[PTU 1.045] The Soudai Region IC

[INoKnowNames]

"Greetings to you all. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Hopefully, I will be greeting you in person soon enough. My name is Eugene Eucalyptus. However, in the Soudai Region, I am simply known as the Pokemon Professor.

It has been said many times that this world is widely inhabited by fantastic creatures known as Pokemon. However, few come to know just how true those words are. From the deepest valleys to the tallest mountains, and from the darkest oceans to the bright blue sky; wherever humanity goes, Pokemon can be found.

As much as many of us have lived alongside them all our lives, we know even less about Pokemon than we do about ourselves. Constantly growing and changing alongside us, and revealing new puzzles even when we believe some riddles solved, Pokemon are an ever changing part of our lives. That's why so many dedicate themselves to study them. And why we take pride in recognizing the talents of youths who might help us unravel some of the mysteries of Pokemon.

Nick, you were recognized by Professor Oak due to your intense passion, which he compared to his own grandson. Kerr, you were recommended by Professor Birch in part to your incredible aptitude for learning and understanding. Mac, you were nominated by Professor Elm on account of your adventurous spirit and traveling experience. And Paisley, you were endorsed by Professor Sycamore because of your rapier wit, observed in your apprenticeship.

With the approval of each of your mentors, the four of you have been selected to travel abroad, to study and adventure, in the hopes that your experience would not only be an asset to you, but also to help the world to learn even more about Pokemon. Should you accept, the itinerary for your trip will be included with an experimental new Pokedex, designed to allow the holder and his compatriots to sync and share information, as well as to be updated in real time.

I hope to receive your responses soon. Best wishes, and good luck in your new adventures as a whole new world unveils itself before you!"



This message, along with your travel information, is still stored inside each of your Pokedexes. A month after initial contact has been established, the day finally comes for your journey to finally begin. Nick, aboard the SS Anne, Kerr aboard the Tidal, and Mac aboard the Aqua, each find yourselves traveling via sea, while Paisley has an airship headed from her hometown of Lumiose City. Regardless of the method, your departures have been staggered and set so that each of you would be arriving in the region at about 10 Am.

Opal Island: The Battle Frontier of the Soudai Region, and a common tourist attraction, in part due to the exciting battles to spectate, and in part due to the beauty of the island. The sun shines so bright in the Soudai Region, but the light and heat seem to be intensified by the warm and clean sand that boarder the Resort District. It is here that your initial group meeting is to take place, and in 3 hours, an additional cruise liner will be along to ferry you back to the mainland.

I wanted to make sure to establish it a little bit, so I took some time to make the speech decent, and to give a nice little description for the Island.

You are all in the Resort District now, and have some time to roleplay with each other. Though this is indeed the location for "after the Pokemon League" related challenges, this section of the island is a public tourist attraction open to all. Anything you could want to imagine, such as Pokemon Racing, all sorts of different shops and restaurants; you name it, you can probably do it here.

Funding for fluff related items and crunch are separate. If it doesn't have a mechanical, in game affect, and you aren't going to use it as such, then you can go nuts. Enjoy a fancy meal and kick back with each other for a bit.

Of course, if all of you are more just aching to get started fighting rather than anything else, then I'll see what I can do come this upcoming week to meet your demands. Heck, if you want to skip this chance to look around, I'll try to accommodate that, too. Just let me know.

[Jack DeCoeur]

Mac finished re-reading the message he'd received from Eucalyptus for the dozenth time and slipped his 'dex back into his ever present satchel.

The young man was used to travel; being away from his home region was nothing new, but he relished the opportunity to explore this new land and for the first time, study it's Pokemon. Far from his usual habit of travelling solo, he was to meet up with other young trainers and travel with them, and their Pokemon.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Mac moved along the dock. He knew that the other trainers would be arriving by ship, so didn't plan to stray far. Idly he rubbed his thumb over the red and white orb at his hip and squinted into the bright morning sun, wondering what kind of people his companions would be.

[Sodalite]

The cruise had been nice to Kerr, even if the ship had been much larger than boats and ferries he was used to seeing visit Mossdeep. Only understandable, given how much farther the trip is. He'd allowed Tama out and carried him most of the way, since he figured it'd be good for the little guy to experience the trip. A good time to bond, too, even if there wasn't much exciting to do, that didn't seem to bother Tama, and it didn't bother Kerr that much either.

Opal Island had come up quickly, and not long after having spotted it, Kerr and Tama were off the ship, and into the Resort District, where they spotted Mac more or less immediately.

"Hello there! Good morning!" Kerr spoke, waving a greeting as he carried Tama. As he approached, Kerr gave his hand for a handshake, and spoke again, "You're...Mac, correct? From Johto? I'm Kerr."

[asdflove]

(An airship. An actual airship. ) Paisley can't help but be amazed, holding Melanie tight in her arms as she watches the world pass by out a window. She's never traveled outside of Kalos before this, so she's never needed to travel by anything more than a car, and even then she rarely went farther than Laverre, so this is truly amazing for her. In what feels like just an instant she's at Opal Island and dashing to meet the other trainers. "Bonjour!" She chirps cheerfully, skidding to a stop by the other two. "I'm Paisley, from Kalos. She beams at both of the two who beat her here.

[qwertyu63]

"Well, it seems everyone made it intact." Nick says, walking up to the group. "No boats sinking or anything?" Holding back a small laugh, he continues. "I should probably introduce myself. I'm Nick."

[Jack DeCoeur]

One by one, his future travelling companions disembarked and made their way across the dock.

"Morning Kerr," he said, returning the handshake the first of them offered him. He supposed he was easy to spot, there weren't many other people wearing scarfs in this heat. "Mac it is." He glanced at the Pokemon Kerr was carrying and smiled.

Before Mac could go on, his attention was diverted by a docking airship. He whistled appreciatively. He'd seen airships in his travels, but never this close, it was huge. It didn't take long before a young woman barreled out of it towards their position. She too was carrying her Pokemon, one Mac didn't recognise. "Salut!" Again, the young man idly rubbed his thumb over his Pokeball. Was carrying around your Pokemon the done thing here?

As Nick strolled towards the group and they were all together for the first time a smile came to Mac's face, he formally introduced himself to the new arrivals, "Heath MacKenzie, but I prefer Mac."

[asdflove]

"Pleasure to meet you Mac, Nick, and I would have to assume you're Kerr." She grins. "This is Melenie, by the way." She says, gently lifting the Ralts in her arms up for a moment. "So what do you guys think this is going to be like? Traveling the Soudai region together, that is."

