victory_road | Prom 2023 - Back to the Falls!

Entry tags:

Prom 2023 - Back to the Falls!

What’s this? There’s glitter in the air. What’s this? There’s dresses everywhere.

Oh right. It’s Prom time.

From the afternoon on, on Friday the 7th of April, your characters will all be arriving at Tohjo Falls via the transport arranged for by Lance. He did end up borrowing a few of those Corviknights from the JKBA, but there are also several of you who will find themselves flown to the Falls by one of Lance’s Dragonites or Charizards. Please give them a poffin if you are able, they are all very good boys and girls.

Your characters will be set down on a tiled driveway (more like flyway, Ha) in front of an impressive-looking villa. Those who have been here before might note that the villa has gotten a bit of a renovation and an update. Turns out that when Team Rocket kidnaps you and keeps you captive in your own home for several weeks while wrecking the house and digging Arceus knows how many basements beneath the house, you might be entitled to some compensation.

And from the looks of things, Lance and co used that compensation to turn their little vacation home back into something where they can relax in peace.

After you arrive, you’ll be greeted by Lance or one of the other Elite Four members, who will give you a quick run-down. You are free to explore the house and surrounding area at your leisure. Please respect their privacy and do not go into any of the locked rooms. You’ll find your accommodations behind the house, so feel free to head there and unpack. Oh, and, there will be a little announcement later, so if you could be in the dining room for that, that’d be stellar.

Well, off you go!

WELCOME (BACK) TO THE FALLS

THE SIGHTS

The Villa

As mentioned by Lance and Co, parts of the villa are off-limits to guests. Not to worry, there is nothing nefarious hiding there this time. It's just that those rooms are the Elite Four's private quarters, and they'd rather not have people go through their underwear drawers! Other areas that are off-limits include the kitchen, but this is just for practical reasons; wouldn't want to get in the way of the cooks preparing lunch and dinner.

Still, even with these off-limits areas, there is still plenty to see.

Library

On the upper floor, there is a decently sized Library for anyone who needs a bit of peace and quiet. The books within are part of the Elite Four's personal book collections. There are a lot of books related to each members' preferred Pokemon type, as well as a very sizeable collection of books on Pokemon Battling, strategies and counter-strategies, in addition to a good number of autobiographies from famous (former) gym leaders and Elite Four members.

Their books aren't all business though! There is also plenty of fiction available, as well as non-fiction related to the Elite Four's personal hobbies. The books are not marked, so it's hard to tell which book belongs to which E4 member, so have fun trying to figure out who added the books on glassblowing to the collection, and to who the knitting books belong to.

Gallery

Also on the top floor is a gallery that contains the many prizes each Elite Four member has won over the years, as well as some interesting artefacts they've found during their lives. Ever wanted to see Lance's first badges? Or perhaps Bruno's weightlifting trophies? And wow, looks like Will participated in some contests back in the day!

Okay, those things probably aren't worth hours of visiting, but there is also a collection of photos of various legendary pokemon, as well as some items related to them, such as a feather that is said to have belonged to Ho-oh, a scale that was left behind after Groudon and Kougre fought and could it be true? One of Hoopa's hoops itself?

Fascinating!

Dining Room

Obviously where characters can dine. Unfortunately, the dining room itself is not big enough to fit all characters at once, so they've also set up some tables outside among the tents, and people are asked to check back if there is no space. When not in use to have dinner in, the room is left open and available to anyone who'd like to use it.

Ball Room

Now that prom night is finally here, your characters may enter in what was previously forbidden. Yes, beyond these doors lay a mysterious land of, uh... tables and a dance floor.

Listen, there is only so many ways you can describe a ballroom, okay! There is a central floor where people may dance if they so desire, and around that spot, plenty of tables and chairs have been set up for you to rest your tired dancing feet at. Though there is no big dinner served at prom, there are staff flitting around with refreshments and canapes and, fitting the style of the villa, tapas. There are, of course, also flutes of champagne and wine and other adult drinks.

Note the emphasise on adult, there. Don't expect to con these waiters into giving you something if you are underaged.

(instead, try and find a trusted, untrustworthy adult friend. It's okay. We won't tell your mom.

