#PWTU

[illustrationsbychristina]

OC_TOBER2022: DAY 11: PETS

Once again, it’s Aurie Burke, my Pokémon World Tour: United character! Long before they made it to the Elite Four, they were each other’s best Candlenights present 💖

[shannonmanorart]

Sorry I disappeared after the new year!

I started up a new job on a new show and I've been quite busy! Still hitting up some warm-ups (not as much as usual u.u)

[sparkyyoungupstart]

Yeah I’ve got some recs!

Pokemon World Tour United: It uses the Pokemon Tabletop United system, although the players and DM remove mechanics as they see fit. It follows two main players - Carl Cobalt, a kindhearted but inexperienced young man with a Cyndaquil named Treble; and Rose Jenny, a young girl with a Growlithe named Bango who doesn’t want to follow her family’s traditions. They go through an altered Kanto League featuring various guest players and also butt heads with some Rockets while befriending others and stumbling upon a devious plot. It’s almost finished, and while they’re on hiatus trying to complete their last few episodes there are still plenty to listen to to get started.

Cool Kids Table: Made by the same guys behind PWTU above, this is an anthology series that uses a variety of systems. Some plots concluded, some are still ongoing, and some are just oneshots. The series itself is on hiatus due to various things coming up in the cast’s personal lives. I still think they’re worth a listen, especially these arcs:

All I Want For Christmas: The first arc, only 3 episodes long, using the All Outta Bubblegum system. It's Christmas Eve 1996, and the most popular toy is Turboman. Soccer mom Chrissy, teenager Britney, and toy collector Jed fight their way to the toy store in an attempt to get one of the last two available. I recommend trying this one out because it’ll be a good litmus test to see if you like this crew.

The Fallen Gods: Their DnD 5e arc that’s still ongoing. Using the Dragonlance setting it follows half-elf disaster bi sorceress Tuatha, human barbarian himbo Flint, and elven rogue/ranger Solvin as they get forced into helping to find the lost Gods, who hid themselves as powerful artifacts to protect themselves. They don’t want to do this and they cause a lot of damage along the way.

Sequinox: Their other ongoing story, using the Sailor Moon RPG system. Four girls who are just barely friends - popular girl Hannah, rambunctious Chell, strange but nice Sid, and introverted Yuki - discover they are Sequinox, a team of Magicals Girls with the powers of the seasons, who’s duty it is to fight the stars themselves and protect Earth from The Night Queen.

Jemjammer: An all-queer DnD 5e show set in the Spelljammer setting (albeit a homebrewed version as it started before the official sourcebooks for it came out). The cast are Jylliana the socially awkward Aasimar Cleric, Cacophony the bombastic elven Bard/Rogue, Aelfgifu the half-elven Ranger/Warlock who’s not used to people, and eventually Arturos the Triton Fighter Himbo. They get roped into adventures in Wildspace. While the first little bit is them bouncing from place to place, they slowly but surely start piecing together that there’s a greater evil at work and decide to oppose it. There’s also romance, goofs, and many brunches to be had.

The Eternity Archives: This is also an anthology show, but only for systems - the characters and plot are overarching. We follow a trio of “librarians” - Linda the regular human office lady, Ziva the lizard warrior princess, and Ryl the tiefling nerd. They are tasked by an interdimensional library with gathering objects or people who have accidentally fallen into the wrong universe. In pursuing them, they travel to those various worlds - each one using a different game system. They’ve done such things as 5e, Monster of the Week, Henshin, Wanderhome, and more. There is an overarching plot, but the focus is more exploring the characters via the systems they find themselves in.

Eidolon Playtest: This show uses a system of their own making, Eidolon: Become Your Best Self, which combines themes of Persona and JoJo in the sense that gameplay revolves around the characters being able to summon a powerful supernatural entity representing their innermost self. No matter the setting expect heartwrenching revelations, hilarious antics, terrible music puns, and lots of queer stuff. It does have a large cast (10 people including the GM), but it’s split into two separate groups who don’t overlap until late each season.

The first two seasons form a complete story, which is split into alternating POP and ROCK sides. The POP side follows a group of university students and their professor as they attempt to avoid The Estate, a heavenly institute that has guided humanity from it’s inception. The ROCK side follows a group of wannabe gangsters and their pet fox as they accidentally stumble upon a briefcase of contraband that they can sell for millions - if they get it to the drop point in time.

The currently airing third season, as well as the fourth after it, form another complete story. DISCO is set in 1979 and follows the antics of the Mystery Solvers Club, who suddenly uncover the presence of the supernatural in their town and try to protect themselves and their loved ones from the fallout. SKA is set in that same town in 1999, where the latest incarnation of the Mystery Solvers Club also pursue various supernatural mysteries - including the disappearance of the 1979 club members 20 years ago.

CtrlGroup: Another anthology podcast with a rotating all-BIPOC cast and various different games, some of them multi-episode and some just oneshots. It’s also currently on hiatus, but all my favourite arcs are completed plots. Specifically I’d recommend the following seasons:

It Came from Lake Mary and Return to Lake Mary: Using Monster of the Week in season 1 and MonsterHearts in season 2, this series follows a group of youngsters as they combat various supernatural threats to their hometown while dealing with the horrific ordeal of growing up.

