicured nails dug into his hand as she glowered at him, eyes shining with defiance.

It vanished like soap bubbles, however, once he released her. The violent shaking of the luxury ball ceased as well. She shot him an incredulous glare before directing her attention to the business card. Vegas Riviera? That name sounded vaguely familiar. What caught her attention were the words "lead journalist" and "PokéScope". She sucked in her breath.

Shit. This wasn't some run-of-the-mill writer or journalist from a tiny town. The bastard had influence. Hundreds, no, thousands of eyes who scanned his articles as though they were written by Arceues itself. She clicked her tongue. She definitely needed to tread carefully unless she wanted him to drag her reputation through the mud.

Brushing off the imaginary dust and germs off her arm, Estella opened her mouth to speak, but froze at the offer. A way out of this mess...and he was dangling it over her head, mocking her, as though she were a starving Meowth craving a morsel. Worse of all, he was most likely expecting something in return. Perhaps dirt on a celebrities or vital company secrets. People loved hearing about that crap.

"...perform?" Her guesses were shot down. Dread crawled up her spine as the urge to vomit rose. 'Perform for me'? How did he...no, it had to be a coincidence. There was no way he'd know the specifics of what that scum said to her that day. Unless...

"...get back here." The idol's voice was a whisper as she watched him leave the establishment. "Get your ass back here, dammit! Hey!" Gritting her teeth, she pushed the doors open.

end of cs copy paste, insert next

 

[blitzfritz]

Louisa Shaw​

Spoiler: Current Status

Location: Orre Region, Gateon Port, Shellder Shack Hotel

Current Team:

> Minsk the Scizor // Female, Technician // Healthy

> Billy the Honchkrow // Male, Super Luck // Healthy

> Fives the Golett // Genderless, Iron Fist // Healthy

> Karnak the Druddigon // Female, Mold Breaker // Healthy

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

The draw to the belt clip on Ryker only served to confirm Louisa's suspicions, but she was reserved to let her Pokémon out to fight. They realized that the move they made to prevent Karnak from popping out could've been seen as a challenge, so with a sigh the former champion released their hold on the Druddigon, shrugging at Keegan's gaze as she turned her attention to the two women whom she asked about a ride for. The surveyor declined the offer, which Ms. Shaw gave a nod of understanding for, but the Eevee trainer was rather excited to get a ride across Orre with an older trainer whom seemingly knew their stuff.

"Oh, it's quite alright, I don't mind. No need to pay me, either, the company is payment enough." A softer tone taken for the brunette; a warm smile compared to the sharp caution taken for the two trainers who claimed they were cops. Her name was Iris, and her Eevee's name was Stella; Taking the girl's hand in a handshake, the trainer responded, "Louisa Shaw. Pleasure to meet." They would prefer to have their acting career on the down low when off work, so they would refrain from mentioning it. Before they could respond to Iris' question, though, Keegan slipped in to hand a node to the girl, offering his help if she was in trouble. Hopefully she wouldn't need his help, from the company he keeps.

Once he stepped away, bidding farewell to the folk of the hotel, she turned her attention back to Iris to answer her question. "I'm currently with a second team at the moment while here in Orre. I'll be able to show them once we're on the way, if you're ready to leave?" With that, Louisa stepped back, giving a polite wave towards the younger trainer as they spoke, "I'll wait for you right outside in case you need to grab anything." She didn't want to pressure Iris into leaving, but with how stressful the interaction between the supposed cops and the former champion was, they had half a mind to confront them in an open space if the broody dark-haired trainer was hostile. And plus, some fresh air is always nice.

With that, Louisa was already slipping past the dispersing crowd, muttering apologies to anyone they bumped into. Once outside under the overhang, however, they breathed out a sigh before walking to the far edge of the porch to pull out the buggy keys to wait for Iris. They didn't want trouble with anyone, but the morning was full of surprises.

Teh Frixz Gold. Lilure

 

[CHUUYAS_HAT]

Orre Region, Lobby

Code by Serobliss

Gold. ---- blitzfritz ---- Lilure

Iono Suzuki

It wasn't before long when the commotion had started to die down. Due to a few people protesting and wondering when things would get back in order, one of the officers of the duet had stormed off. Jeez, what had gotten into him? If Iono could just squint a bit further to see what happened before hand, she would've saw the tension between two people with hands on their belts. Talk about a grand exit and entrance. Who knew the trainers working for the higher status could be like this. Every civilian in here did nothing, but that clearly wasn't the case. The search for something had went wrong. Yet who was she to care. She had just got interrupted from her internal solitude of peace.

