It's time to d-d-d- discuss the current nature of things

[schachmeister]

Who: All members of the Aurora League
Where: A battle club in Viridian City
When: 27th of January
Summary: Armin invited all the Aurora League members for a group discussion. Please don't stand him up, he would be sad.
Rating: gen
Log:



Several weeks ago, Armin invited all the current members of the Aurora League to meet at a fancy Viridian battle club. The purpose of this meeting? To hopefully come together and discuss all the strange things that have been happening, which may lead to a better understanding of the current situation and perhaps even to improve the bonds of friendship between the various members.

And if not that, then at least to eat good food on the Pokemon League's dime.

The battle club they've all been invited to is a fairly swanky place. It is no Ninja Nickie's and definitely gives the impression that the usual clientele of this club has never gone wanting for money. It might make you feel a bit underdressed upon arrival.

Upon arrival, each member of the Aurora League will be met with the club's hostess who will guide them to a large private room. The front of the room is set up for dining, with a large table dominating the center of the room, while long tables along the sides are clearly meant to hold a buffet of dishes (and will, in fact, be filled with quite the variety of food once all members have arrived). Through a pair of sliding doors (currently open) the back of the room is visible, which has been set up as an indoor battle arena. There is even a PC and a small recovery station available. It might not be the best place in the world to have a Steelix on Wailord battle, but it's certainly big enough to hold a decent match.

Comments

[schachmeister]

A.

As the one who organized this thing, naturally, Armin is here first, looking and feeling quite awkward. He just really hopes he didn't cross some unspoken lines by setting up this meeting. It's not like he wants to bully himself into a leadership position (anything but that) but the things that have been happening have been enough to leave him feeling slightly unsettled.

First those rumours, then the incident at the Safari Zone, then the message in the sky on New Year -- to Armin it is clear something is going on. And perhaps his experience with that creature that tore into this reality is making him jump at even the smallest shadows. If that is the case, he'll certainly apologise for it, but it doesn't feel that way to him. It feels like something big is brewing and he, for one, cares too much about this world and the people in it to just sit back and let that happen.

When everybody (or at least, everybody who is going to come) is there, Armin rises to his feet, looking much like a very nervous high school student (despite his ripe old age of twenty) giving his first big speech, his fingers knotting a little on the hem of his sweater vest.

"Ah, uhm, thank you all for coming. And s-sorry again for going off on my own and organising all of this. But I really think we should talk. I don't think I'm the only one who feels like something is going on. I wasn't there when that incident happened in the Safari zone, but we all saw the writing on the sky on New Year. I don't think this is just some sort of prank so I'd really like to know what all of you think."


B.

Once most of the big discussions have happened, Armin can also be found checking out the battle zone in the back of the room. If anyone else is battling, he'll watch with interest, always curious to know what his fellow Aurora League members can do. But he's also available for battling! And don't worry, he left his Wailords at home.

[ooc: in the interest of keeping these battles from going on forever, Armin is down for any sudden death challenges AKA only one pokemon each, we go down like men.]

A

[paladinlost]

"Based on previous experiences, I'd like to say that the message must have referred to a Legendary Pokémon... But most are considered genderless, are they not?"

Most, but not all. Cecil will have to look for a complete list later on, but in the meantime he continues.

"Still, the colors must be a clue. Yellow and red are common enough, however, especially among Fire-types. In addition, the use of the word 'return' implies that 'he' is currently absent, but gives no clue as to how long or why."

[schachmeister]

"I wouldn't write off any genderless Legendary pokemon just yet. I mean, even if that is what they are biologically speaking, that doesn't always mean people also refer to them like that. My electrode would technically be genderless too, but I've fallen into the habit of referring to him as, well, him."

Plus you've got those people that refer to all Meowth as girls and all Growlithes as boys.

"You don't think it has anything to do with that creature that invaded last year, right?"

That had been a tough enough fight and Armin really isn't angling for round two.

A

[islandshore]

Cecil already brought up legendaries- that seems like a good angle to start with, at any rate.

"If it's not a Legendary outright, it's gotta be something on par with one, power-wise." Riku crosses his arms, frowning as he contemplates this. "It's not like we haven't had weird anomalies before. The MISSINGNO.- these weird, glitch-like monsters showed up years ago. Haven't seen 'em since, but they kinda set the standard."

Definitely not the last, but certainly the first and some of the most memorable in his book. "But... it could have something to do with those other weird monsters, too. We've been seeing more and more of 'em these past few years, so maybe it could be coming to a head somehow."

These things are never isolated incidents.