[Sodalite]

"That is my name, and this little one's..." Kerr says, gesturing to the togepi, "Is Tama. Hello to you too, Nick. As for traveling, I'm looking forward to it. I've never been much for going into the field," Kerr casts a momentary embarrassed glance towards Mac, "So I'm certainly glad I'll be going with you three."

[Jack DeCoeur]

Mac nodded in polite acknowledgement as everyone (Pokemon included) were introduced.

Once the introductions were made he put forward a suggestion. "You know" he started hesitantly "I've heard there's a place called the...Magnet." He paused. "It's supposed to be some kind of arena? We've got a few hours, I'm not sure what everyone else is planning, but I'd quite like to visit and maybe catch a battle or two. Plus, we could grab some grub and get to know each other a bit better. Before the adventure begins." With this final statement he shot a relaxed smile at Kerr.

[qwertyu63]

"As long as we are introducing people..." Nick sends forth a Charmander.

"This is Ember."

[Sodalite]

"Watching some battles could be...interesting, and food certainly sounds nice." Kerr ascents to Mac's suggestion. (It's kind of funny how, by pure coincidence, the one of us from Johto happens to not have been carrying a pokemon in the open air, considering that's where the trend seems to have started.)

[qwertyu63]

"Watching some battles sounds like a good time. I like the way you guys think."

[asdflove]

Paisley fidgets awkwardly. Sure visiting the Magnet theatre isn't the worst way to waste a few hours, but it certainly isn't what she would have chosen. (I really should have anticipated this, traveling with three boys...) She smiles. "Well this is a tourist destination, there's quite a few different things we could go to do..." She sighs. "So while I'd much rather go to the cinema or something like that, I've been out voted..."

[INoKnowNames]

The people traveling around the port move around the 4 as they stand together, talking for a few moments. Most voices, including theirs, are indecipherable by the voices of others. However, after a moment 4 loud, obnoxious cries pierce the air about Nick, Mac,Paisley, and Kerr:

"Wow, a Charmander. Someone's old-school as hell. My lighter could smoke that lizard." rings the first pompous voice of a sharp faced, long nosed lad.

"Pfbt. At least that makes sense; look at the idiot wearing a freaking scarf! Where does he think he is, the mountains?" a shrill, feminine tone follows from a stick-thin girl with long red hair.

"She's not bad looking, but what's with that thing in her arms? Who would be caught dead with that freak?" a nasal wine continues from a tall, skinny boy.

"And look at that ragged bro. He looks like he might drop dead out here; hope he doesn't crack his egg!" a deep, brutish grunt finishes out of the mouth of a thuggish youth, before the 4 converge into a chortle. None of them have their Pokemon out, balls worn as accessories, on belts, or in pocket. Evidently, they'd noticed you together for a while.

I'm sorry I don't have images, so I had to go with general descriptions. I reserve the right to retcon them if I have to. Curse my internet status... but yeah, your turn now. What do each of you do?

Fun fact: I didn't realize that their names all started with the same letter at first. Rather funny. I'm going to note them as the J-Team now. :smallbiggrin:

[asdflove]

"Nom de Dieu..." Paisley mutters under her breath, before turning to smile sweetly at the four. "Salut. I'm Paisley Labelle. Personal student of Professor Sycamore of the Kalos region. You are?"

[Jack DeCoeur]

(Seems like I'm not the only one up for seeing a battle or two). Mac felt kind of bad that Paisley didn't seem very into his idea though, he'd hate to drag her along to something she wasn't interested in as part of their first meeting. Before he could articulate anything to that effect though, the group was approached by exactly the kind of people that Mac typically avoided.

He sighed audibly, but said nothing. Hopefully they'd simply go away.

[INoKnowNames]

The tallest in the group of 4 opens his mouth to respond, but is interrupted by the raised fist of the boy in front, the tall one immediately taking the motion to quite himself. Returning his hand back to his hip, the other boy steps forward and smiles. Red eyes gleam under a blond mane of hair, and just above a devilish set of pearly white teeth. "Your reputation precedes you, Labelle. Some have said you might end up the next Gary Oak, May Birch, Ester Eucalyptus; having the favor of a Professor must be nice." he sneers, and the others chuckle a bit, before pausing as he raises his hand. "But our introductions are overdue. He is Justin Lyle, personal trainer and my right hand man." he thumbs at the largest of the group, who flexes his biceps. "She is Jessica Stone, reporter in training, and logger of my rise to glory." he points at the woman, who doesn't stop glaring at Paisley through slitted eyes. "This is Josh Hawke, future Professor and my personal adviser." the boy continues, pointing at the tallest of the team, who pushes his glasses up and smiles, giving of a slightly creepy vibe. "And I am Rising Super Star and Future Champion Jason Steele von Krone. You'll have that name memorized in a matter of time." he finishes, crossing his arms and confidentially smiling. "We'll be running this region soon enough, so we were going to scope out future competition. Does that include any of you? Or are you mere Tourists?" he asks, a predatory growl interlaced into his voice at his question. Evidently Jason is the spokesperson for his little gang, as none of the others do much else than share arrogant glances and smiles.

Hey guys, do you like your new friends yet? :D

[asdflove]

"Paisley, please." She smiles. (This guy is not making a good first impression, that's for sure... "Goodness, I never would have expected someone in the Soudai region to have heard of me. I'm not really anything special, just a future doctor." Paisley beams at them. "Well it's certainly a pleasure to meet all of you." She adjusts Melanie so she's being held in just one arm, and twists a lock of her hair around her finger. (Pompous jerk. Don't let it get you Paisley. Be nice. It's the polite thing to do.) "We're not tourists. You see, we were invited here by Professor Eucalyptus to travel the region. Tres Bien, oui!?" She titters girlishly. (Maybe they'll ignore me if they think I'm just a silly little girl...)

[qwertyu63]

("These guys aren't worth a first thought, never mind a second.") thinks Nick, as he makes an effort to completely ignore this gaggle of a**h***s.

[Sodalite]

"I'm Kerr, Kerr Roy." Kerr says in monotone, off put by the other four's sudden appearance and presumptuous demeanor. He continues, in inquisitive tone, "I can't honestly speak for any of my new friends, but I can say that, at least the moment, I'm neither only a tourist, nor a champion-to-be. To ask a question in turn, is there any reason in particular that you've decided lay that ridiculous spiel at our feet? Given how full of yourself you've seemed in literally the first few sentences you've said to us, and with those..." Kerr replicates to the best of his ability the gestures that Jason used to command the other three, "dramatics, I can only guess what you're actually trying to say. I am not as psychic as some of mentors were."