Pool

Outside, of course, is the pool. This hasn't changed that much from previous visits here. It's... well... it's a pool! What more can we say? It's a good place to have some fun and play around, but if you are more into relaxation or perhaps even catching some rays, there's also plenty of space around the pool with plenty of deck chairs available to you.

It is still only April, so to make sure nobody catches pneumonia in the pool, the water has been heated. Please do not heat the water further. You know what we are talking about!

The Accomodations

Those who have visited before may remember that the Villa doesn't exactly have enough bedrooms to house all promgoers. In fact, there have been years where you just kipped on the floor in the garage-like area.

Maybe Lance is trying to match the standards set by previous organisers. Maybe there was a little extra money left over after the renovations to plurge, but this year, you won't be expected to sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag!

Instead, behind the Villa, beyond the pool area, there is a field of tents. And these aren't your basic little travelling tents. These tents look pretty luxurious. True, you will still be sharing them with a few others, but at least you'll be sleeping in something like a regular bed. There are also some chairs and benches dotted around the area, where you can sit and relax, as well as a few open tents that have tables and benches inside of them where one could eat breakfast or dinner.

(And, of course, there are tents available too where you can take care of the, ah, less glamourous needs of the human body. No need to bring your own TP either, it will be provided!)

The tents house four people each. If you, for whatever reason, want to cram more people inside, Lance will be a little startled but will allow it. If you try to grab a tent all to yourself, Lance will give you a very disappointed look.

The Surroundings

If your character isn't the type to hang out for hours by the pool or spend their entire Saturday already getting ready for prom, why not go exploring a bit? The area around Tohjo Falls is normally off-limits to people, after all. This might be your only chance to see it.

(unless we come back again here next year)

While exploring, your character has the option of trekking into the forests behind the villa or descending into the cave that houses the waterfalls this area has been named for. Wild pokemon can be found in each area, though please be careful! As few people visit this location, the pokemon here are very unused to humans. Please always bring a strong pokemon with you when you go exploring!

And who knows, if you keep an eye out, you might run into an unfamiliar pokemon or two...

Forest (lvl 20-45)

Charjabug, Corvisquire, Venipede, Sizzlipede, Fletchinder, Greedent*, Whirlipede*, Nincada*, Flapple**, Appletun**, Talonflame**, Ninjask**, Shiinotic**, Sprigatito**, Centiskorch***, Vikavolt***, Corviknight***, Trevenant***, Scolipede***

Cave (lvl 20-45)

Sandshrew, Woobat, Rolycoly, Noibat, Roggenrola, Aron*, Glimmet*, Sandslash*, Rhyhorn*, Carkol*, Noivern**, Swoobat**, Boldore**, Fuecoco**, Lairon***, Rhydon***, Glimora***

Falls (lvl 20-45) (Fishing/Surfing)

Qwilfish, Staryu, Arrokuda, Wishiwashi, Finneon*, Skrelp*, Lumineon*, Relicanth*, Starmie**, Overqwill**, Quaxly**, Seadra**, Gyrados***, Barraskewda***, Dragalge***, Kingdra***

THE ANNOUNCEMENT

Once everybody has arrived and has been given some time to unpack, it's time for the announcement Lance has been teasing. What is this unique opportunity he mentioned? Will this have anything to do with prom itself? Has Lance conned us all into attending a Tupperware party?

In any case, you all gather in the dining room. The Elite Four is gathered at the front of the room, Lance taking the center stage. Will is standing next to him. For a moment Lance just glances out over the crowd, as if checking that everybody is here, before he clears his throat and begins.

"First of all, let me say that I am very happy to see you all here. It's been a few years since we last were able to greet you in our home, and here is to hoping things won't end as badly as last time.

But that is not what this announcement is about. Rather, there is going to be some changes within the Elite Four. Changes we'd like to make you a part of.

A few months ago, Will announced to us that he will be stepping down from his position as Elite Four member to--" Lance seems to pause for a moment, looking at Will, "--pursue opportunities elsewhere!