Attack of the Feels: Using Lasers and Feelings, this space romp takes place in the world of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and follows ragtag crew of a spaceship as they meander though surreal and satirical plots across the galaxy.

Compass Rose: Using a system made by castmember Dennis, The Last Shounen. It’s an anime-style campaign where a party of super-powered fighters with mysterious backstories travel across a magical world in order to find themselves.

Pirates of the All-Sea: Using Thirsty Sword Lesbians, this campaign follows a group of pirates from all walks of life as they fight for love and freedom from the powerful kingdoms they’re rebelling against.

Teen Titans Academy: Using the B.R.A.W.L. system. The daughter of Nightwing and Batgirl, the daughter of Red Arrow and Starfire, the son of Mr. Miracle and Big Barda, and a demon-possessed boy raised by John Constantine all enroll in Titans Academy to make their parents proud, but in their attempts to do so discover a sinister comic-book villain plot.

Interstitial - Crossover Driven Actual Play: Using the Interstitial: Our Hearts Intertwined system, and beginning as a playtest of said system by it’s creator Riley Hopkins, this series thrives on weird crossovers and emotional bonds between characters you really didn’t think would ever interact. Each season is it’s own self-contained story.

Season 1 (Identity) is set firmly in the universe of Kingdom Hearts. Marche Radiuju, college burnout Roxanne, Hazel the OC, and Criss Angel Mindfreak are tasked to fight off yet another new incarnation of Organization XIII as they chase them through various Disney worlds.

Season 2 (Authority) follows Atticus the OC, Catwoman, Salem Saberhagen, Sans Undertale, and Cyborg John Cena from the Future as they evade the multiverse-hating Authority and strike out to choose their own destiny.

Season 3 (Proximity) follows a team comprised of Miles Edgeworth, Hamato Raphael, Pidge Holt, and Char Aznable as they work to pull off the ultimate heist.

Season 4 (Infinity) is still upcoming! But it’s inspired by Infinity Train and will follow Mob, Audrey Jensen, Shadow the Hedgehog, and Trish Una in the titular train.

Our Sparks Ignited: Another show using the Interstitial system, though this time it’s explicitly set in the Magic the Gathering Multiverse. Prior knowledge of MtG isn’t required, but it does help. A group of planeswalkers (Teapot the time-lost waif, Zayfa the mad-scientist centaur (I play her!), Una the noble Samurai, and Niklas the Perfectly Normal Man) form a surrogate family of sorts while doing interplanar odd jobs for others. But their journeys can’t help but point them towards multiversal threats, and soon things get personal.

Pokemon: Adventures in the Millennium!: Another pokemon podcast that uses Pokemon Tabletop United, and was inspired by PWTU above. This one follows three trainers across Sinnoh - Julian from Alola and his Litten Erik, searching for his archeologist parents; Belle from Kanto and her Nidoran Myra, running from a dark past; and Gabriel from right here in Sinnoh who hopes to become pokemon champion with his one-armed Krabby Clawbert. But they soon become embroiled in a scheme that pits science against magic, present and against future, and these friends against old rivals. It’s been on hiatus for almost a year now, but I have it on good authority that it’ll be coming back some time this year (because I’m the one who GMs it :P)

Hope some of these spark your interest!

give me some good dnd (or other ttrpg) podcast recommendations cuz i finished all the main taz arcs (balance being my fav by far, with ethersea in second) and want more

i remember i checked out critical role a couple years ago but just could not get myself into it at all. a few months ago i listened to part of an episode of dimension 20 (i think the fantasy high arc) and i didn't get too far into it because the mood wasn't right but i didn't dislike it and would be willing to try it again now that i'm in a different mood

so far my preferences are:

-i'd prefer one with a main overarching plot, as opposed to just an open-world deal with the party going on a bunch of unrelated adventures with no end goal in mind (this was one thing abt ethersea that i didn't quite jive with tho the characters and worldbuilding kinda made up for it)

-i want there to be a comedic element to it, rather than all serious all the time. but i do also want there to be serious/emotional moments too

-i like strong relationships between characters (with found family being my fav but i'm not picky) and sweet/emotional moments

-it needs to be something that i can just *listen* to. it's okay if there's optional visual components but if they're necessary to fully enjoy it then it won't work for me

-i think i prefer party sizes around 3-5ish but this isn't a hard and fast type rule. but i feel like larger casts tend to sound less appealing to me

-uh idk you probably know my taste in other media if you've been following me for a while, like what kinds of tones and themes and elements i tend to gravitate towards in a story

[lettering-is-my-music]

I have no context u gotta listen to pokemon world tour United to have it

[withlovingregards]

RoBalt?

A commissioned fic for @sparkyyoungupstart, with characters from the podcast Pokemon World Tour: United

Cobalt wasn’t known to be the smartest person in his traveling group of friends, with him usually paying attention to his Pokemon or a certain blue haired girl rather than what was going on around him. He had his strengths, but being perceptive had never really been one of them, which had never bothered him. Until just recently, when he was having trouble putting two and two together.

 At first, it was just a guessing game. He and Rose had been traveling together for quite some time, and had been through a lot of situations together, from tracking down rockets, to going to court, and even saving the Legendary birds. They’d shared many memories with one another, and they’d grown a strong bond. Cobalt and Rose were known as good friends, and since the day they set foot on their Pokemon journey, people had been mistaking them for a couple. In the beginning, the two very adamantly denied this assumption, because no, they weren’t a couple. They were just Rose and Cobalt, and that’s all that they needed to be.