[INoKnowNames]

Jason for his part keeps his gleaming eyes locked with Paisley, glancing away while listening only to admire the Pokemon in her arms. Before he can respond, Kerr catches his notice. He listens to Kerr with a slightly bemused expression, dropping his hands to his hips in the process.

Behind him, Justin stomps the ground, and interjects just after Kerr finishes. "You've got a lot of bloody nerve, pal! You don't have any idea who you're insulting, do you?!" he growls, raising a fist threateningly. Before he can continue, however, the tallest one, smacks him on the back of the head while Jessica, dropping her snake like glare at Paisley, throws her head back into a laugh. "I suppose that is the point, isn't it." she turns to address him. "I told you we were too far away!" Josh giggles, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "No one knows him yet! You heard him; pay up!" he commands, holding his hand out in front of Justin. "But-but-but, only the one-" he starts, but at a flash of gold, both boys focus forward again, glancing at their leader before staring at the newcomers, Justin looking slightly disgruntled. "You may have only lost part of your bet. Have patience, and let's see how this plays out." Jason throws back to his companion. At this, Justin brightens a bit, and Josh appears to deflate a little.

Stepping forward, Jason crosses his arms, locking expressions with Kerr now. "Paisley, and Kerr. I will have to remember those names. Hopefully your companions have names as well. As for us, we are not natives of this region ourselves. We come from a land far away, where the name 'Steele von Krone' is already synonymous with power. Respect. Authority. In my home, any whom I addressed would throw themselves at my feet, no matter how many barbs are thrown at them. Here, my presence caries no notoriety, or so seems to be the case, hence the first part of our little wager." he begins to explain, glancing at Jessica, who pulls a tablet out of her bag and begins tapping across it swiftly. "These two actually had a little dispute on our way here. Justin thinks this vacation, while fun, will be a waste of time, too easy for Jason and redundant, given his status. Josh, on the other hand, expects both the Pokemon and people of a foreign region to offer ample resistance to his conquest, and for him to be treated like an equal by other aspiring trainers. Of those around, you 4 looked most likely to play the part properly, so we thought to see who was right." she explains, pausing from her writing only to throw Josh an impatient glance. He brightens back up immediately, and begins looking over people's heads.

"It seems Josh has a valid point, though it makes little difference to me in the end; like Lance, Cynthia, Alder; my name will command respect on it's own when the title of champion precedes it." Jason declares. "But to that end, we will all need to improve. So upon our departure, Jessica pointed out a group similar to our own she believed full of potential, and I decided we would test their theories and our humble beginnings, and in the process learn a little more about things here. You may be new yourselves, but to be recommended by the local Professor means quite a bit." he continues, reaching into his pocket. "And so, while the first test is complete, I would like to ask of those of you willing for a little of your time for a second test. You will be compensated for it, of course, and you should be well suited for it, if you are being trusted to travel this brutal land." he remarks, holding a small, black and orange object in his hand. "I just wish to make you the traditional offer made when Trainers meet, and see how you may be remembered in my rise to power." he smiles with a predatory grin, as the Luxury Ball expands. And at the sound, the other 3 also pause to draw out their Pokeballs while trading glances.

I was hoping that we'd get to the motive rant after the battle, but I suppose it's better placed before hand, since unlike in the games, battles can't be forced without the consent of both sides, and the "arrogant *******" angle is just as likely to make you want to just walk away from the tutorial battle as it is to make you accept it, or so is the impression I get from you.

I think the worst thing about needing to adjust this a bit is the fact that even I think that it looks like I'm coping out of his character, but I'm actually not. I've had people test the waters with me before in ways a bit like this, and I've done similar after seeing how well it can work to gauge one's character. Jason's a smug, arrogant jerk, but he's not a villain or anything, and he's not going to be Paul. His Pokemon are, or for now I should say is, his ally, not his tool. If anything, I'd compare the character to how Gen 1 Gary was usually portrayed. Smug and self confident, but not a bad guy. Just a bit of a ****.

In any case, this part is rather important, so I'll bold this little note. In most battles, you won't be paid ahead of time/either way if you win or lose. Against some npcs, there's a fine to be paid for losing, and against some bad guys, not getting out of a battle safely may lead to more than just fainted Pokemon; Encounters with Criminals and Wild Beasts don't always end happily. That's why I was hoping you'd go for the bait, since this battle is more or less risk free, with the chance to increase your inventory for anything you might like if you win, and the opportunity to test both how well we/I can run encounters, as well as the rules of the system. You can still choose to ignore him and/or walk away, if you so want though.

Also, don't you hate it when you get used to how a character sounds, and then you start reading their dialog in their voice? I call it the Professor Fansworth effect! Huhwoi-heehee!

[asdflove]

Paisley tilts her head to the side. "Well, I don't really think we're the best people to talk to if you're wanting to find out if anyone knows you here. None of us are from here after all."

She pauses. "Uh, the silent ones are Nick and Mac" Paisley sends an apologetic glance at those two, for if they didn't want their names given. She always tries to be polite. And people going unnamed isn't polite.

Paisley smiles- somewhat nervously. (This won't be anything like practice battles with Professor Sycamore's pokemon. My first ever battle with Melanie. I... why not...) Her smile turns slightly to a smirk. (But it will probably be more fun too...) So, maybe she can't pretend to be a 'silly little girl' after all. Oh well, these guys might not be quite as bad as she first thought anyway. They just need to be taken down a peg. "So it's a battle you came over here for?" She sits Melenie down and claps her hands together. "Je suis extatique! I would love a battle! I can't speak for any of my companions, but I truly would enjoy one. A great way to start in a new region, I think!

[Jack DeCoeur]

Mac felt like he was getting a read on this group and rolled his eyes. (They love to talk, that's for sure). He wasn't sure how he felt about the fact that they seemed to know a good deal about them. Money talks he supposed.

He smiled at Paisley as if to reassure her that he didn't mind his name being given. Addressing Jason he began "Aye, I'm Mac, son. And I think I see your game Mr. Von Krone. Your Ma and Pa made a bit of money back home and now you think ought to own the world." He pulled his Pokeball (a standard red and white affair) from its resting place at his belt and expanded it in his hand. "At least you've got the sense to know you need to earn it." He grinned and moved besides his female companion as a show of solidarity. "I accept your challenge."

Despite his tone, Mac could feel his body filling with adrenaline. This was truly the start of his next adventure.