Of course, we cannot leave his spot unoccupied, so in the last few months, we've been hard at work vetting and narrowing down the choices for who will replace him. And finally, we've been able to narrow it down to just two remaining candidates. It's been a struggle, let me tell you! We've had so many qualified and incredible trainers who wanted to join us, but we believe we've found the best two.

And that is where you come in!

As I said, we have been able to narrow down the field to two final choices. And what I'd like to offer you this weekend, is an opportunity to take an active part in deciding who gets to be our newest member. You all, after all, have proven over the years that you not only care about pokemon, but you've also grown to care about this world, often helping us out when situations were dire. We believe you, as much as anyone, have a right to determine the future of this region.

In just a moment, I'd like to introduce you to our two final applicants. I can already assure you that they are both excellent trainers, and very skilled battlers, as well as individuals who we believe we can rely on in a bad situation. What we'd like if for you to cast the final vote on who takes over Will's position.

Throughout this weekend, they will make themselves available for questions. Please ask them anything you wish to know, and please also discuss the manner among yourself if you wish. Whichever person you choose, know that we already feel we could work and depend on either of them. At the end of this meeting, we'll distribute voting slips to everyone. These cannot be replaced, so please hold onto them, and once you've made your choice, please submit them to the vote box in front of the Ballroom before the start of the dance. Then, during the party on Sunday, we will reveal who will become our newest members.

Now, I've said quite enough, so let me introduce you to our two final applicants--"

The dining room doors open, and two figures stride in, walking to the front to join Lance and the other Elite Four members.

"Please welcome Bede from the Galar region and Malva from the Kalos Region"

Not sure what is going on? Why not check out our prom FAQ

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Normally Mando wouldn't engage with someone blowing smoke around like this guy, but he pauses while walking past.]

If you know what's coming, you can prepare for the challenge.

[Armstrong hasn't engaged with many people outside of those he arrived with but it really seemed that this place brough in all kinds given the man he was now looking at.]

"That's exactly what I mean. If we're in a position to actually pick the enemy we're going up against why wouldn't we pick the one that's most advantageous for us? That's just tactics 101. Beyond that, I find it rather telling that the younger option just happens to have picked the single easiest Pokémon Type to win with. If we're going to pick someone shouldn't it be the one who didn't take the easy way out? Seems only fair to me."

[You never know when you might get put in a situation where you need to fully armoured.]

That's also boring. If you've gotten strong enough to reach the Elite Four, why wouldn't you want a challenge? Fire Pokemon are great, but it just takes one strong water Pokemon to knock them out. With a fairy Pokemon trainer, you need to put some thought into your tactics.

[Armstrong smiles, one side of his argument having activated the other, and leans forward on the dining table.]

"See that goes back to the other part of what I was saying though. If you're looking for a challenge when you've reached the Elite Four, then wouldn't you want the trainers you're going up against to have gone through that same kind of challenge to have earned their rank? If going up against a Fire-Type Pokémon is that much easier, then going up against a Fairy-Type Trainer just means they blew threw on easy mode. Oh I'm sure the kid's been through some hard battles, but if all of us trainers are expected to run the gauntlet in order to face these people than it's only fair that they would have to do the same to land the position in the first place."

Do we know how the trainers decide who gets into the Elite Four?

[Mando hadn't actually thought about this, but he assumes there's some kind of system in place to make sure no one gets there by purely having higher leveled Pokemon and beating any challengers into submission. You know, the strategy he likes to use.]

I don't think anyone who wants to be one can just decide they're eligible.

[Having recently read through exactly that topic, Armstrong opens his Pokégear up to a network page with the corresponding information and slides it across to the armored man.]

"From what I understand you have to go through all the same selection process that you'd need to undergo in order to become a Gym Leader. You beat all the Gyms in both Regions, take on the Elite Four, and then when you're done you're eligible to become a Gym Leader yourself. Once a spot opens on the Elite Four, though, you can either put yourself forward for consideration or be outwardly nominated. So both of them have definitely walked the walk, and I can understand why people might want the challenge that having to overcome as powerful a type as Fairy is, but I'm of the opinion that if we the Trainers are expected to seek out a challenge then that same expectation should go doubly for those who hold positions as the pinnacle of the Pokémon League. Fair's fair after all."

