victory_road | MISCHIEF NIGHT

Current Location: Everywhere!

Entry tags:

MISCHIEF NIGHT

Who: All the Dark-types put your paws up!
Where: Anywhere and everywhere!
When: Sunset on Halloween Night to sunrise on November 1st!
Summary: MISCHIEF NIGHT MISCHIEF NIGHT
Rating: G-PG13
Log:

There’s a sour-sweet wind a-blowing this eve as the sun hangs low and red in the sky. The leaves have turned, windows glow like jack-o-lantern eyes, and the streets hum with the excitement that the night will bring. There’s no mysterious trees growing straight out of the concrete this year, and there’s a palpable sense of relief as those who were waiting with bated breath for the other shoe to fall finally set about hanging up last-minute decorations and picking the candy aisles at every PokeMart bare.

It is Halloween, and for the first time in a few years, it would seem nothing is going to get in the way of the holiday.

… At least, right up until the last sliver of sun dips below the horizon.

A flock of Murkrow explodes up from the woods around Violet City, cawing in excitement. On the Sevii Islands, Alolan Rattata pop out of their burrows with bright eyes and quivering noses. In the glens outside Celadon City, the Houndooms start to howl.

Almost as one, all Dark-type Pokemon, big and small, young and old, stop and lift their noses to the crisp breeze. Something ancient tingles in their bones. Oh, tonight...tonight is their night. However much they may love their trainer, something higher is calling them. Mischief! Adventure! CANDY!

It’s time!

Fast or slow, brazen or sneaky, the sunset is the signal for each and every Dark-type to break away from their trainers and run off into the night. To do what? Well what do you think, silly humans? You know what night it is!

Some fashion their own costumes and go door to door earning sweet treats alongside the excited children who are out in droves. Or perhaps they might pursue some more unconventional treat-seeking avenues -- sometimes one man’s trash is another mon’s treat!

But there’s more to Halloween than candy; others will develop a nasty streak and put the ‘trick’ in ‘trick or treat’, upsetting outdoor decorations, frighten childrening and little old ladies, or even pantsing people! The horror! Anything can happen on Halloween!

Even the wild Dark-types are filled with the holiday spirit. Last year everyone was too wrapped up with that Ghost-type nonsense to properly enjoy Halloween, so they’re all too happy to make up for lost time. Harried trainers trying to track down their tricky runaways might find themselves befriending the Poochyenas, Murkrows, or even Alolan Meowths that have come out of the woodwork to celebrate. After all, what good is a grand trick if there’s no one to tell about it? What good is a tasty treat with no one to share? Even trainers who don’t have any Dark-types in their arsenal will find themselves approached by these wild Pokemon and invited to tag along!

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...Do you have any pokemon who could track after Askeladd for you?

[ She's doing so with Arlert, obviously, though as she speaks with Bertolt she's stroking the feathers over Arlert's chest, watching and waiting for his answer. ]

_{[Annie, are you ready to shame him? Are you ready?]}

Not... really. No.

_{[There's his Charizard, but she doesn't have the best vision at night - she's always been a daylight flier for him. And Gwenog, well... Bless her heart and everything about her, but she's always been clumsy in the air.

And then there's Kuno, but Kuno...

Kuno is Kuno. There is a lot of shrieking involved on his part.]}

... You have no one equipped to track down missing members of your team?

[ She sounds so completely disbelieving that Arlert twists her head around entirely to hoot at Bertolt in mock question as well. ]

None that can fly!

_{[Oh no. See, he can deal with Annie judgement, but Pokemon judgement? That's somehow worse.]}

I-I didn't exactly think he'd run off on me! I-I mean, he'd run off into other parts of town, but no one has seen him and this town isn't that big!

Then what about scent trackers?

[ Arlert continues to stare at Bertolt, her long head feathers quivering in the gentle breeze. ]

Whatever happened to being prepared for anything... is that a thing? Is it a good thing? Are you actually softening up?