[qwertyu63]

With a slight glare at Paisley, Nick just leans back to watch this battle. While these jerks might not be worth his time, seeing what his new companions can do is.

[Sodalite]

Kerr's mind flitted from possibility to possibility. (I can hardly understand what he's trying to say. Is he overcoming some kind of language barrier or is that just how he talks? Still, he looks ready to battle, which is definitely not something Kerr is much interested in, and so he bows out. "I'm not much interested in a battle, not at the moment." Kerr looks down to the round little fairy he's carrying, who returns the glance. "I'm not certain how interested Tama is, either."

[INoKnowNames]

"Pfft. Coward. Makes light, then is afraid to show what he can do." Justin remarks, shaking his hand at Kerr as if brushing off a small bug. "And brownie hasn't said a word at all; guess he's too chicken, too." he continues with a glance at Nick. "Fine; 2 on 2. Jason, I'll be your partner." he finishes, locking eyes with Mac. Jason stands still, one hand to his chin, the other still wrapped around his Luxury Ball, contemplating your group. "You seem to have a fairly decent read of me. My family is quite prosperous, to put it lightly, back home, and once my father's time has passed, I will inherit their power. And I do feel the need to ensure that I will handle that power well once I claim it. Hm... Justin, there is no need for anyone else to intervene." he announces, after a moment of deliberation. "Yes, this will be a splendid challenge for Tyrus and I alone."

Jessica pauses from her note taking to look at him, Josh looks mildly stunned, and Justin's mouth falls clear open. "But, but sir! What if those two have something else up their sleeves?" he asks. But Jason merely smiles. "I can still judge, right Jason?" Josh asks, pointing toward the middle of the street. "There's a nice spot up there; near the fountain, that could be cleared for your battle." he continues. "Very well. Then Paisley and, Mac, I believe. You will have the distinction of being my first opponents in this region, and I assume the same can be said from your end as well. Should I have underestimated you or made a tactical error, then it will be my fault and mine alone, though I feel your victory, if any, will be well earned. Otherwise, this will be a perfect starting point for my conquest of the Soudai Region. One Pokemon a piece, your two against mine. I take it... Nick, I think, won't be joining, and neither may Kerr, should they decline now. Feel free to spectate regardless. Paisley, Mac, shall we?" he remarks as, with a wave forward, Josh and Jessica lead the way, followed by a confident Jason and a dejected Justin. After a bit of walking, those 4 make their way north, with Jason standing on one part of a mural made in the ground, Jessica and Justin standing on either side a few feet behind him, and Josh halfway between Jason and where Paisley and Mac would be expected to be.

I was hoping for a 4v4 battle royal, as I mentioned before, in the interest of making sure this was fair and in testing out how we'll run this. But I suppose now it can still be a fair fight, so long as you two play smartly. One last confirmation, and we'll be getting started... even if I still can't figure out how to get RPG maker to work for making maps; I'll find someway to make a decent map for you guys to fight on.

Qwerty and Sodalite, as I mentioned in the OOC, you're welcome to do something else if you like; I hope you aren't bored to tears... I at least needed to make sure you saw the Dm note in the previous post; that was important to mention.

I'll try to find a way to make a map soon, and I'll either put it in this post or in the next post, having Jason finally unveil his "starter". And do note that this is indeed a winable fight; you'll be paid if you lose, but 4 times that, split between you, if you win. This isn't the DMPC, after all. :smalltongue:

Random Note: as of this writing, I'm 24 years and 1 day old. :smalltongue:

[Jack DeCoeur]

Mac followed the group gripping his pokeball tightly. (Come on my man, you can do this.)

The kid had some bravado, that was for sure. "You sure you don't want one of your cronies backing you up?" He glanced at Paisley "pretty sure that two-on-one is unfair. When you lose, you'll have a great excuse for why, and our victory will be hollow." Mac nodded at Justin "he seems keen."

Mac paused as if in thought "I'd like to make a counter-offer. Two-on-two, anything else would be un-sportsmanlike."

[INoKnowNames]

Justin brightens up for a moment, but then seems to comprehend something, and looks at Jason, suspecting his leader's disposition. Putting his arm back down and his Pokeball up, he merely shakes his head. "Don't worry about how fair you think it might be." Jessica comments. "If he's using Tyrus, you'll have a fair challenge on your hand. James and Tyrus took on all 3 of us together last practice."

Jason nods, his eyes closed. "A king must weigh his choices carefully. He should use only what is needed to succeed in his tasks, and should never under or overestimate his foes. I will make no excuses if I lose, but I will not require any help should it just be you two. My challenge, that I shall face you both-one Pokemon a piece-, stands, unless your allies wish to join the frey. As for your, ahem, victory, should it happen, your compensation will be quadrupled should you achieve it. May that settle your sense of sportsmanship-I know exactly what I wish to get into, and I have no intention backing down unless the situation changes." he speaks, before raising his Pokeball to eye level, his smile gone. "Now, do you back down, or will you accept my challenge, and call your Pokemon?"

I think I've figured out how to make some type of area for us to battle in, though it may take a little more time. Our internet should be turned on Wednesday, Thursday at the latest, so I can work on it without needing to be at work, so we should definitely be ready then.

Also, trust me, this is a fair fight. The 4v4 or 3v3 would be fair because focus fire on your end could shortly allow you to turn the tide quickly; a 2v2 against James and an ally might not be so. I was going to consider having him let Josh fight instead, and have you 2 take on Josh and Justin, but I like James' Pokemon more, and this fight while a little less straightforward, is just as much winnable.

Though, I thank you for your post, Captain Jack. You helped me figure out his character a little more. :smallsmile:

[Sodalite]

Kerr looks around for a place for him and Tama to sit. While not interested in being a part of the battle, he still wants to be here to watch, to be a moral if not literal support to his new-found friends, and just to observe the battle. He doesn't speak up, when Jason allies and the frey and whatnot.

[Jack DeCoeur]

"Ha, alright, alright." Mac raised his free hand in acquiescence. "We'll do things your way, king" the final word dripped with sarcasm.

Mac wound up and threw his Pokeball to the centre of the agreed upon area. "Haggis, you're up." The ball burst open, its stored energy spilling forth and rapidly coalescing into a Pokemon, a swinub.

The creature shot a glance at Mac and then, without any obvious communication between the two, it turned and faced its human opponent, its beady eyes expectant, its small mouth appeared to be almost grinning.