Now that the man had disappeared, the other one giving off a light announcement for things to turn back to normal, she let out a long sigh. One of the people from the group that was latched to the front counter also left, leaving and offer with a younger trainer Iono already had her eyes on. She too wanted to have the crowd disperse, and for her ride to just magically appear and get her out of here. But this also brought another idea to her mind. She had been so focused on the chaos and not on her art that she forgotten about it. Her sketchpad was tucked away still, but inspiration sparked more interest inside Iono.

Emotion 4; Anger.
Emotion 13; Relief.
Emotion 27; Weariness.

Iono had charted things like these back at home, and practically memorized them.

Perhaps she didn't see people for who they were, but rather just equations in a form of crafts. Negative feelings never really swelled in her drawings-whether she threw them away in disgust despite admiration from others, or just couldn't find a perfect way to do the picture right. If she tried now, perhaps it'd all go in vain, but it'd be better than anything else. A frown flipped over to her face as she thought about it. Iono wouldn't be able to get the idea off her mind so easily, but she fretted over losing the sole purpose of it in the first place. A few tugs on her hair to make sure she wasn't losing her mind, before Iono marched right behind the chattering people. Everyone else-the watchers-were starting to do that, now not in just a circle. She would need to be on of the first people there in line since she hadn't even signed up for a buggy yet!

"Eyes up front or leave the lane! It kinda offends the people who are waiting in a time cramp. It's typically annoying to me that everyone around here thinks they can play the hero role or something."

The words flying from her mouth weren't directed to anyone in particular, but rather something to show that she was in a rush and waned things to move more quickly. Having an argument, deal, bargain, bet-whatever it was in a lobby like this wasn't ideal. The tourists in here had not shown such manners recently. Iono had made sure to do some research on that for etiquette, but a few mistakes here and there would happen, obviously, according to the correct situation. Though, Orre definitely did not take much care into safety...Iono knew saying those things out loud might take her straight to hell and whatnot, since the jobs around here in Orre were probably overflowing with people who are trying to protect others.

 

[ScatheAriiasqDrayceon]

Orre region, Shellder Shack

blitzfritz​

Teh Frixz Gold. Lilure (mentioned)

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Whatever was going on in there, they were making a whole lotta noise. A whole lotta angry-stressed-baring-teeth noise. If they were in the woods instead of posted atop a building, they would be worried, but as it was, it was a smug sense of safety that kept them listening.

Arii wasn't surprised when the cop they'd marked earlier burst out of the building trailing angry-frustrated. In his hands, a sheet of paper. They keened an ear toward him but didn't move from their place atop the Shellder Shack's awning. The place hadn't seen a renovation as long as they'd been there, and the ocean salt had eaten away at the wood fit to loosen it from its fixings. Their perch was already a loose, precarious sort of thing, like a young branch in a storm. Besides, he was close enough, and they didn't fancy a dip in the harbor just to escape one bitchy cop if he did decide to chase them.

This would be all well and good if the Shellder Shack wasn't somewhat of a high-traffic area.

The porch of the shack shuddered with footsteps, sending them wobbling atop their support post. They could handle someone walking off toward main street. The central walkway was far better maintained than the older, wrap-around porch, anyway.

Except... the footsteps did not stop.

A startled, strangled squawk passed their teeth as the rattling, unsteadying movement passed by their spot, and as they tore their gaze away from the cop under the awning, the wind turned just enough that their precarious perch began to lean. They heard a nail squeal from the wood it was embedded into, and decided all at once to vacate.

They leapt just as the pole gave out from under them. The wood crashed to the cobbled streets and splintered into shards like glass, its absence under them like a cliffside drop. But they were airborne, and wings were unfortunately out of the genetic lottery for them, so they cringed, and prepared to take an ugly fall.

Their launching point gone and half their momentum lost to the air, instead of landing silently atop the second floor windowsill, they hit the brickwork under it with a wet smack, like a magikarp on pavement. The extra five they had tucked into their coat wriggled free from their chest pocket, drifting to the ground like a loose leaf as they scrabbled on masonry worn smooth by that blasted ocean air. The five pokedollar note settled gently on the cobblestone streets.

And was followed immediately by their full weight as they thumped pathetically onto the mess they had just made in an unruly pile of overlong limbs and olive-colored cloth.

Above, claws and keratin rasped on brick, though it was hard to hear over the distinct ringing in their ears. He wouldn't come down to meet them, they knew. His overwatch was too important to blow it for a couple of bruises and a somewhat ugly scrape. Still, they could hear the agitated lashing of his tail, the silent command to move that they couldn't seem to abide by at the moment.