[ There's no acid in her tone, which is a change from how it would be back home, especially a few years ago. Annie doesn't hold back on her evaluations of others as a rule, and some of them were particularly biting. ]

I want to say good for you, but it's inconvenient at the moment.

W-Well, I...

_{[Bertolt swallows and looks down at his ball clip attached to his belt, and after a few moments of hesitation he reaches down and plucks one off. He didn't have a lot on him to begin with just in case, but he always kept one with him. Two, really, but Marcel never cared for his ball and preferred to run free when he was able to. Tonight was a situation where the ball was required though, what with too many kids wanting to climb on his back and shedding all over them.

It's not Marcel's ball, and that's what makes Bertolt nervous.]}

He's... not perfect, but he's good at finding things buried really far underground.

_{[He goes to bite his lip, only for one of the fake fangs that he has on to jab him a little too sharply. Ow, okay, bad idea. Bad plan. Terrible plan.]}

Just, uh... He's a little big. It's not Galliard, but he's still one of my bigger ones.

Are you going to need more space to bring him out than we have here?

[ After all, there's still all sorts of people and pokemon wandering through the area, regardless of the size of the town. She's not sure how much the dynamics they worried about back home apply to large pokemon, since she hasn't personally summoned one and doesn't have much experience watching anyone do so outside of in areas with more than enough room, so...

... she waits for Bertolt's response. Arlert, for her part, also waits, gently swaying side to side. ]

No, it...

_{[There's no easy way to say it, so he may as well just rip off the bandaid and show her.

Bertolt still hesitates, rolling the ball around in his hands a few times, before he takes a deep breath and tosses it up to call out the Pokemon in question. There's a flash, a brief flicker of red, and out comes a Pokemon that has at least a good foot, foot and a half on Bertolt on its back legs - an Aggron.

But instead of being the typical grey and silver, this one has an odd, golden sheen to the heavy armor plating covering its head and down its back, and its scales have a greenish tint to them along with a pair of orange, glowing eyes. The armor around its mouth pulls back as it yawns, showing off a sharp set of teeth, then it slides back into place with a soft click as it ducks its head down and noses at Bertolt's hair with a soft rumble. Bertolt reaches up to lightly pat the side of its face, and he gives Annie a cautious look.]}

A-Annie, uh... Meet Reiner.

...

[ That sure is a tall pokemon. He's not so large Annie feels concerned about their surroundings, and he's striking, for being something so unfamiliar to her he's hard to place as anything concrete other than pokemon. He's clearly fond of his trainer, given the way he noses Bertolt's hair.

This is his digging pokemon?

It's when Bertolt says his name that Annie's eyebrows lift, her lips pressing into a thin line at first. Then: ]

Are you joking.

[ Marcel is one thing, but uh. Reiner. For a pokemon with plating, after a fashion?

What the hell is subtlety anyway?! ]

You named an armoured pokemon after Reiner?!

_{[The Aggron lifts his head up with another rumble and cocks it to one side, knocking poor Bertolt upside the head with his own skull. He heard his name!]}

Reiner, no--

_{[Oh-- Oh, shit. He bumped his trainer, didn't he? It earns a third rumble, and a second hair nuzzle followed by a snort to blow his hair around. This in itself prompts Bertolt to lightly push at the heavy nose, grimacing a little when he gets a face-full of Aggron breath.]}

Jean and I did. W-We were talking about him after the first time he turned up here, and when I found out about... what happened to me, back before I knew any of the details. Jean said that Reiner was made of iron and luck because of how many times he's put himself in danger for us, a-and I figured that since this one is made of iron... I-It just happened, and he wouldn't respond to any other name after that.

_{[So it's not completely his fault!

