victory_road | EV News Broadcast

[The EV News Logo flashes on the screen as a fairly suspenseful stinger plays. The logo disappears, replaced by a reporter standing at the foot of Mt. Mortar, the sky above dark and foreboding. A group of mingled Officer Jennies and Pokemon Rangers mill in the background, frazzled and tired, yet still they seem to be guiding wild Pokemon away from the mountain. When the reporter talks, their voice is...loud? Specifically, and strangely enough, they’re shouting, covering one ear with their free hand.]

Breaking news from Mt. Mortar on the activities of the Legendary Beasts: after over two weeks of Entei, Raikou, and Suicune making repeated bold appearances throughout the regions and bringing with them drastic shifts in weather phenomena, it seems that--

[There is suddenly a deafening roar, and even the cameraman flinches, causing the feed to dip slightly. Many of the wild Pokemon scramble to flee in wake of the sound, and the Jennies and Rangers move after them, calling for them to come back. As the roar begins to fade, the camera pans up, focusing on an outcropping high on the mountain. Just visible over the cliff’s edge, Entei paws the ground and tosses its head, letting out a few supplemental growls as its roar peters out. Then the feed shifts quickly to the right, to an opposing outcropping, where Raikou stands, electricity flaring along its back. It roars in return, and various wild Pokemon emerge from the crags and caves to flee the sound; Zubat flock out from the darkness, Rattata burst out of bushes, Geodudes come rolling down ledges...when the reporter clears their throat, the camera quickly pans back down to them.]

Er...it is clear that Entei and Raikou have decided to contain their spat to one location. Their roars, beginning just this morning, have scattered local wild Pokemon and echo out through much of northern Johto. Many citizens in Mahogany Town, Blackthorn City, and Ecruteak City have already reported the sound carrying clearly across miles and into their homes, and with evening in sight, it clear that neither legend has run out of steam--

[Another roar echoes out, followed by a response. It’s almost as if Entei and Raikou know they’re being talked about, because it seems like they’re even than they were half a minute ago. The reporter opens their mouth to speak when the roars begin to fade, only to glance away, pressing that hand on their ear harder.]

No one has been able to try to climb the mountain to reach the Beasts as of yet, and even trained Pokemon are refusing to venture much further than the entrance, but this just in - there may yet be a way to calm these legends yet! The monks of Ecruteak City’s Bell Tower have come forward with new-- er-- old information. C… can we get them live? Patch them in-

[The footage cuts with a jump to the outside of the Bell Tower, as a bald, robed monk speaks calmly into the microphone thrust before him. Raikou’s response roar still echoes in the background, slightly delayed.]

--Ancient texts depicting similar misfortune befalling the regions have been unearthed from our archives, speaking of an escalating trickery brought down unto man by the three Beasts, spiraling into a great feud. Through deep study, we have gleaned that historical instances of this behavior have been brought on by the mysterious absence of Ho-Oh, the legendary bird Pokemon who created them long ago. However, because this has not happened in many hundreds of years... our records are incomplete. That said, we DO believe that somewhere in our collected scrolls and tomes, there may be more clues towards solving the problem.

[The monk smiles, just slightly.]

After all, the Beasts have not been engaged in this spat for centuries, have they?

[Smile disappearing almost as quickly as it appeared, lest anyone think for even a second that the monks actually have a sense of humor, he continues.]

However, we are very short-handed, and there is much material to comb through.

In the interest of hopefully resolving this building calamity as soon as possible, we at the Bell Tower would like to extend an invitation to any volunteers willing to aid us in our research. Food and lodgings will be provided, and any travel costs accrued will be refunded by Gym Leader Morty.

[The feed cuts off there to return to the reporter at Mt. Mortar, covering both ears on the tail-end of another roar. There’s a number scrolling past at the bottom of the screen, and a Jenny is standing alongside her, also grimacing and covering her ears. ]

Those interested can call the number below for more information on how to volunteer at the Bell Tower. For those who may not be research-inclined but still would like to help, the task force here at Mt. Mortar is also putting out a call for volunteer efforts. Jenny?

[The Jenny nods, still wincing, and shouts to be heard.]

Because of the severe dry heat and heightened chance of lightning strike caused by Entei and Raikou, the entire Mt. Mortar territory is now under severe risk of forest fire! We’re looking for trainers-- particularly those with strong, level-headed water-type Pokemon who can stay calm under pressure-- to come help maintain control here on-site. This will include corralling wild Pokemon and evacuating other trainers may have been hiking or camping on the mountain!

In case of emergency, trainers with the appropriate badges to use "Fly" and "Surf" are preferred!

[The newscaster nods, and the Jenny quickly hurries back off to rejoin the efforts.]

Thank you, Officer. Now, onto our next segme-- oh! B-breaking news!

_{[This poor anchorperson. They look EXHAUSTED, but quickly launch into what is obviously an entirely new set of information now being fed to them on the teleprompter.]}

We have just received reports from our eastern branch that sightings of a different Legendary trio have begun popping up in the southernmost waters of the Kanto region!

_{[The program cuts to a shaky video not unlike the one of Entei in that poor Violet resident’s backyard-- except this time, it’s out on the beaches just south of Fuchsia, and the subject is a glimmering blue creature winging its way back out onto the water. There’s something in its talons--.... A giant sack of Sitrus Berries?!!]

[The view swings around to the direction the bird was coming from, and judging by all the people on that cargo boat angrily waving their fists, Articuno just swooped in and stole their entire shipment right off the deck.]

[And then the view swings around again, this time onto… OH HEY! There’s a familiar face! It’s Legend Seeker Greg, or 'that guy who hijacked the Celebi Festival broadcast to talk about his cryptid-hunting club and then dabbed on national television'. And he is so excited he can barely get the words out fast enough to keep up with his own mouth.]}

HIVIEWERSITSMELEGENDSEEKERGREG LUGIA IS HERE!!

LUGIA!!

IS!!

HERE!!

My brothers and I have-- [He fumbles to whip out what seems to be a literal collage of blurry photographs, maps, and bits of yarn connecting them all together, waving it in front of the camera like a lunatic.] --PROOF that Lugia is RIGHT HERE IN KANTO, and we’ve even TRIANGULATED his location to the SEAFOAM ISLANDS!

[He pauses to take a breath. He looks really proud that he just got to use the word 'triangulated'.]

--THAT’S RIGHT! You heard it here! LUGIA is on the SEAFOAM ISLANDS, and his sweet baby birds have been taking food and other goodies back to him! I wish they would bring ME some Sitrus Berries!

OF COURSE, us Legend Seekers are ON the JOB-- starting YESTERDAY, we’re heading to the SEAFOAM ISLANDS to prove that Lugia is hashtag CONFI-- whoops!

_{[He tried to dab and film himself at the same time, which just resulted in his camera flying off into the sand. And the video ends there, cutting back to Mt. Mortar.]

[Where the anchorperson is visibly cringing now for more reasons than just the continued roaring. That’s no way to treat a camera for Arceus’ sake....]}

... T…. thank you, Legend Seeker Greg… um… although it is not yet 'hashtag-confirmed' that this new development is connected to the Beasts here in Johto, we do have confirmation that the Legend Seekers are again offering to help with transportation costs for any adventurous trainers willing to join them on the Seafoam Islands in search of Lugia.

And that brings us up to date on all current information-- stay tuned, and remember to call the numbers below if you are interested in volunteering in any of these areas!

_{[Oh god there’s THREE numbers now. Fortunately, the broadcast ends with just a prolonged screen with all of them listed.]}

Sign-ups for this event are located here!