[schachmeister]

"Can you tell me a little more about these MISSINGNO? That was definitely before my time. Maybe it has nothing to do with this, but I think it'll still be good to know."

After all, how would Armin be able to tell any MISSINGNO signs if he doesn't know what they are exactly. Also, this is why he is so grateful that there are a few people in the Aurora League that have been here since the dawn of time almost the very start of people being drawn into this world. They are a rich source of information.

finally tags this ages later- but with B....

[insidescoop]

"Hnnnnn...a battle arena..."

Carly has her camera ready.

"Hauuuhhh, I only brought the 'little ones' with me today though... ...well, that and..."

She looks to the side, where Horse the Very Much Non-Combative Silvally is sniffing a bench.

Horse stiffens on the spot, and falls over.

"...Well, she'll be okay." Ahem. "This is a pretty great venue though huh..? I knew the building existed but I sure never saw what was inside it..!"

[schachmeister]

Armin has not yet had the pleasure of meeting Horse. Which means that when she stiffens up and falls over, he is Concerned; not just politely concerned, but genuine ready to call poke-911. Because that... that is not normal, is it?

"Are you sure she'll be okay?"

She doesn't look okay. Is she having a seizure?

A, half an hour late with hot chocolate...

[tearsofademon]

There have been a few concerning things that have happened recently, yes. If anything, Ryner is almost more concerned about the incident at the Safari Zone and the other similar but smaller-scale ones that have happened, than the whole eye thing. (Granted, he has personal reasons to be more concerned about that stuff, really, but still.)

But since the topic of legendaries came up, might as well start there, while gently scritching the tiny Joltik in his hand.

"A giant eye like that... I haven't seen anything like it, in any book I've found. If it is related to a legend in this world, it's either one that's damn well hidden, or it's a less common symbol, or something."

(He's read a lot of books on the subject.)

[schachmeister]

"Do you think it could be something else than an eye? That's what I thought of at first as well, but if there is nothing that resembles that in any legend--" and Armin has seen the giant library Sion and Ryner have, and the many books on legends and myths it carries; if it is part of a pokemon legend, it should be in one of their books "-- maybe we are looking at it the wrong way?"

Armin glances down on his notes, shuffling until he finds a photo of the night's sky from that night that Angel had helped him print.

"Maybe... maybe it's an egg of some sort?"

He doesn't really believe it, and his voice makes that clear, but he's attempting to think outside of the box.

A.... very belatedly.......

[uber_marionettist]

"Yeah, I have some questions."

Dirk is attending by videoconference, so his clipped, inflectionless drawl is at least easy to hear. Normally he's prone to erring too quiet, but now Armin can just turn him up. Or down. Nice.

"One, what happened to the low men on the Aether totem pole? I know y'all rounded up the heads of that hydra, but the thing about hydras is they're always growing more. Two, and I'm basing this one on personal conjecture and experience, how many legendaries... that's a really misleading name, by the way... have anything to do with time? Or dimensions? I wasn't there for the Safari Zone thing, so I don't know exactly what that looked like. But talking about a 'return' has some associations where I'm from, so I'm spitballing something here."

[schachmeister]

That mute button will be a god-send if Dirk, at any point, ends up being very Dirk. Or starts rapping.

"As far as I know, most went free on account of being uninvolved in what the higher-ups planned. The ones we encountered while we stormed their facility knew as little as we did about what was going on down below.

Though that doesn't mean there might not be a few who did have an idea and have so far gone unnoticed. I don't know how well the Jennies investigated the whole organisation."

As for the other thing.

"Time, hmmm. You might want to ask Ryner, he's got a bigger library on this subject, but I seem to recall, the Legendaries in Sinnoh had something to do with time. The ones they had that statue of."

ARRIVES LATE WITH SAWSBUCKS OOCLY, and also ICly

[foolishwren]

Armin may not want to be a leader, but he is probably one of the more organized and community-minded Aurora Leaguers at this point.

Certainly more than Heather, who has been more reclusive than ever. She didn't even write back when she received the invitation.

But behold, she appears.

Looking a little windswept, Heather enters the Battle Club while muffling a sneeze with the inside of her elbow, because her hands are occupied with a pair of large Sawsbucks cartons-- one full of coffee, and the other full of a mystery baked good.

"H-heeeey, Armin-- uh, sorry to show up at the last minute, but... I brought coffee?"

The coffee can make up for her total lack of thoughts on the New Year's incident. ... Well, no, she has thoughts, obviously, just not... useful ones.