[INoKnowNames]

"Perfect." Jason nods, eyes closed, a smirk smile plastered onto his face. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ka9qDAII-c)

"Now then! Tyrus, your King commands you!" he yells, pulling his arm back, before throwing it foward, launching the ball in front of himself. The ball bounces, releasing a flash of light as it flies back into it's owner's hand. From the light escapes a small, brown, reptilian creature, standing on its back legs and snapping a large jaw. As the trainers move into position and start calling Pokemon, the crowded street immediately begins to provide space, most moving about the sides and glancing, while some stand at an acceptable distance and gawk.

After a small glance from Jason, Josh raises his hands, as if to emulate the flags of a judge. "Right, this shall be a single elimination exhibition match with no substitutions; Incumbent Jason versus Challengers Paisley and Mac. The first side to be unable to battle is the loser. The match begins now!" he calls, bringing his hands down. Jason flashes his teeth in a predatory smile. "Tyrus, use Tackle on that swine!" he calls, pointing at Haggis.

A few things worth noting, before we begin, most of which can be found in the rules, though some I acknowledge probably getting wrong as heck.

First, this is a League Fight, which is handled a little differently than other battles. These are more or less the standard fights. Trainers are not allowed to directly attack or effect an enemy, and Pokemon are not allowed to directly fight other trainers. Item usage is also illegal; patch ups are to be done after battle, and the only boosts a Pokemon may receive from an item can only come if it was holding the item itself. Trainers may use features and abilities that are around encouraging or ordering their Pokemon, except for when they are supernatural in nature: a trainer can use the types of [Training] orders mid battle, but a Channeler couldn't guide her Pokemon using her natural abilities, for example.

Second, in League Battles, Trainers declare their actions in order from lowest to highest speed, and resolve them from highest to lowest, which allows quicker trainers to act before slower trainers. Once the trainers have resolved their actions, the Pokemon then act from highest to lowest speed. Initiative is based off of the user's speed stat, unless otherwise modified.

... at least, this is how it is supposed to be, but I'll try to be a bit more open in how things get played out, so long as everyone gets 1 round a turn. At the very least, you guys can call out your actions in this format, and I'll try to apply them in at least a fairly decent order, usually with the fastest acting first.

Third, Actions can be gone over in depth on page 205, but for the most part, we've all played D&D, and get the general gist of Standard, Move/Shift, and Swift Actions. Relevant here are a sightly meta action, the Command Action, which just means that you're acknowledging which Pokemon you're having your trainer direct in combat, mostly to keep someone from commanding all 6 of their Pokemon at once. An example of most of this in action is on page 208, on the left side.

Finally, I'll be using a tool called Pyromancers to attempt to form my maps, at least until I've gotten the hang of RPG Maker, so I can make them better. I apologize for the eyesore of a battle arena we have to use for now. I've placed your characters at a fairly decent set of locations, but if you'd like I move them before the fight starts, then that's fine with me. I'm using default images for the npcs only because I haven't had a server that has my websites unblocked until tonight, but Tyrus has his image as the default because I'll keep the individual Pokemon's appearances hidden until you know about the species, only describing them. Feel free to use your Pokedex or your Pokemon Education (or my obvious descriptions) to get around this, and I'll update them. Another person I gamed with did it like this, where we had to identify what we were fighting if we wanted to actually know what it was, so we couldn't use our OOC knowledge of everything Pokemon if our characters were not also suitably learned.

... Kerr needs a proper image. XD

One thing I forgot to mention: I like the idea of certain trainers having different themes than normal. The above is Jason's Battle Theme, fitting his design. Suitably... bombastic, no?

Here, I will update with information as it becomes relevant. I'll fix this up a bit tonight, and make sure the next ones also look good, but I at least wanted to get this post out and give you guys a chance to start actually acting, since it's been way too long since this moved.

Notably, the current map, along with all the individual pieces, will be displayed here. Like so. (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=132513) If you can't see it, I'll see if I can remember how I displayed it before, since I remember a user in the first game I ran not being able to, so I had to upload screenshots for him.

A running tally of stats and what not will usually be fit here as well.

[Jack DeCoeur]

Mac grinned. He could feel the tension in the air and he knew Haggis could too.

Jason's Pokemon was unfamiliar to Mac, but he'd worry about identifying it later, he had a battle to direct. The traveller had always been quick, and he knew from experience that Haggis was faster still. They'd use their speed and cunning to win this.

"Haggis, you've got this guy. Focus and keep your guard up. Use your speed and take him down! Tackle!"

Mac shot a sideways look at Paisley and wondered what that Pokemon of hers was capable of.


Mac will use his Standard Action to issue a Focused Training Order (p.49) which should give Haggis +1 to Accuracy and +2 to skill checks for a round.
Haggis will attempt to use Tackle.

Names: Will you be rolling our dice for us, or shall we do it? I'll leave it to you for now, if it's relevant (as I may be away for a couple of days). But I'll do it myself in the future if we decide that's the way we're going.

[asdflove]

Paisley beams. While not much for watching battles, she really does like participating in them. She crouches down and scratches Melanie's head. "You can do this girl..." She stands back up and smiles at Jason.
(I think... I think we'll start off by weakening him rather than directly attacking him...) Paisley giggles, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "Melenie, use growl." Her voice is soft, as she stares down softly at her Ralts.

Sorry with the long delay on this post, I've been way to caught up in Steven Universe. Frankly even this post was difficult because I can't get it out of my head. :smallsigh:

Melanie is attempting to use growl, obviously. I figured I'd start with that, rather than an actual attack. More in keeping with Paisley's personality. She actually tries to get people to underestimate her, so...

Uhm. Accuracy check: [roll0]

[INoKnowNames]

The brown beast lets out a little growl as he moves to his right, then charges forward to meet Haggis' attack. Despite Mac's training, Tyrus moves just a bit faster than the Swinub can manage, and in the process slams his hard head directly into the pig for solid damage. Possibly due to his disorientation from the pain, Haggis's attempt at retaliation flies wild, and he misses the target entirely. Melanie approaches it from the side and attempts to make Tyrus less wary, but the monster merely flashes a toothed grin at her attempts to weaken him.

"Tsk tsk; I thought you could do better than that." James remarks, shaking his head with a smurk not unlike his Pokemon. "Deal with the small-fry later. Use Tackle Again!"

Tyrus's Tackle AC (2+1): [roll0]
Tyrus's Tackle Damage: [roll1]+12 -Swinub's Defense if it hits.
Haggis Tackle: Unfortunately missed, or I'd roll the damage for it here since it wasn't rolled before.
Melanie Growl: Unfortunately had no effect for some weird reason (not Dm fiat).