 But the more time they spent together, huddling for warmth during the Pokemon induced winter, having a beach vacation, and putting criminals in jail, things started to change. Or, Cobalt thought they had. Rose, even under stressful situations, seemed to smile at him more freely, with all the joy on her face of someone who was just so content with their life. She would still call him an idiot every now and again, though it seemed to carry the weight of affection rather than exasperation. And sometimes, the girl seemed to sit closer to him than necessary, brushing up against his side but making sure not to look at him.

 Cobalt wanted to ask her if everything was alright, if she was looking for comfort because of something that had happened, but he found himself very reluctant to break the deeper connection they seemed to have made. So instead, he found a reason to be just as close to her.

 It hit him like a ton of bricks when he’d happened to have mumbled out some stupid joke, admittedly not one of his best, and Rose had just looked at him and burst into laughter. In the midday sun, her eyes sparkled so brightly and conveyed emotions to him that words just couldn’t say. He gulped and wanted to thunk his head against a tree. He liked Rose more than a friend should.

 As soon as he confirmed the thought, there was no going back from that. Every thought seemed to revolve around her, and dang it, it would have been easier to just stop thinking about it if she wasn’t always with him. But every time he wanted to mention the fact of his changing feelings of her, he stopped dead in his tracks.

 Did she like him? Would she even want to be more than just friends with him? Man, what if this was just her getting more comfortable around him as a friend, and it wasn’t even romantic.

 But finally, after what seemed like weeks of him worrying over this as if it was the end of the world, it finally clicked in his mind. The way that she stuck close to him, the way that she would do something before immediately looking back at him to see his reaction. The way Rose seemed to always have room at her side for him. She wanted this just as much as he did, she was just waiting for him to make the first move. Cobalt had finally gotten the confidence to ask her on a date, had been mere moments away from asking her the simple question, when he’d had the thought.

 “A conflict of interest? Cobalt, are you an idiot?”

 Cobalt frowned and stared at Cira, who sat across from him at the cafe table. It didn’t sound as nice coming from this girl over the other. Somewhat dramatically, he sighed and sipped at his juice. It would be hard for a criminal to understand the complications between the two.

 “Rose comes from a long line of Officers. Actually, I’m pretty sure her direct line was one of the first, or something like that. And I’m one of the few non-Jenny’s to be in the police force-”

 “You’re not a cop!”

 “I went through the training program and helped Rose take in all those Rockets a while ago. We’ve done more labor than the entire Kanto region in the past couple months. I think it’s safe to say we’re both cops.”

 It was Cira’s turn to huff out an annoyed breath. She was starting to regret the fact that she’d popped up to hang out with her… friends. Knowing how head-strong the blonde was, she just leaned back in her chair and gave him a wave of her hand for him to continue his ridiculous explanation.

 “Our work is important to us, but she’s important to me too. And I know that if I had to choose between work and her… it would always be Rose.”

 Okay, even though Cobalt was acting like a moron, that was really cute. Cira went to say something, but the girl in question had finally come out of the coffee shop and was slowly sauntering over to them. Without a second thought, she sat right next to Cobalt and gave them both a smile.

 “Sorry it took so long, but you can’t rush perfection,” Rose sighed, closing her eyes as she took her first sip of the very sugary “coffee” she’d ordered.

 “Can you even call that much sugar a drink?”

 “I can’t hear you over this little cloud called heaven.”

 Cobalt snickered into his juice, ready to just forget the conversation that he’d just had with Cira. But the orange haired girl had other plans.

 “So Rose, what do you think about dating in the workplace?”

 Cobalt was barely able to keep himself from choking on the juice that had gone down his throat. When he’d finally got his breath back, he was glaring at Cira, who only had eyes for Rose. Rose cocked her blue brow, not understanding why the question had been posed.

 “Um, I don’t know. I’m not against it, I guess? As long as the work gets done?”

 “But sometimes you have to weigh your options, you know? Work is important, your relationship is important, can you even balance the two without sacrificing something or breaking the rules? Is it even worth it?”

 “Cira, that’s some pretty heavy stuff you’re laying down,” Cobalt snapped, close to growling, “Not really a good conversation for lunch time.”

 “We’re friends aren’t we? Friends can talk about serious things every now and again, especially when it concerns someone close to them.”

 Cobalt was going to battle her. Right here, right now, that would probably shut her up, right? He was ready to stand up and do just that when Rose finally said something.

 “Balancing everything in your life can be difficult sometimes. Trust me, I know from personal experience. Sometimes it can get overwhelming and you think that that’s it, there’s nothing else you can do. You think you have to pick the road that seems the easiest to travel.”

 Both Cira and Cobalt turned to look at their friend, instantly forgetting their own emotions to let Rose vent hers, listening to her wisdom. She seemed so serious, but then she gave Cira a small, but strong smile.

 “But that’s the way that life works sometimes. It pushes at you to see if this is really what you want. And sometimes it’s not, but I like to think if you’re asking this question, you already know the answer. When push comes to shove, you have to make your own path, even if it doesn’t look possible for the happily ever after you want. And in the end, you know that you’d drop everything for Bonnie.”