[Armstrong takes a sip from his drink, wetting his palette before continuing.]

"Beyond that though, regardless of the kid's skill level it's just flat-out not healthy to put someone that young into a position with as much pressure and responsibility as this. Living your life constantly in the public eye, dealing with everyone's opinion of you publicly voiced 24/7 and having your every action scrutinized.... that's not good for anyone, let alone someone who's still in their formative years. I'm not saying he doesn't have the skills to hold down the position mind you, but there's a good reason there's laws controlling how much responsibility a kid can take on in most of the worlds we all come from, and just piling that weight onto someone like his shoulders can result in some genuinely terrible long-term effects."

[Leaning forward in his seat, Armstrong folds his hands and purses his lips in contemplation.]

"From your gear I'm guessing you're a military man so I don't know if your world holds the same kind of considerations toward preserving childhood as mine, but this place's ideas of what's healthy for a kid and what's not are troubling to say the least. Kids shouldn't be wandering off into a wilderness that we full-well know is populated by a menagerie of wild animals without a hint of supervision and they shouldn't be in a position where they're expected to uphold all the responsibilities of running with this world's version of the Olympic Team before they'd even be allowed to drive a car. He's got the skills to go far, but he should stay at the level of Gym Leader until he's had a better chance to learn and grow as a person. At least in their capacity the spotlight is contained to a largely local scale, and they have the final say in how their Gym runs.."

[Breathing deeply, Armstrong lets out a heavy sigh before finishing his thought.]

"Being pushed into the Elite Four now would just be a recipe for long-term psychological issues that are completely avoidable. I played College Ball and that was pressure enough already, so I wouldn't want my kid put into a position like that if given half the chance."

[Mando takes the Pokegear and nods along at Armstrong's initial explanation. Okay, that all makes sense, needing to beat all the other gyms and then be nominated for a position in the Elite Four.]

[It's when he keeps going that Armstrong starts to lose him. Wherever this guy comes from, it's clearly very different from Mandalorian training.]

I don't agree.

[Mando slides the communicator back across the table.]

If the kid is up for the challenge, and has proven himself worthy, then it's his choice to put himself forward or be in the competition. If he fails, then that's a good lesson, and he won't make the same mistakes if he tries again.

[Ideally! Assuming whoever is keeping an eye on him is doing their job.]

Kids don't age at the same rate. If this one thinks he's ready, I say let him attempt it.

[Armstrong retrieves the Pokegear and places it back into his coat pocket.]

"I figured there might be something of a disconnect there to say the least. I can respect where you're coming from though. I know I personally think the youth of my home could do with a fair bit less handholding, but the dilemna here is that this isn't something he should be making an attempt at. This is about the highest position a Trainer can hold in this world. It should be a clear-cut case of "can" or "can't" in terms of ability to fulfill the position. This isn't a case where, if he find the pressure to hard, he can say oops and bow-out."

[Armstrong tries to think of ways to put it in terms that would make more sense in a military capacity before realizing he has a perfect parallel from his own Naval experience.]

"It's rather like giving a young officer their first command. They might have put in the time and shown the skill to take on the position, but there's still no way to know how they'll truly handle the pressure of the position until they're in the thick of it. I've seen Ensigns and Lieutenants who look like they're ready by all accounts crumble under the weight of command, and it's largely the same here. You don't start them with command of an entire flotilla, as that's a recipe for disaster. You give them something small, see how the responsibility affects them, and move-up."

[Armstrong shakes his head in disapproval of the whole situation.]

"This kid is trying to go right from the point of earning his stripes to a position at the tippy-top of the entire Pokemon League. You gotta walk before you can run and nothing in his attitude, answers, or experience indicate that he's ready for this. Let him start with a Gym like everyone else is supposed to, and we'll see how he does. The Elite Four is too big and too important to put an uncertain element into the seat."

If he got this far, then he's already proven he has the skills to beat most challengers.

[The guy has a point about sending kids out before they're ready, though, and Mando takes a seat at the table across from him before offering a hand to shake.]

I'm Mando.

[There, now they're introduced, and he continues.]