I updated the map. (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=133276) Do note that your moves do have ranges to them that matter. Growl, for example, only affects 1 square, but hits every single square around you. Tackle, meanwhile, requires you to get close, but also pushes the target away by 2 squares when it hits. Hence why Melanie is now in melee range, in order to make that move legal.

A few hints: Paisley has good Pokemon Education (as does Kerr), and Mac has access to his Pokedex (as does Nick). Identify the basic properties of the Pokemon in question, and you'll be able to more easily figure out how to defeat it. Even now, this fight is still winnable on your side. I mention the two noncombatants because if your side wins and you help identify it, the one who succeeds in doing so will gain trainer exp as well, though not as much for the two who are actively fighting.

[Jack DeCoeur]

"Damn," Mac cursed under his breath. He raised his voice, "you're fast, I'll give you that!"

(Looks like we've gotta battle a bit smarter.) Mac slipped his hand into the front of his satchel and pulled out his Pokedex and pointed it at Tyrus. Hopefully it'd give him some information about how to win this.

"Haggis, flank and take him from the side. Keep him on the move."


Mac will use his Pokedex on Tyrus.

Haggis will move in front of Melanie, around to Tyrus' side, and tackle again.
To-hit (DC3): [roll0]
Damage: [roll]1d8+6[roll] +7 - Tyrus' defense (if it hits).

Haggis HP: 45 - (23-6) = 28

Think I calculated all of that correctly.

Edit: ballsed up the damage tags. Rerolling in OoC thread (I'll get there eventually).

[INoKnowNames]

As Mac's Pokedex scans the creature, it takes but a moment to fully identify it, and process the information. With a ping, each of the other 3 Pokedexs pulse with a vibration, as the "seen" count on each Pokedex is updated. Meanwhile, Mac's screen produces a digital display of the Pokemon, with additional information provided:

"Tyrunt, the Royal Heir Pokemon. Its immense jaws have enough destructive force that it can chew up an automobile. If something happens that it doesn't like, it throws a tantrum and runs wild.

[Common Stats]
HP: 6 Attack:9 Defense:8 Special Attack:5 Special Defense:5 Speed:5
Typing: Rock/Dragon Gender Ratio: 87.5% M / 12.5% F Egg Group: Monster / Dragon
Diet: Carnivore Habitat: Cave/Mountain
Common Abilities: Run Up, Hyper Cutter
Common Moves: Tackle, Growl, Roar, Stomp, Bide [Truncated]"

Minor Map Update. (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=133543)

And yes, this Tyrunt has the ability Hyper Cutter as it's basic ability; hence why Growl did nothing to it. I suppose it is a bit unfair that the games tell you the ability and that I didn't, but I'd actually found myself previously enjoying having had my character's Pokemon Knowledge be useful to a party because some of them didn't have things automatically explained to them, and so whether or not something does or didn't work, or even the exact species being known would be kept hidden unless a trainer could actually identify what the creature in question was, or had it identified for them. Then again, some trainers would still just go "screw it; that didn't work, so we'll try this instead!" and it worked out for them, so it seemed fine... doing this was also a way for people who weren't actively involved in battle to help out others, just by sharing knowledge if the fighter wasn't knowledgeable.

If you guys hate that, then I'm willing to drop it, but I rather liked it myself... In game, I'd say that since your Pokedex records information and updates itself after each battle, that the Trainer spends his first action scanning the Pokemon while it has a chance, before throwing out his/her own, and when a move misses because of an ability or whatever, that it's the Pokedex clarifying it for you, if you'd like me to tie it to the games themselves. Actually, isn't that how it is in most other media as well (someone more experienced than the current battler, or the dex user in question getting information about something going on when something different happens than they were expecting)?

That out of the way, let the battle continue! Tyrunt vs Ralts + Swinub!

I find the Baby T-Rex vs the Baby Wooly Mammoth match up to be interesting...

[asdflove]

Paisley lets out a slow breath. "It's gonna be like that then?" She murmurs.
Slowly smirking, Paisley clasps her hands together. "Fine by me" Her eyes flicking briefly over to Mac, she stares hard at the Tyrunt. "Confusion." She says sharply, grinning at Melanie.

Accuracy roll: [roll0]
Damage roll (if it hits): [roll1] +13

[INoKnowNames]

Round 2 Tackle Attack (2+1): [roll0]
Round 2 Tackle Damage: [roll1]+12 - Swinub's Defense if it hits.

A nasty bruise forms on Haggis's forehead as Tyrus brings his heavy jaw ontop of Haggis. As the two disengage, blood can be seen trickling down from the mark, and Haggis struggles back to his feat, slightly shaken from the pain of the second blow.

The air around Tyrus distorts during that same moment, however, and Tyrus is barely too slow to evade it. It's eyes widen in shock as energy crackles and a nearly invisible explosion envelopes him, causing him to fall to the ground for just a moment himself. He is dizzied for just a bit, before slowly perking back up, and glaring at his attacker, who wisely now backs away from her target. As Tyrus glares at Melanie, so too does James throw a slitted glance at Paisley. Tyrus lets out an angered growl, but is interrupted halfway through it by the battered Haggis throwing itself as him. Though it appears not to have done much to the Tyrunt, it does achieve the task of shifting the saurian's attention a bit.

"Yo, boss! You sure you wann-" a voice calls out from behind James, but at a wave of his hand, Justin quiets back down. "Change targets, Tyrus. Crush that other one first instead." he calls out, a bit of a bit to his voice. Tyrus hisses, scratching the ground with it's big toe.

I was hoping i'd miss actually, or at least not deal too much damage. I decided to be nice and let Haggis flank for Melanie before letting him hit Tyrus and push him, or else she'd have actually rolled too low to hit him. I seem to be very bad at overestimating player abilities, though then again you've had a couple of really bad rolls...

In any case, until Haggis get it healed somehow, be it through rest without gaining another or via a Pokemon Center (unless Paisley can already remove them), he's got 1 injury, and his max hitpoints are reduced by 10%. At least if I'm reading everything correctly.

Also, I didn't know that if you fixed having previewed a roll and reput the information in, when you actually post you can still make the roll work. Huh. The more you know.

Updated map. (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=134063) I should get pictures for the other npcs soon, shouldn't I?

For the record, Tyrus isn't doing so hot himself anymore. Though he's not done yet.

[Jack DeCoeur]

Mac winced as Haggis took another bad hit. He could almost hear the clash of bone on bone from where he was standing.