 “Wait, what?” Cira shook her head, shaken out of Rose’s deep answer after the twisted ending.

 “You guys have grown so much together, have helped each other grow and become somewhat good members of society. You lean on one another, rely on each other, and you know you’d do anything for one another. ‘Work’ may want something more from you, but maybe it’s time you either create your own future or work towards that compromise.”

 “This isn’t about-”

 “That’s so sweet,” Cobalt said, mockingly, liking how the tables had turned, “Bonnie means a lot to you, huh? I’m glad you can trust us enough to tell us about your vulnerable heart. I knew you were never as mean spirited as you tried to be.”

 Cira flushed a deep red, not liking the way everything had turned on her, but was so embarrassed about how Rose had clamped on some of her own relationship insecurities. It took her a solid minute or two, with a concerned look from Rose and a smug one from Cobalt, before she was able to really say anything.

 “Shut up.” And just like she always appeared and disappeared, Cira got up without a word and started walking away, throwing her hood over her head to help hide her deep blush.

 “Did I say something wrong?”

 Chuckling, Cobalt threw his arm around Rose’s shoulder and pulled her closer in for a side hug. “No, I just don’t think she was expecting that kind of answer. Me neither.”

 “It’s just how I feel,” Rose said with passion, slow to pull away from the hug, but did so to take some of her drink.

 Cobalt watched her for a bit, actually contemplating the things she had said, even if it hadn’t been aimed at him. It was still good advice, and Cira had kind of accomplished her goal, in some way. Cobalt knew what he needed to do.

 “Rose, how would you feel about a date tonight? At that one restaurant you pointed out earlier?”

 Quickly whipping her head towards the boy, giving him a good slap with her hair, Rose’s eyes widened when she realized that he was actually serious about it. However, the shock didn’t last too long, giving way to a kind of shy smile.

 “So that conversation was actually supposed to be about you and me?”

 “Yeah, but I listened to some of that sage advice and decided rules be damned. So, what do you say?”

 “Of course I’ll- wait. What does a date have to do with dating in the workplace?”

 Cobalt pulled out his “badge”, his face a bit somber as the little bit of guilt washed over him, for only for a few seconds. This was the right choice.

 “I think the police force will look the other way with when it comes to the two of us.”

 The confusion was visible on Rose’s face as she tried to put the pieces together, and then Cobalt saw the annoyance on her face just before she yelled at him.

 “How many times do I have to tell you that we’re not cops?!”

[pinkisthebravestcolor]

Not so long ago, I started listening to a dnd pokemon podcast. I fell in love with it and decided to draw one of my favorite characters, Bango!

If wall wanna check it out, its called Pokemon World Tour United!

(PS, hope yall enjoy Growlithe with beefy dad arms)

[grizzlybaron-blog]

Rocket Roundup Part 1

I’ve been listening to the Pokémon World Tour United podcast for a few months now, and while I would be glad to create characters for the podcast, I thought I might have more traction focusing on writing things based on events happening in the podcast. For those of you who don’t follow the adventures of Rose and Cobalt, the only background information you should need is that a large number of Team Rocket members just broke out of prisons all across Kanto and the Officers Jenny are frantic to find them.

Enjoy.

The frantic sound of someone trying to whisper and yell at the same time was the only thing disturbing the night air in the forest near Route 13. The occasional cry of a Hoothoot was the only pokémon brave or dumb enough to disturb the whispered shouting.

“What do you mean you can’t find the entrance? That’s literally your only purpose here!”

“I’m...I’m sorry director. I’m doing the best I can, but the trap door seems to be hidden.”

“That’s the point you weak grunt!”

“Yes ma’am, but I mean to say that someone else has hidden the trap door differently than the way it is supposed to be hidden.”

This was met with an unusual silence made all the more comfortable by the tension that promised more anger.

“Are you trying to tell me those white shirted cowards are covering up our hiding holes?”

“I don’t know ma’am. Could you maybe contact the bosses?”

“Ha, the bosses were low level grunts before they took over, I doubt they have any more idea of what the traitors are up to then you do.”

The shadowed face of the grunt became physically uncomfortable to watch as he fought to control his fear at being yelled at with his desperation to worship the bosses. Indeed, the war seemed to only amuse the black-clad woman and she seemed ready to release some much needed laughter.

It’s hard to know what happened first, but at that moment hell broke loose in three ways. Perhaps most notably a hand tapped the woman on the shoulder. The hand itself was only notable in that it belonged to a large and terrifying Gengar who gave the woman the single meanest look she had seen in a long time. Seemingly at the same time a long dark pink tongue extended from the tree and ran itself over the grunt who stiffened and attempted to scream. But, it was the third thing that quickly brought itself to the attention of the grunt and the director. A bush stood up and revealed itself to be a young man dressed in nondescript clothing. His only real identifiers were the messenger bag at his back and the pokéballs at his waist. Any resemblance he had once had with the hedge that had been there was very definitely gone.

“Hello, please don’t run.”

The grunt turned to run, but only made it a few steps before he stumbled and dropped to his hands and knees. Dropping from the trees above to the space just before him was a large blue frog with a long pink tongue wrapped around its face.

The young man calmly walked toward the grunt with a casual, friendly smile.

“This won’t hurt a bit,” he said, “I’m just going to put these restraints on you, and then we can all take a ride back to Fuschia. There are some officers there who are willing to pay big money for the chance to ask you some questions.”