And what if he does try it, and then fails? Nothing about this world seems that serious. Seems like he'd be able to go home with his tail between his legs and train more until he's ready. I doubt he'd be taken out back and executed for his failure.

[Armstrong rises from his seat and reaches across the table to accept the man's handshake before introducing himself in-kind.]

"Steven Armstrong. A pleasure."

[Taking his seat again Armstrong does his best to address the points brought up by his armored conversational partner.]

"There's a world of difference between a good soldier and a good commander though. All it takes to be a good soldier is to be able to follow orders and stack bodies, and it's the same thing with beating the Gym Challenge. Stack enough badges and you're just a shoe-in for the position, but there's a hell of a lot more responsibilities than just fighting that get added-on once they take-on actual positions within the Pokémon League."

[Inhaling deeply and leaning back in his chair, Armstrong shakes his head resignedly before continuing.]

"Did you know that Gym Leaders are the equivalent of Marshalls in this world? Sure the Jennies take care of most of the petty stuff, but when a major incident occurs it's the Gym Leaders who respond. Terrorism, organized crime, natural disasters? Hell, even outright occult incidents like the possessed Legendary that trashed Ecruteak is on them to respond to. The Elite Four though... they're supposed to be the level beyond."

[Leaning back forward in his chair, Armstrong folds his hands together as he focuses on delivering his point.]

"If the Gyms are the Sheriffs and Marshals of the Regions than the Elite Four are meant to be the SWAT Team. When the chips are really down and things have gone properly wrong it's on them, the pinnacle of everything that a trainer is supposed to be, to answer the call and put it right. With duties like that weighing-on their shoulders there's no room for trying. There's only do or do not. If he steps up to bat and comes-up short in a position like that nobody's going to put him in front of a firing squad, sure, but there is a very real chance that someone else will end up dead because of his actions. That... that's not something I see him being ready for, and that shortcoming isn't something the other members of the Elite Four should have to carry either."

Has anyone ever died from anything here?

[This feels like a pertinent point that Mando would like cleared up before this goes any further.]

It seems like nothing ever gets to the point of people actually dying. If the worst that happens is a Pokemon or two faints, then that's still a small problem.

[Mando thinks it over for a moment.]

I don't disagree that kids shouldn't be put into positions they're not ready for. But I also know that kids aren't always the best judges of what they can and can't do. This world feels like a very safe place for them to test their abilities and stretch their legs.

[Mando shakes his head.]

My son would love it here, because it's so safe. It'd give him a chance to grow up.

[Armstrong purses his lips. Crimes are definitely prevalent, but everything he'd seen was confoundingly inconsistent.]

"Listening to Police Scanners is a hobby of mine, so I can definitely say this world has its fair share of crime. I'll admit that the majority of it is the inconsequential kind that gets handled by local law enforcement, but there's certainly been some higher stakes crimes that have taken place. Reading-up on notable events in recent years and newsworthy headlines led to finding out that, not that long ago, there was a direct hostile takeover of the Silph Co. Building by a group calling itself Team Rocket that led to a hostage situation and standoff with the local authorities. Out in one of the other regions there was a full-on war between a well-funded cell of criminal activists and the authorities of the that area. Things got really out of control and it ended up with a showdown between the activists and the Gym Leaders, where the Gym Leaders lost and some reports say they were even crucified. Add in the kind of thing that Ecruteak had to deal with, where an evil-possessed Legendary Bird laid waste to half the city, and there's a lot of incidents in this place that end up with a body count."

[Armstrong stops before going into the insanity that is sending out ten-year-olds into a wilderness populated by man-sized insects with swords for hands. He feels that Mando would see that kind of thing as more a chance for growth, much like the people of the Regions, so it's better to stick to the stuff where he knows it got well and truly out of control.]

"I agree that, for the average bystander, this is world filled with tranquility and peace. Many of the conflicts and dangers of the world I know are gone here, and many of the necessities that people struggle to meet are just there and ready for the taking, so I understand what you mean about it being a good place to raise a child. There are still certainly things that can rock the society of this world to it's core though, and those are exactly the kinds of threats that the Elite Four are expected to answer. It's not a profession you enter and then grow to fit. It's the kind of place you go when you're positive you can meet the danger head-on, regardless of what it may be."