"I've been living in the wilderness like a weirdo while Envy and I work on our gym, so I haven't been paying quite as much attention to my mail as I usually do..."

[schachmeister]

It is true, but it is also terrifying.

"Ah, it's no problem. Thank you for coming."

Honestly, when Armin first sent out the letters, he hadn't really expected anyone to show up, so the fact that people are showing their faces, even if slightly belated, is already a relief. Nobody wants to be stood up, after all.

"Work on your gym still isn't completed?"

Heather and Envy had become champions before Armin ever had. Surely they must have submitted their gym idea by now? Perhaps there is some difficulty in the construction. The snow perhaps.

OTA

[cyan_maid]

[On one hand, Jane literally just woke up from some traumatic memory regains on Monday.

On the other, she had RSVP'd to this event and promised cookies.

So she's there. Tired, with cookies in prepackaged bags tied with curled ribbon, dressed in a blue sweater over a collared shirt and clean, pressed trousers - somewhat mousey, somewhat subdued. (She had a different outfit for today, a red outfit. The red outfit is no longer in her wardrobe.) Her League challenge team is with her, Dinah out of her ball as usual, and overall...

Ugh. She's in the worst mindset for a grouping like this, but she couldn't just back out and not come!

For downtime, Jane will be in the front part of the private room, sitting at a table, drinking ginger ale and mostly trying to get her brain in gear for Important Discussions and taking notes. She might venture to the battle arena if people do a battle, just to watch.

You're honestly more likely to be approached by Dinah the Audino with a wrapped bag of cookies and a cheerful smile. If you want to know where this gift came from, she will direct you to the Jane Crocker in the vicinity.

It's been a Week.]

[schachmeister]

[Armin had been planning to welcome Jane here, and thank her for her presence, and perhaps to ask her thoughts on the situation, bu he draws up short when he actually gets a look at her face.]

Are you all right? You look--

[A small pause as Armin searches for the right word.]

Tired.

[That is the polite way to say 'like shit', right?

f r o n t...

[insidescoop]

Jaaaaane~!

[Carly is, naturally, unaware of the traumas. Right now she's full on in meet-and-greet mode.

Jane might or might not have seen her arrive literally sitting propped on her fiancée's arm. Fun times. In any case, she's accompanied by Horse the Silvally.] How are you~! It feels like ages since I saw you! [...out of costume.] Actually, I think it's been ages since I saw most people. I should work on that.

But how are you~?

[If she's noticed the tired look...she's not addressing it. Probably to be polite.]

ARRIVES LATE WITH SAWSBUCKS OOCLY, and also ICly

[foolishwren]

_{[Thwock. That's the sound of Heather dumping the box of Sawsbucks coffee and carton of mini-muffins onto the table, because they've made her arms kinda sore on the walk over. 'Dump' as in put them down, not... pour out the coffee. That would be rude.]}

Oh thank god, I'm not the only one who brought snacks. I feel less weird now.

<sub>[Behind her, Wolf the Lucario delicately places the stack of napkins and coffee stirrers alongside the coffee, then tilts his head a little at Jane, his Piercing Empath Jackal Stare (tm) a little concerned-looking. Her aura is... not happy-looking.]

[Heather on the other hand does NOT have the ability to see auras, and is distracted with unraveling her scarf now that she's inside a warm building.]</sub>

Hey, you won your Elite Four challenge kinda recently, right? Congrats!

OTA

[strings_theory]

A.

It's never been difficult to find Jolyne in a crowd and even less so when she's been told she has to go to this thing and at least there was free food on Lance's dime. She was down for all of that. Hell, she was even happy enough to kind of dress up in a way.

What no one probably expected was this absolutely loud nerd to make her way into this whole mess with Carly actually sitting on her damned arm that she totally has flexed a bit and it's probably a little terrifying given Carly's a bit taller than Jolyne to begin with.

Also maybe just ignore the Sylveon that is casually following at her side while on the other is a particularly distressed looking Slowking. Oops.

B.

It's not hard to see Jolyne wandering around getting food or checking out what she'd consider her competition. But she doesn't seem too terribly keen on socializing for the most part. The sunglasses she'd come in with are somehow on the top of her head, the arms of them not so gracefully tucked into the buns of her hairstyle.

She's huffing softly as she watches one of the battles, rolling her eyes as Demon the sylveon looks antsy to get involved and Butterball the slowking is more keen to hold onto Jolyne's hand. It'd be adorable if it was a slowking, probably.

A...

[insidescoop]

"Heheheeeee..."