Mr. Smiles has let the female get away.

The young man turned around quickly at the voice in his head.

“Giratina take you Mr. Smiles,” said the young man as he whipped a pokéball off of his belt. With a flash of light, a large Zebstrika manifested in the clearing and lent some light to the area. The young man rushed to mount the Zebstrika and shouted at the other pokémon as he did so.

“Bubbles, you stay here with Mr. Smiles and keep an eye on this one. Don’t hurt him if you can help it.”

“Gre” was the only reply from the Greninja, but the look he gave the Gengar seemed to cause that pokémon some uncomfortable feeling.

“Leda, you’re leading the way. If she really is a director, then I want her now.”

An Espeon seemed to materialize before the Zebstrika, as the young man heard a voice in his head confirm, I believe we will have her in a few moments. The female will not be able to hide from me. She is disciplined, but hot-headed.

[cnflnc-atelier]

Sublime time. Soak it up. Soak it all up!#adventureneers #storm #coloradogram #sublime #stormandchill https://www.instagram.com/p/CiinYE-PwtU/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[illustrationsbychristina]

“I wanna jump off the balcony.”

Pokémon World Tour: United aesthetics: Cobalt

[shannonmanorart]

I forgot to post these back in October, opps but here is part 3 of my OC_Tober2022!

Days 21 - 30 (I didn't do 31 oops) Graffiti, Tattoo, Dream, Camping, Knife, Manga, Night, Gym, Pajamas, Goblin Mode

[lowongankerjasmk]

Lowongan Kerja di Rumah Sakit Bedah Triharsi Solo Maret 2021 - Loker SMK Sederajat

Lowongan Kerja di Rumah Sakit Bedah Triharsi Solo Maret 2021 – Loker SMK Sederajat

Lowongan Kerja di Rumah Sakit Bedah Triharsi Solo Maret 2021 Lowongan Kerja di Rumah Sakit Bedah Triharsi Solo Maret 2021 – Rumah Sakit Bedah Triharsi mengundang para profesional handal untuk berkembang bersama dalam memberikan pelayanan terbaik. Saat ini membutuhkan segera : PERAWAT BEDAH (Kode: PWTB) PERAWAT ICU (Kode: PWTI) PERAWAT UMUM (Kode: PWTU) REKAM MEDIS (Kode: RM) APOTEKER (Kode:…

[withlovingregards]

PWTU: Vacation in Alola

After hours, and hours, of floating on this hunk of metal that barely earned the title of a "boat", the vacationers could finally see a speck in the distance. And as the boat continued to speed along the crystal clear waters, the speck they saw slowly started to turn into an outcropping of swaying trees and mounds of sand. The Island of Akala lay before them in the not so far away distance.

"Finally!" Rose groaned, leaning against the rails to get a better look at the scenery before them while also trying to keep her hat atop her head.

"You keep complaining about how long it's taken to get here, but you passed up the opportunity to take that Mantine ride. Which would have been so awesome!"

Rose turned towards the taller boy, narrowing her eyes at him in a glare.

"One, I wasn't going to jump on that thing and 100% fall off in the middle of the fricken ocean. Two, where was Bango and all of my luggage supposed to go? Three, that ride would have messed up my hair."

"Glad you thought so deeply about it," Cobalt mumbled, looking back out towards the Island, where the dock had finally come into view.

"Oh, I'm just so excited I'm ready to burst!" Victor squealed, holding Biscuit tightly in his arms, "There's gonna be so much new information to learn, new Pokémon, new-"

"This is a vacation, Victor," Rose interrupted, "You're supposed to have fun on a vacation. Not homework."

"But learnin' is fun..."

"Grow, grow!"

All three of the kids looked over at the over excited Bango, who was spinning in circles so fast he was only a blurry cyclone of a Pokémon. With a roll of her eyes, Rose put a hand on him to slow him down, watching as stars circled his head in his self-inflicted confusion. This was why the other few travelers on the boat had decided to stay on the opposite end of the ship.

"Bango, you gotta chill my dude. This is the first time I've ever been to the Alola region, and I don't want it to be my last. And I swear to Arceus, if I don't get to enjoy every luxury on this island, someone is gonna pay."

Bango, the agent of mischief he was, only stared at her for half a moment before he turned into a fire cyclone once more. Victor and Cobalt smothered a laugh while the young Jenny silently fumed.

Thankfully not much longer after that, the rickety ship made it into the docks, where everyone quickly made their way off, with Treble and Bango leading the pack. The two fire types pushed everyone out of the way, seeming to be racing one another, but stopped as soon as their paws hit the hot asphalt of the street. Each cooed as the bright sun warmed their fur, and Treble even laid flat against the ground, looking like a puddle of a Pokémon as people stepped around them.

When the trainers were finally able to step off the boat themselves, they couldn't help being a little bit wonderstruck. While the sun was just as hot as one would expect on a tropical island, the cool breeze that tangled in their hair and danced through their fingertips helped created the perfect mixture of relaxation.

The beaches to the side of them, though very packed, seemed almost serenely quiet, with the sound of the crashing waves echoing around louder than the many conversations going on down below.

"I love the city and all, but this place is amazing. Oh, they even have a nice boutique as you get off!"