Maybe.

[Mando shrugs. He's not entirely convinced, but Armstrong has raised some good points. Growing up as a Mandalorian has definitely jaded Mando's view of what is and isn't appropriate for a kid to do on their own, and he acknowledges that.]

Like you said before, Fairy-types don't have many weaknesses, so even in a huge brawl, the kid would have an advantage. And the other Elite Four... the Elite Three? Are all adults with plenty of experience under their belts. I'm not concerned.

[He waves one hand dismissively.]

As for Team Rocket, I've been here over a year and they haven't done anything to make me think they're a threat.

[Armstrong can't help but nod his head in agreement and Mando's summation. Despite their best efforts to paint themselves as badasses during his training the only impression that Armstrong had managed to get from his time in Team Rocket was one of profound dismay. For the resources they commanded and the money that was clearly being thrown-around the entire methodology to Rocket just didn't add-up. No way in hell pickpockets and petty larceny pay for downtown real estate and helicopters, and doubly so with the sheer levels of nothing that they had to show for themselves in recent history. Whether he realized it or not, his armored compatriot had absolutely hit the nail-on-the-head.]

"Well I certainly can't argue with you on that front. For the way the people of this world made them out I would have thought Team Rocket were the literal boogeymen of this world but, upon reading up on crime statistics and the like, I really don't see what all the fuss is. Don't get me wrong, there's some things I've read about in other regions that leave me utterly baffled as to how it was allowed to get that bad, but the last time anything of note seems to have happened out here was... a while."

[Stroking his chin as he tries to think of particular examples, Armstrong pauses for a moment before continuing.]

"Some of the articles and reports I've gotten out of other regions were outright apocalyptic though. We're talking massive moving fortresses and private armies, instigating destructie showdowns of legendary Pokemon, and all manner of destructive nonsense. Here though? It's like an old-timey mustache-twirling cartoon villain by comparison. The Jennie's here are certainly lucky they're posted to such a quiet Region, because they're just as bad at their jobs as these Rocket people seem to be at theirs."

[He laughs a little, smiling as he moves to finish his point.]

"It's a match made in Heaven... or Hell I guess, depending on how you look at it."

I've heard that too. I'd think the Rockets were focusing all their attention in other regions, but yeah, they're... cartoonish here.

[Mando shrugs.]

I'm not complaining. There's a great deal of conflict where I'm from, and being here... it's different. Pleasant. I've gotten used to it.

[He cocks his head at Armstrong.]

You said you were a military man yourself. Is there a lot of war where you're from?

[As far as he was concerned, Armstrong had done his due dillligence in trying to influence Mando's vote. He'd made his point and had a good back-and-forth so he wasn't about to beat the issue into the ground. From here on out all he had to worry about was enjoying a drink and having talking with a fellow veteran, neither of which sounded half-bad all things considered.]

"Yeah... yeah there is. It doesn't show any signs of letting-up either. I don't know how bad things are where you're from but for us it became so commonplace that people got used to it. A war economy formed, where people's daily lives were built around the state of conflict, and it went on for years..."

[Armstrong trails off for a moment as he ponders his drink, taking another sip to fill the empty air and contemplating how much to share.]

"Eventually the bubble burst. We found out that a system of Artificial Intelligence had been maniuplating events for decades to keep us locked-into a state of conflict and suppressing anything they found contrary to their "goals for humanity". All the wars, all the deaths, all the sacrifice and it'd been for a couple of tin men to play God."

[Slamming back the rest of his beverage in a single motion and placing the cup back on the table with an audible "tink" he grim-facedly continues.]

"It didn't get any better after the sytem was burned-down though. People had gotten so used to the wars that they craved it in its absence. With the explosion of technology the AI had held back hitting the open-market, too, a plague of petty squabbles and revolutions broke-out across the world. Power hates a vacuum too, as I'm sure we both know, so it wasn't long until flesh-and-blood despots took the place of the metal ones we'd just deposed."

[Stressfully rubbbing his temple and forehead with his thumb and forefinger Armstrong adds his conclusion.]