He had to do something. He glanced at the fountain and considered his options.

He had a couple of tricks up his sleeve, but at this point he and Haggis needed to keep Melanie on her feet. He knew almost nothing about Paisley's companion, but she didn't look like she could take the kinds of hits Haggis could.

He sighed (sorry buddy, this might get worse before it gets better).

"Ok Haggis, you've got him on the ropes. One more good hit and you've got him. You know what you need to do."


Haggis hit points: 14

Haggis will once again use tackle, flanking if possible.
Mac uses Focused Command to grant Haggis a +1.

Tackle (AC 3): [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] + 7 - Tyrunt's Defence if it hits.

[asdflove]

Paisley takes a deep breath wincing slightly at Haggis' wound. (Can I fix that? We'll see after the fight...) She smiles at Melenie. "Confusion again." She pauses. "And keep your distance."


Frankly I have no clue whether Paisley can fix an injury yet. I'd have to look it up. :smallsigh:
Accuracy Roll: [roll0]
Damage Roll if it hits: [roll1]+ 13

If she can back up further and still hit him with confusion I very much intend for Melenie to do so- but I don't even know if the map is up to date right this second nor do I (off the top of my head) remember how far you can move and it's a bit of a fight to get the PDFs open on my chromebook and I'm really not in the mood to mess with it.

[INoKnowNames]

Tackle Attack (2+1): [roll0]
Tackle Damage: [roll1]+12

Though she backed away at first, Melanie was not fast enough to avoid Tyrus' approach. He slams into her, Hard, with enough force to throw her into the side of the nearby fountain. The crack that can be heard hopefully came from the breaking of the brick, and not from the poor Pokemon.

As the creature growls happily, Tyrus is smashed into from the side by the injured Haggis, who sends the saurian tumbling over. It rolls with the strike however, and glares at the Swinub. In that moment, however, it makes the costly mistake of being distracted from the Ralts it just attacked. It only gets a glimpse of Melanie as she once again causes a pulse of psionic energy to form around Tyrus, the air crackling and distorting. A look of pained shock flashes about the Tyrunt's eyes, before it falls to the ground. It attempts one last time to stand back up, before slaming back down again, falling unconscious in the process.

Jason scowls, and advances forward, recalling the Tyrunt back into his Pokeball. "Next time, you will be successful. Good try." he whispers into it, shrinking it down to a more compact form, and placing it on the forefront of his belt alongside 2 other Pokeballs. Justin and Jessica appear transfixed, shocked at the turn of events. Josh as well, though after catching Jason's eye, he coughs for a brief moment, clearing his throat. "Tyrus is unable to battle. The match is over. The winners are Mac and Paisley!" he announces, pointing one hand toward the pair. The crowd that had been watching nearby begin to applaud, with some muttering and whispers scattered about. "Not bad." Jason remarks, as he observes Haggis, Melanie, Mac, and Paisley, his arms crossed and a self-satisfied grin etched onto his face. "You had me believe you were unprepared at all for this land, and dashed my expectations entirely. I can only assume your companions are about as tough; I won't underestimate the lot of you again."

Melanie scored herself an Injury, if I remember correctly, for passing the 50% Hitpoint Marker. I do believe that means you both are capped at 90% of your max hitpoints even if you gain healing later, at least until the injuries go away or you gain access to a Pokemon Center.

I did check, and unfortunately in their quest to keep healers from being overpowering, the writers of PTU saw fit to keep them from being able to directly remove injuries, though over a few hours their medicines are more effective than the average person's, and there are some that can do so. Alternatively, for an hour each I believe, both of them can be restored by a Pokemon Center.

In the meantime, for winning your first battle, and against a Rival Trainer, both Paisley and Mac receive 3 trainer Exp. As for their Pokemon, 5 Exp from a Level 5 Pokemon, x4 (3 for a Rival Battle, and +1 for it being your first) means 20 exp, to be divided evenly between Haggis and Melanie. If I am correct, that does mean that they both level up for their trouble.

Had everyone been involved and made this a giant round robin, you could have earned 2 level ups if I'm doing this math right... but ah well. Far more lethal, too.

[Jack DeCoeur]

"Haggis, well done! You deserve a rest. Return." Mac held out his Pokeball and recalled Haggis back to its confines. (Going to need to find a Pokemon centre pretty soon.)

Mac stepped forward and held out his hand to James. "That was a tough battle. Well fought. I look forward to battling you again in the future."

With that Mac moved his attention to Paisley. Lowering his voice slightly "for a minute there, I thought we were in trouble. Seems like Haggis and Melanie make a good team."

[asdflove]

Paisley rushes over to Melenie, pulling the injured Ralts into her arms. "Are you okay Melenie?" She murmurs. Quickly looking over the injury, she winces. "We'll take you to a center to get you fixed up right away, okay?"
She rises back to her feet and beams at Jason. "A battle well fought." She says cheerfully to him. "I look forward to battling you again in the future, when we're both stronger."

She steps away and grins at Mac. "He got in a few lucky shots. We did fantastic though. They make a great team." She says in an undertone.

I was waiting on qwerty and soda to post because they opted out of the battle, but since NEITHER OF THEM ARE SAYING ANYTHING! :smallsigh:

[qwertyu63]

Nick nods at Paisley and Mac. "Well fought."

I hope I remembered my color correctly.

Just to make my opinion perfectly clear, if that group shows up again, it will be too soon. I have no interest in seeing them what-so-god-damn-ever.

[Sodalite]

"I have to agree, that was an admirable battle from the two of you." Kerr says to Paisely and Mac. Turning to Jason, he continues, "Hopefully next time you'll allow the odds to be a bit more even."

"After all the recovery's been taken care of, does getting food sound reasonable? I can't help but feel like it might a be good cool down from a battle."

[Jack DeCoeur]

"I'm starving. You'll get no argument from me."

[INoKnowNames]

Jason nods to both Mac and Paisley, a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes formed as he catches Mac's hand and shakes it. "Those odds were even. Had you or your other wished to join in, that would have been enough for me to have needed additional help. This battle could have gone either way from the looks of it." he remarks at Kerr's initial response, glancing at the imprint in the wall of the well where Melanie was slammed, and the broken bricks that fell out. "Of course, should we met again, I expect that your lot will have grown enough that you will individually deserve no less than my best."

By now, Justin, Jessica and Josh have moved towards your group, as the sea of people that had held themselves back for the battle now flows freely around the octet of young trainers. "Here. Your winnings." Justin remarks shortly, pulling out two sets of bills for Paisley and Mac. "Sore loser!" Josh remarks, jeering at Justin while he pays the victors. "The one thing to know is that nothing is known! You shouldn't have made a bet, especially one so heavily affected by luck!"