"I wonder if the travel agencies have any brochures Biscuit and I could read..."

"Are you guys missing the fact that this is beach central?!" Cobalt shouted, throwing his arms into the air for emphasis, "Let's get out there before all the good spots are taken!"

The sounds Treble and Bango made were in agreement to Cobalt's statement.

Rose scoffed and flipped her hair over her shoulder while Victor just blinked up at him.

"The boutique is right there. I'll pop in and out in no time, and you boys can bring the stuff up to the hotel."

"Plus, we gotta go get checked in and unpacked before we go anywhere."

Bango, Treble, and Cobalt all deflated at this, and glaced one last longing look at the hot sand and bright blue waves before they followed Rose into the shoreline shops.

By the time all those errands had been run, and by Victor's request, all their belongings put away in their respective drawers and cubbies, the two Pokes were finally ready to go down to the beach connected to the hotel.

Cobalt had thrown off his shirt, slung a towel over his shoulder, and had been ready and half way down the hall in his black swim trunks patterned with different Pokéballs when he'd been stopped yet again.

"Can you three at least wait for Victor and I to get changed before you go rushing off?"

"Cobalt, you should really put on some sunscreen. The sunlight is very direct here."

So the blonde boy was, once again, forced to wait.

Victor was quick to change, wearing a colorful floral printed button up, green swim trunks, and of course, his ever present fanny pack. There was only one problem with his outfit, which happened to be his shoe selection...

"Nope, nuh uh," Rose objected, coming away from the room's mini bar she had been trying to unlock, "You are not wearing socks with those sandals. Or any sandals. I won't allow it."

"But my aunt gave them to me! Specially made to keep your feet cool in-"

"I don't think you heard me the first time-"

"Fine, I'll take them off," he grumbled, even as Biscuit licked his nose.

Cobalt stayed silent the whole time, but even he had agreed with Rose. And his fashion sense, to all others, was pretty atrocious.

And finally, finally, after Rose gave up on the mini bar and had been dragged away from her comfortable perch on the bed, came out from the bathroom, ready for the water.

Her hair had been thrown up into space buns, eyes protected by pink tinted sunglasses, and her swim suit (which consisted of red boy shorts with a bow on the side, as well as a red and white pattered crop top) was covered by a see through black beach cover.

"Alright, let's see what kind of spot-"

Cobalt, Treble, and Bango disappeared from the room, sprinting down the hallway.

"-we can find?"

"Togi?"

Sighing, Rose picked up her backpack, mindful of the chirping murder baby that sat inside, and strapped Sakura to the front of her, as normal.

"I have a feeling those three might get us into some trouble on this vacation."

"When do they not? Come on, let's catch up to them before they get too far and we lose them forever."

As they made their way down to the lobby, thankfully filled with others in swim wear so they didn't seem too out of place, the two followed the sounds of the waves down to the beach. A simple winding path surrounded by flowers and trees lead them to the shore. And for the second time that day, they had to stop to take in the sights of Akala Island.

The sand felt like the softest silk that gently wove through their toes as they walked. There were a few palm trees spread out, its fronds swaying in the afternoon breeze. And as the wind caressed their faces, it brought the smell of the sea; tangy with salt but refreshing all the same.  

The only down side to all of this? Almost every inch of the beach was full of people and Pokémon alike, all with the same idea of enjoying this picturesque island.

"Do you see any free spots?" Victor asked, holding his hand over his eyes to see off into the bright distance, even though he was wearing sunglasses and a hat.

"Not anywhere close by. But I don't see Cobalt either."

The duo spent a couple minutes scanning the shore, unsure which way their companion had gone. Or even if he had left to go this way. Knowing him, he might just go right to the beach they had seen when they'd come in instead of the one that connected with the hotel. Rose was starting to get a little bit frustrated when Victor spotted something.

"Oh, I think that's Bango comin' our way!"

The flash of off orange galloping down the beach was indeed Bango, though it had been hard to tell at first glance. He was strangely discolored by what looked like sand. Which was confirmed when he finally made it back to his trainer, tongue lolled to the side, and started to roll around by their feet.

"Giving you a bath is gonna suck tonight."

"Bulba," Sakura agreed, making a face at the fire Pokémon below her.

Bango ignored his least favorite word, instead jumping back up to beckon them the way in which he had just come. Victor and Rose looked at one another and shrugged their shoulders.

"No turning back now I guess. Cobalt better had found a good spot."

It took them a few solid minutes of walking, which seemed to take forever since they had to tiptoe around all the other sunbathers along the way, before they reached the excited blonde. Cobalt was jumping around, "dancing" with Treble under the heat of the sun, and who knows how long they had been doing that.

The spot that they had claimed wasn't... what Rose would have called a spot in the first place. It looked more like the boy had squeezed in between two groups, the thought confirmed as both those people were glaring at a completely unaware Cobalt.

"Cobalt, I don't think this is a really good place to sit," Victor trailed off, ducking his head once the strangers turned their gaze to him.

"What? No, this spot is amazing! The waves are huge, the sand is perfect for sand castles-"

"There's not even enough room for us to lay our blanket down!"

Rose held up the fabric, folded ever so neatly, then gestured to the small piece of beach he had claimed as his own.

"I don't even know if it'll be big enough to fit just the three of us, let alone all our Pokémon."