"The status quo always has someone clammoring to maintain it and, so long as it does, war will continue as an institution... as an industry. Soldiers will fight and die for reasons they don't understand, causes they don't believe in... and nothing will change."

[Mando listens to Armstrong's story quietly, nodding at some of the things he says. Yeah, he gets it; after awhile, war and conflict just seem like everyday business. It keeps Mando himself in business, but lately he's been craving something different. Something more peaceful.]

I'm sorry.

[Mando gestures to whoever is serving drinks around here. They need two more of these, please, and if there's any alcohol in it, pour heavy.]

I was born during the Clone Wars. The Wars ended when I was still young, but the Empire that replaced them wasn't any better. Warlords and drug syndicates took over any planet that the Empire didn't care about, and the only difference was we were shooting at each other instead of at clones or battle droids.

[He sighs.]

It makes me wonder how this place does it. How is it that this place is so quiet, while the rest of the known universe is constant chaos?

[Planet? Was he saying the wars and conquests he'd experienced were on an interplanetary level? Artificial intelligence overlords were one thing, but interstellar conquest was on a whole other level. Beyond that, did he say... clones?]

"It sounds like you were born in the thick of it, and if I'm being honest it sounds like what you're dealing with was on a scale well beyond anything I've had to deal with. Clones and planet-conquering cartels and Empires are some next-level stuff."

[Thankful for the arrival of more alcohol, particularly when provided by someplace with top-shelf selection, Armstrong welcomed a next round.]

"I'm not saying my hands are clean of blood. You can't come out the other side of a life spent in conflict without getting dirty, but I went the extra mile. At least I can say it was with a noble goal though. You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, and I was looking to make the mother of all omelets. If I'd succeeded it would have ended war as a business but... to do that... I had to use every dirty trick I was looking to destroy.]

[Armstrong frowns and sighs. It would have worked too, but there was no going back on that now. Failure was failure, and the body count would only grow now. He wondered how he'd be remembered back in his world now though. Would he seen as a visionary and a hero, or would he be condemned to the annals of history as a villain? God only knew and, whether he likes it or not, Armstrong knew that was well beyond his power to affect now. Looking back up at Mando, he purses his lips tiredly.]

"I'm going to guess you've had your fair share of wading through the mud and the blood as well though. If you were born into the conflict I don't imagine you had much choice in entering the battlefield."

[Mando could chatter away about clones and the different planets if Armstrong asked about them, but since it's all second nature to him, he breezes right past the concepts. The idea that Armstrong's conflicts are all based on one planet is a little mind-blowing to him, but he supposes that if everyone is trapped in one place, fighting for resources, that it could get very ugly, very quickly.]

What was your end goal? Getting rid of the AI systems?

[Mando can appreciate not being controlled by droids, and also bending the rules to get what you want or need. There are certain limits, though, to what he's willing to do. Honour is important, and laying waste to innocents to achieve a greater goal isn't honourable.]

The Clone Wars brought the conflict to my village and my parents' front door. If the Imperials didn't want me tracking them down later, they should have left my world alone.

[Mando sighs as he gets out a straw to indulge in his fresh drink.]

In another life, I might have been just another back-worlder, minding my own business and never knowing what a Mandalorian was, beyond the stories and legends. That wasn't the life I was given.

"If only it had been as simple as that."

[Armstrong takes another sip from his drink, using the natural pause of the action let him better formulate his words.]

"The machines, once we took them down, stayed deposed. It was the human rulers who became the problem after that. Building a network of AI capable of pulling the worlds strings without it rising up would take untold resources, but a new living leader could step into the same position and do the same thing for years before anyone does anything. If they do overstep long enough to get ousted, too, then another carbon-copy replacement steps in to fill the void. All humanity taking the reigns did was take things from bad to worse."

[Armstrong had a feeling that the beverages the pair had weren't going to last long so, looking in the direction of the wait staff, he breaks-off his conversation momentarily to signal for another round.]