Jessica rolls her eyes and shakes her head at the two as they begin to argue. She faces Paisley. "If you think you'll need to find a Pokemon Center before you do anything else, Justin here will be taking Tyrus to get patched up. Just follow him, and they should be able to take care of yours as well." she says, checking her tablet and showing Justin the map, a top-down display of the area visible by the glow of the screen. Justin looks shocked, but Josh only starts laughing. "Imagine if one of them had a Machop or something! This could have been over in an instant!" Justin grumbles to himself as he holds his hand out for the Pokeball. "Sorry, friend. Next time, we won't lose, but even a King may find himself paused by opposition." he c lapses Justin on the shoulder, handing him the Luxury Ball. "Do hurry up and catch up to us, and we'll save you a seat at the Magnet. Until we meet again, Paisley, Mac, Kerr, and Nick."

With that, the quartet splits up: Justin heads toward the Beach and Pier, while the other 3 begin to head toward the heart of the town. Justin pauses, just to look back, wondering if Mac or Paisley would act on Jessica's information.

Relevant: I don't have a map planned for this area, but I figure it doesn't matter too much right now. The Beach and the Pier you guys arrived on is to the south (as is the Pokemon Center), and the heart of the city is to the north, as are any other possible attractions.

I forgot to mention Prize Money. +$1000 to each of the battlers. I still feel kinda bad that half the party got several bonuses and the other half did not, but I suppose there's not much I can do about it until later, can I?

Slightly less relevant: You could probably get snacks at the Magnet, if you still wanted to go there. Though apparently Qwerty might burn the building down if he sees those NPCS again. I'm not sure if it's accidental or not that most everything I've done recently he seems to hate. :smallredface:

[asdflove]

Paisley darts after Jason. "So where'd you get a tyrunt anyway? Fossils are really rare, and fossil Pokemon even more so? Tyrus was really impressive- no doubt about that-" She pets Melanie's head. "Melenie can well attest to that, but I was just curious where you got him? Melanie was a gift from Professor Sycamore." She grins, now determined to make friends with him, no matter how pretentious he came off as at first.

[Jack DeCoeur]

Although he didn't get involved in the conversation, Mac listened attentively.

He was only very vaguely aware what Paisley meant by 'fossil Pokemon' (not that he'd admit it in front Jason and his cronies). It sounded interesting enough though. I'll have to ask her about that later.

[INoKnowNames]

"Each member of the royal family is bequeathed a Pokemon which matches the ruler's nature. Tyrus was my gift, to be the strongest arm of the king once I am ready to take the throne. I received an additional Pokemon from my kingdom's professor as per my coming of age, actually." he remarks, looking down at his belt at the other sphere clipped to it. Their group makes casual conversation with yours as the 8 of you make your way to the arena, Justin having quickly caught back up with you after asking for directions and finding out that the Magnet would also have facilities for proper Pokemon restoration. The trip doesn't take too long, with the hardest part being maneuvering about the city itself so crowded with people.

Eventually, you make your way to the Magnet Theatre; a breath taking beautiful Colosseum modeled after ancient arenas, but with the obvious touches of modern accouterments hidden under the accents. Through this attraction may be the most busy in the city, one pair standing at the entrance manages to stand out in the crowd: an Audino, standing next to a fair woman with long blond hair and green eyes, wearing a white minidress with pink jacket and heels. The two of them appear to be on the look out, and as you get closer, the Audino notices you, and points you out to it's trainer. She smiles, and the pair approaches you. "Please pardon me, but have you not been invited to this region by Professor Eucalyptus?" she politely asks.

Gonna try to start stream-lining things from now on, in the interest of actually producing some game time before Christmas. And I actually did keep my promise: I've only used the restroom since I got on between now and my promise to post.

New Relevant NPC Alert!

[asdflove]

"That's really neat. What other Pokemon were you given, just out of curiosity? She beams. "Personally, I'm glad I was only given Melenie because I want to catch all sorts of Pokemon on my journey, and it would be a little bittersweet if they were just sitting in the PC... " She shrugs. "Revenons à nos moutons. What is your other Pokemon?" Paisley blinks several times, before grinning at the woman. "As a matter of fact we were invited here by Professor Eucalyptus. I'm Paisley Labelle." She hold out her hand for a handshake to the woman.
I feel mildly obligated to provide translations whenever she starts speaking french. 'Revenons à nos moutons' is an informal phrase that means 'Let’s get back to the subject at hand'.

[Jack DeCoeur]

Mac followed along with the group, listening ideally to Paisley and Jason's conversation. He was far more interested in the city though. And what a city it was! Mac let out a quiet whistle of appreciation when he spotted the arena though, the juxtaposition of the old and the new was an impressive sight.

He smiled at the woman and her Pokemon. "Heath Mackenzie. My friends call me Mac. And you are?"

[INoKnowNames]

"Greetings to you." she politely replies, gently shaking Paisley's hand as her Audino does a bow. "My name is Ester. This is Audrie. We were actually sent by the professor to meet you. But... I do not believe this was the right number of applicants. I am sorry, but I thought it was only four..." she starts to trail off.

"Don't worry. We ain't with them." Justin cuts in.

"We got our own seats for the show!" Josh adds.

"I do expect we will be seeing more of each other in the future." Jessica remarks.

"Until we meet again, then." Jason remarks. "Toughen yourselves up for the next time we face each other; you may see some of the other Pokemon I train then, and I won't go so easy on you next time." He remarks, this last bit pointed directly at Paisley, as the group walks past Ester to go inside. Her eyes follow them for just a moment, before returning to your group.

"So, then, it is just the four of you then, yes?" She asks, her slightly lowered confidence now audible."We were to bring you to a reserved booth to enjoy the exhibition tournament, then go back to the mainland to report to the lab... if that is okay with you. Your entry would be provided for, and there is enough time to catch a few of the battles before we would be needing to leave... is this alright with you all?"

I'ma try to start speeding through these bits to get this game playable again. I hate having gotten wrecked by real life stuff, but I will try to check this every day again. Thankfully now, one of you has a DIRECT line to me, so if I ever go missing, that person has free permission to yell at me for being irresponsible.

I make this OOC Post because I'd also like to give a small chance to do a thing that will make sense later. Anyone feel like making a Perception or Intuition Check? Your next post may get more flavor in it if you do. If not, meh.