Cobalt huffed and walked over to them, snatching the blanket out of his friend's hands. Grumbling about the pessimism on their vacation, he shook it open, trying to lay it down in the small space before him.

Rose wasn't quick enough to stop Bango as she noticed the glint in his eyes, and could only get out his name before he chomped down on the end of the blanket. He started to pull on it, now playing a game of Tug o' War with an exasperated Cobalt.

"Bango, let go!" He growled, pulling as hard as he could against a Pokémon that was definitely stronger than him.  

"Grow~!" Bango sang back happily, his tail swishing back and forth in his joy. The looks that they were getting only intensified as the two idiots continued to argue.

"Oh for the love of, Bango, let go!"

The growlithe looked over at his trainer, then back to Cobalt, and gave them both a look of complete mischief. But he listened to the instructions. He let go. While the teen was still pulling with all his might.

"Woah!" He exclaimed, falling back with a loud "thump". The sand around him started to scatter, and the sand that had accumulated on the blanket started to fall on everyone like snow. Rose and Victor covered themselves from the rain of sand while Bango danced around it in joy. They could also hear the complaints of the people next to them and were ready to just give up the dumb spot and just keep moving.

Treble made a sound of distress and ran over to Cobalt, moving his snoot around under the blanket until he found a swirly eyed boy. A few licks to the cheek was all it took him to straighten out, and he was back to smiling again.

"What a disaster," Rose said.

"Um, Rose? Why is Bango giving you that look?"

The blue haired girl pulled her hand away from her face, looking at her starter Pokemon. His smile hadn't gone away, and the fur on his back seemed raised just a bit. Sand that had been trapped in his fur started to spill and Rose's eyes widened.

"Bango, don't you dare-"

Bango dared.

With a huge force, the Pokémon shook his body out. All that sand that had once been trapped on him went flying, creating a sand storm around a huge section of the beach. For a long while, the only sound to be heard was that of coughing, the sound so loud that even the crashing waves were muted. Even though Rose and Victor were wearing sun glasses, it still took them a while to recover from the sand attack as they waved their hands in front of them, trying to disperse the cloud. To Rose's annoyance, she could hear Bango's happy barks as he ran around them since he was ready to continue playing.

After a few solid minutes, the sand finally started to settle, and once again they could see the beach in all its glory. Except, there was one big difference.

"Did... did that just make all those people run away?" Cobalt asked, sitting up from the protective cocoon the blanket had provided. His grin slowly widened as he looked back and forth, noticing that not only had their neighbors left, so had everyone who'd witnessed the sand storm. They now had a large section of beach front propertiy. Big enough for the three of them... and also all their Pokémon.

Rose quickly turned to Bango, who looked up at her innocently. She pointed her finger at him and narrowed her eyes in a glare.

"While this worked out in our favor, don't think you're off the hook. You're still getting a bath tonight. And as punishment, you're getting that deep treatment so you smell good. I don't care how much you hate it."

While he seemed a little bummed by that last part, the gloom was only short lived once the growlithe remembered he had free range of the beach. He ran towards the edge of the shore and started to dig a hole in the sand. Every now and again, the water would come a little too far and spill into his hole, and Bango wasn't particularly happy about that, but kept digging through it all.

"Well, we might as well claim this spot while we have the chance," Victor suggested, pulling out all the Pokéballs from his fanny pack, "No one's gonna wanna be around so many Pokemon."

"I don't even know if I want to," Rose said with a frown, "but this isn't just our vacation, so that's fair. Let's hope this doesn't turn into a disaster."

In less than a minute, all their Pokemon sat before them in a confused daze, looking around at the bright sky. Refrain and Serenade were already in the water (along with their trainer), Squeakers had grabbed ahold of Victor's hand, trying to lead him into the water. And Honey Babe...

"How do you already have honey on your hands?!"

"Teddiursa~!"

An hour or two had passed by since the teens had claimed their large section of the beach, and it seemed like a miracle from above that all of these different Pokémon from all of these trainers seemed to be getting along, if only for the fact that they were on vacation. Lapis was currently in the water, swimming slowly back and forth with Tweetsy, Basil, and Dippy riding on her shell, making a cacophony of noise in their joy.

Crescendo, Juliet, and Prelude were currently involved in an unwinnable game of catching Pepper, who just kept warping away from them, only to reappear a couple feet away. While his face hadn't really changed, Rose knew that Pepper was enjoying the game.

As for the trainers, Cobalt was still in the water, only having to leave once when he'd been forced to run away from an angry crabrawler who was feeling a little territorial. Victor was leaning against Nightlight with Biscuit in his lap, reading some Alolan article from his Pokédex. Every now and then, he'd gasp at a fact that he'd read and Biscuit would bark in excitement along with him. Rose, as she had promised herself, was lying on the blanket, tanning. Sakura and Southy were on either side of her, eyes closed as they napped in the warm sun. Every now and then, Sakura would snort out a snore, and Rose was sure she had seen a snot bubble come out of her nose at least once.

"A Joltik? I don't think these are native to Alola."

Turning her head to look towards Victor, she indeed notice that there was a bright yellow Pokémon perched atop Victor's Pokédex. It's bright blue eyes were looking at him intently as it cocked its head to the side.

"Probably just someone's Pokémon taking a stroll," Rose dismissed, turning her head back to where it had been before.