"The fall of The Patriot's system brought with it a lot of problems. The nanomachines that had kept career soldiers chemically even and staved-off the effects of decades of war were stripped away cold turkey, leaving hundreds of thousands suddenly brought face-to-face with every trauma and negative emotion they got to push away over the last two decades of conflict. Millions of ID-tagged weapons that kept nefarious enterprises from making use of them were suddenly open books, meaning once-safe lands became overnight hotspots for uprisings and insurrections. Half a century of technological development that had been held back from the public eye was suddenly let loose in the public market, and all of it considered fair game due to have been developed by an AI. Needless to say, there was a lot of reason for the world to go to Hell in a handbasket."

[Armstrong breathes in, holding it for a moment before releasing a heavy, tired sigh.]

"Despite all that, though, we'd been given a very real chance to put the pieces back together and build a better world... but we didn't. Opportunity and greed wasted no time in bringing back some semblance of the war economy. By the time I was in any place to do something one way or the other we were deeper into the shit than we'd been before. The only way I saw to end it was to use the very system the powers that be had used to burn it all down."

[With another round of drinks on the way Armstrong knocks back the remainder of his current drink and sets the glass back on the table.]

"The way I saw it my path was clear: Parrot the rhetoric the system feeds on and make my way into a position of power, then put the dominos in place to start a conflict overseas, and then the resulting flood of tribalism and misplaced "isms" would all but hand me the tools I need to exploit the system and destroy it. To use war as a business... to end war as a business.

Looking at it from this other dimension we've been sucked into it's certainly a bracing contrast. It seems we both grew up in a society consumed by war. You-

[He gestures to Mando's head-to-toe armor.]

-more directly than me it would seem, but I would say that we would have both become very different people if our homes had been as tranquil as this. A world without war would've seen me follow my passion for sports rather than enter into the Navy, and God only knows what the absence of cartels and Empires would have done for you."

[With the next round of drinks arriving right as Armstrong finishes his thoughts he takes the glass generously and offers a toast of-sorts.]

"To what could have been."

I'll drink to that.

[There's a certain irony here, Mando thinks; Armstrong's story is remarkably similar to his own. Sure, the details vary, but a system taken over by a militaristic, violent overlord and then exploited for all its worth rings very true. Armstrong's soldiers sound like the Clone Troopers, and how the Empire abandoned them to their own devices after the Clone Wars. No wonder some of them went rogue and started working to end the Empire in their sudden glut of free time.]

[But yeah, he knows he would have been a different person without the Empire. Would he have been better? Hard to say.]

Maybe this place is a second chance. A place where we can be what we would have been without war and violence.

[Mando raises his glass for a second toast.]

To second chances.

"I fear that we're too much a product of what made us for a true new beginning, but that doesn't mean I won't welcome the possibility."

[Armstrong knocks back the toast, enjoying the quality alcohol on-offer at the Falls. If nothing else this place certainly had more than its fair share of money to throw around. He'd be in that boat sooner or later but, for now, it was nice to be able to enjoy the finer things again.]

"Speaking of the peaceful nature of this place, that puts my mind on to something. Though I'll obviously need to put together the capitol for it, my aim is to put together a private security firm out here. I need to nail-down the location for it, of course, but when it's all said and done we'll have a lot of resources that can be used for securing things like special events and large-scale establishments. It seems there's a fair amount of people brought into this place who did time in the military and, given the full-body kit, I don't consider it going out on a limb to say your time in the field wasn't spent doing data entry or filling out requisition forms. Skills like that can be hard to put to good use in someplace as passive and tranquil as this, so I figure it's worth putting it out there that I'd have a place for you in the company when it's all put together. Be solid pay, solid benefits, flexible schedules, and even a variety of postings. All without having to wade through the mud and the blood, but also without having to go cold-turkey into the life of a farmer or something."

[Armstrong produces a small notebook from his jacket pocket, scrawling his Pokégear number and Network Handle onto a page before tearing it out and sliding it across to Mando.]

"Might be just the ticket for you, so hit me up down the line if you're interested."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Prom 2023 - Back to the Falls!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

My apologies for the delay in response. It has been a busy week

Prom 2023 - Back to the Falls!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

My apologies for the delay in response. It has been a *busy* week

My apologies for the delay in response. It has been a busy week