As Bertolt keeps pushing at his nose, the Aggron glances back towards Annie and after a moment or two of thought and curiosity, he leaves his trainer's side to take one, two heavy steps closer and leans down to give her and Arlert a cautious sniff. Friends? They certainly don't smell like any threat to his trainer, so they must be okay, right?]}

L-Look, it's fine, okay?

[ She has to be glad on some level that apparently only Armin had enough information to guess about her, and that past that, he did not make the leap toward guessing anyone else in their training corps could have been the other two titans seen so many years ago--then again in Trost.

Only--wait. ]

Wait. Wait, after he showed up and you found out... he told you about that?

[ Annie looks actually pissed at this thought Reiner has done shitty things for various reasons that both were and weren't under his control, but telling someone they're dead when no one else knows, when he's not even there for more than a few days... what the hell? Even if he had to, could he have waited a week, this never telling at all because he'd have been gone by then?

Arlert feels Annie's tension, turning her head back around to coo-hoot at her trainer. Reiner sniffs them both, and Arlert's long feathers brush up against his snout, but aside from a distracted churring to acknowledge Reiner is there, Arlert's now staring at Annie.

Trainer, you okay there? ]

_{[While he'll never be as in-tune with Annie's emotions like he is with Bertolt's, the Aggron exhales a little more forcefully as he drops to all fours and carefully nudges his nose against Annie's free hand. Yes, trainer, are you okay? Something doesn't feel right in the air, and that's something he's only felt when his poor trainer gets upset about something!]}

Yeah, but...

_{[Bertolt frowns, and closes the distance with one hand up and his brows knit together as he tries to find the right words.]}

Please don't be angry at him. We were both... really emotional, and honestly I'd have rather found out through him than someone else. O-Or even the hard way on my own, so I'm almost glad he told me.

_{[All things considered he was taking it harder than he expected, but it wasn't as bad as it could've been. It would've been even worse if someone who wasn't a friend had told him, too.

His hand settles on one of the spikes jutting from Reiner's shoulders after a moment, and Bertolt lifts his eyes to meet Annie's.]}

L-Look, we can talk about this later, okay? We... should try and find Lute and Askeladd first, or at least try and figure out what direction they could've gone in from here.

[ Annie is so used to pokemon making casual contact with her in a positive way she allows the aggron to nose her hand, and even strokes over the bridge of his nose and up between his eyes, a soothing gesture from an agitated trainer. The particulars of her anger are both new and very old in origins. These days the bigger wonder is Annie not launching into truly aggressive displays when she feels her anger too keenly.

Aging really does work miracles. She's a paragon of restraint compared to what she was even five years ago, beating Reiner bloody in the aftermath of Marcel's demise. ]

Almost isn't being glad, and don't say it is. You couldn't remember when you went back, you didn't have to carry that shit with you while you were here!

[ There's a glaring obvious comparison to what Marco is having to endure, and how all of the three from Marley knew at any time they could well die, and at some point all would inevitably die at the maw of another Eldian. If they were lucky enough to earn that honour, or unlucky enough to be put down like diseased dogs.

Still, being upset at Reiner acting like an idiot is not going to change anything, especially not when he's a dimension away. Bertolt is right, particularly in this moment. They need to find Lute and Askeladd. Or Askeladd. Lute will be fine, for all he's driving her up a wall with concern and irritation in unequal amounts. ]

... Fine. Ask the useful Reiner to track down Askeladd.

[ She gives him a rub with her hand, keeping herself from scowling or saying anything else. It isn't worth it. It's not. ]

Annie...

_{[He almost starts to say that he still cares about Reiner - he always will, and while his own emotions are a tangled mess of what the hell, he'll always still love him, too. Sure, Reiner could be an idiot, but so was Bertolt.

Silently, he vows to find a way to let her work through it. Sparring? That might be a good way to vent and get some emotions tackled. Bertolt could probably use it himself if he's telling the truth.]}

He can try helping with Lute, too, but...