Carly might be enjoying herself a bit too much. She's dressed in her own Nice Outfit- though it's an actual dress- and very, very, very pleased to be on an arm.

"Glad we came now..~?"

OTA.... if you dare(?)

[uber_marionettist]

A.

Dirk is physically present, of course, broken leg in its bright orange cast and the rest of him dressed surprisingly well for the venue, if one is willing to overlook the ever-present shades and steel-toed jika-tabi in Heart Aspect pink. This meeting right here is the entire reason he invested his time into the Aurora League the way he did, and he wouldn't have missed it for two broken legs and a spinal tap.

However, at some point between the arrival of Armin's letter and now, someone--it doesn't matter who--made the catastrophic error of suggesting to Dirk Strider that he could telecall into the meeting.

As a result, he is not sitting anywhere near the other League members. Instead, he's set up at a table at the far end of the club, a tablet propped up in front of him and a Scyther behind him, posted as watch. Anyone attempting to talk to him in person will be blocked by Carnwenhau's formidable blades, and trying to speak over or past his watch-bug will be informed curtly that he can't talk--he's got a meeting.

And that's... just how it's going to be.

Unless you think you can budge him?

B.

After the meeting, he packs up his tablet and sound equipment, puts away his Scyther, and crutches his way to the battle arena, where he pretends that entire teleconference weirdness never happened. He's very interested in battling, as it turns out--he'll offer to match anyone for a battle either three-vs-three or one Pokemon each, sudden death style.

A

[insidescoop]

"Uhh-" Oi, Carnwenhau-

"Hey- Hey..!" Alright that's it. "I'm just trying to say hi!! ...Move or you're not getting the pokepuffs I made," she warns the bug.

b

[schachmeister]

When Dirk had reached out to let people know he'd be attending the meeting virtually owing to a broken leg, Armin had done as much as possible to make sure Dirk would be able to hear everything, using his own laptop for the meeting software.

So, after all that, seeing Dirk cart his own ass in, casual as you please on crutches, throws Armin's head for a spin. He's not upset but he's just.

Why

"I thought you couldn't make it in person."

ARRIVES LATE WITH SAWSBUCKS OOCLY, and also ICly. PROMPT B!

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Did Heather notice Dirk as she came in? Well, not RIGHT as she came in, but yes, she did. And her thoughts upon spotting the weirdo and his Scyther bodyguard? Something along the lines of "Oh, brother. THAT guy is a Champion now?"]

[She must have missed that news somehow. In all fairness, she's been pretty disconnected from the rest of the world lately.]

[She doesn't try to interrupt whatever the heck is going on in that corner, but after she's dropped her snack offerings off and generally taken stock of who all's there, she does wind up meandering towards the battle corner. It's been awhile since she's done anything but practice matches with Envy, and even longer since she's actually been in Viridian City and partaken in the battle clubs.]

[At her side is Wolf the Lucario, and there are Pokeballs clearly visible on her belt when her coat shifts, so she's not without Pokemon to battle with.]

[WILL YOU CHALLENGE HER, DIRK??]</sub>

OTA

[tearsofademon]

Ryner has never been one for large gatherings.

Not that this one is particularly large, really. Sure, the population of those who have conquered the Indigo League has grown over the years, but it's still what, about a dozen at this point, give or take? Keeping up with that sort of news is a hassle... He's dealt with bigger crowds, in any case.

But at the same time, he's actually supposed to be a member of this crowd, rather than just being a nameless observer in the shadows playing bodyguard or fail!assassin or the like. It's the worst of both worlds - too many people, and yet not enough people to just blend in, and he's not supposed to blend in either. He's a gym leader too. He agreed to that responsibility.

What a pain.

...Well, he did have some idea of what he was getting into when he let Sion and Rose drag him into this. So it's his own fault, he guesses. And this is an important discussion to have.

Still, being the awkward introvert he is, when he's not trying to contribute to discussion, Ryner can be found pretty much wallflowering, maybe moving once or twice for a snack. His Absol can be found at his feet, his Joltik is chilling out either in his hand or on his head depending on the tiny!spider's whims, and his Clefairy has found a chair and is cheerfully doodling in crayon in her own note pad.

(If you want to challenge him to a battle, go for it. He'll resist, but you might be able to twist his arm into a 1v1, especially if you convince Rose first.)

[dreamsofahero]

At some point, when Ryner's doing his wallflower act, he'll find a glass of wine suddenly but gracefully thrust into his face.

"You really out to learn to socialize, you know."

Were they even serving wine here? Not that it matters, this is Sion we're talking about here, after all.