_{[Bertolt kneels down, cups his hand under the Aggron's jaw, and gently steers his head towards himself so he can press his forehead against the wide part of armor that hangs over his nose.]}

Think you can find him, buddy? You know Askeladd. Skinny, black and red... _{[A low rumble is his response, along with a slow flick of his tail. Yeah, he knows. He used to really like that shifty fox, but he's found it hard to trust the Zoroark after having too many illusions and pranks pulled on him!]} Yes, I know. He's going into time-out after this stunt.

_{[There's some more 'banter', and finally Bertolt offers her a nervous smile.]}

He, uh... He'll give us a ride if you want to climb on. Arlert can look from above, and she'll be able to see us easier too on his back. It'd be pretty hard to miss him.

[ When he says nothing more about Reiner, she's glad; she doesn't want to think overhard about him right now when it just irritates her that he in no real way had to deal with the fallout. So many people who get away with leaving heavy burdens on others shoulders, and before then, Reiner had... Reiner is complicated.

She doesn't hate him. She sure as hell has difficulties in liking him sometimes.

Annie just looks at him, then down at her skirts. ]

I'll keep pace, if it's all the same.

[ Sitting sideways when she has her hat going on too sounds like too much of a hassle. Besides, people are bound to give the aggron some room, which means she'll have space to walk alongside him.

Regardless, she dips her arm and tosses Arlert back in the air, her wings beating frantically as she climbs into the night. Her white chest is visible from below, along with the insides of her wings, and she circles, calling down to them in a friendly hoot. ]

Signal to her if you see Askeladd from Reiner's back. She'll figure out what you mean.

_{[Bertolt follows her gaze for a moment, then quickly looks down at the armor covering his Aggron's shoulders and decides that that is fascinating. Yep, that's armor. That's... some good armor, and he's thankful that the lights of the town are enough to keep any possible hints of pink ears hidden.

He. Didn't think about the skirt fiasco.]}

Y-Yeah, uh... O-Of course. But if you need to take a break, let me know okay?

_{[Deciding it's better to focus on something else, Bertolt hauls himself onto Aggreiner's back and gives his horn a light pat for him to go up on his back legs. The change in height and stance makes Bertolt grip his shoulder spikes a little tighter than he should, but it's only until he's up to his full height.

At least it's easier than riding an actual Titan. ...Sometimes.]}

You, uh... You look nice tonight, by the way. Reiner, keep your eyes peeled. And look out for a white Pokemon too, around Freja's size.

_{[Aggreiner peers up at Arlert for a few moments, his massive head cocked to the side and then he rumbles softly as he surges forward, pausing every so often to make sure Annie stays close. It's clear his trainer cares about her, so he's going to put in as much effort in protecting her tonight as he does with Bertolt.]} ...Beyond all of this, how have things been?

[ She gives him a sideways look. She's not exactly out of shape here, and running around all night with no inclement weather or heavy packs makes everything really easy. ]

Right.

[ She watches Reiner straighten up with Bertolt on his back, barely resisting from shaking her head. She still thinks this was a terrible naming decision, but she respects that pokemon can also be stubborn assholes. In the end, it was a mutual decision on their part.

Bertolt's passing compliment almost doesn't register. Annie looks up at him, blinking, not sure if he felt he needed to compliment her costume, but sure. ]

... Thanks.

[ It isn't bad to have some acknowledgement of her reluctant taste.

She keeps up with his aggron as he moves, Arlert circling and then winging off, eyes trained on the ground. She angles back to them after a hooting cry, making a sudden sharp turn and diving to indicate a direction change she wanted them to make. Annie has no idea which of the pokemon she's seeing, but she puts on a bit more speed in keeping up with Aggreiner's speed. ]

Sidestreet up ahead?

[ Is Aggreiner going to fit? She's not familiar with this town. ]

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MISCHIEF NIGHT

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jumps to conclusions whee

they don't need 3dmg to jump to them!

woosh!!!

Re: woosh!!!

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