Only to be inches away from a grinning Haunter.

"Holy Shi-"

"Haha, I couldn't have planned that any better. Good job Cronenberg."

Sitting up quickly, disturbing the sleeping Pokémon at her side, Rose turned around to see a smirking Cira. And even though she was wearing a bathing suit, it still made her look punk. She was wearing black boy shorts with gold studs going down the sides. The top was a plain black band covered with black mesh, with a braided leather cord that connected the band to the choker like collar, tied in the back with a bow. She tipped her red cat eye sunglasses down to wink at Rose's incredulous face.

Cronenberg spit his long tongue out at the blue haired girl before he disappeared from them. When there was a loud, girl like shriek from the water, everyone knew he'd probably done the same prank to Cobalt.

"What are you doing here?"

"Oh, are you guys the only ones allowed to take vacations? I deserve some relaxation time too!"

"But we just happened to come to this beach at the exact same time?"

Cira shrugged her shoulder, throwing down her big, black towel with an 'R' in the middle, plopping right between Rose and Victor. Raimi quickly scuttled over to her, prompting Victor to wave over at them but not get up.

"The owner of the hotel is in Team Rocket's pocket, so I decided to come on vacation."

"And I thought that these islands would be free of Rockets," Rose groaned, falling back onto the ground with her arm thrown over her eyes.

"To be fair, there's not many. But you can't escape us."

"Cira! I thought this Haunter looked familiar. What's up buddy?"

Cobalt sat cross legged in front of her, holding a slightly damp Treble in his arms. He was steaming, with the water on both him and Cobalt starting to evaporate due to the heat. Cira gave the Quilava a pat on the head.

"Just enjoying my vacation."

"Bonnie's not here?" Cobalt asked, looking back and forth across the beach.

"Nah, the beach isn't really her scene. She goes on, like, off the grid cabin retreats where there's no Dex service. It's super boring."

"Well, that means we get to spend alone time with one of our good friends!"

"And the plot thickens," Rose said, sitting up since she was no longer going to be left alone.

"Have you ever been to Alola before Cira?" Victor questioned, putting down his Dex so he could join the conversation.

"Not for pleasure. It was always business, checking up on investments or acquiring some Pokémon."

Rose's eye was literally twitching at that, imagining the worst kinds of things Rockets would want to do here. Unsuccessfully it seemed, since they didn't have a very big foot hold here.

"Well then we have to do everything we can to make this the most enjoyable vacation there ever was!" The blonde exclaimed, jumping back up with his fist in the air.

"I might have an idea," Cira said slyly.

"THIS THING IS SO FAST!"

Cobalt flew by Rose on his Sharkpedo, mere inches away from crashing into the boulders that scattered the surface of the water. Not that it would have mattered much, because apparently the Pokémon were able to break through them, but knowing Cobalt's luck, a piece would hit him in the head and knock him out.

Cira was riding around on hers with a grace that gave the impression she'd practiced, while Rose and Victor were riding Lapras', one being Victor's own. Just before, they'd been diving to look at the expanse of coral not too far down, when that had been a bit too boring for Cobalt.

"He's gonna want one of those when we go back home," Victor announced, watching the boy race around.  

"We can't let that happen no matter what or I will never get a moments rest," Rose replied, turning to Victor to offer her pinkie in a promise. They nodded their heads and said nothing else on their silent oath.

They probably would have been forced to stay there all day if Cira hadn't tried to run off with the Pokemon, but it stopped listening to her commands and brought them back to shore. Cira tried, and failed, to look sheepish as she got a lecture from the owner, but in the end, she dragged Cobalt away from the Sharkpedo without getting the local police called on them. So, that was a win.

What wasn't a win, in Rose's opinion, was how she had somehow been dared to get onto a Mantine, regardless of the excuses she had thrown around earlier in the morning. Because, while it was easy to ignore Cobalt and his dumb ideas, it was harder to ignore Cira taunting her.

"What, are you scared? Think if you get a little wet you might melt?"

"Did you just call me a witch?!"

"Maybe. Come do something about it," she said, snark in her voice as she stood on the back of a Mantine about five feet away from the shore, "Oh, wait, you can't. Because you're allergic to fun, and heaven forbid you have fun on your vacation."

"One of these days I'm going to stop falling for this bait," Rose murmured quietly, pushing past the line that had started to form to ride, and grabbed her own.

Victor waved at them from the shore, painting a strange picture since he was surrounded by most of their Pokémon who had left their claim on the beach. Biscuit was barking their cheers of encouragement as everyone started to shakily leave the shore, headed towards the waves. Much to Rose's pleasure, Cira seemed just as new as her in this, though she couldn't taunt her about it since it was taking all her concentration to manuever around.

Cobalt, somehow, was the first person to get the way everything worked, and faster than should be possible. Maybe on the boat ride he had been able to go over it in his head, but in no time, he was even able to do some little jumps along the way.

"I don't care what you say Rose, I'm headed back home this way! Woohoo!"

"Enjoy drowning then," Rose replied, not loud enough for anyone else to hear it, and watched in envy as he did another flip.

"Alright, we can do this. I mean, I should just be able to stand here and you'll do all the work, right? You've done this a million times."

"Mantineee~!"

As if that was some sort of cue, the Pokémon took off, headed towards the curling waves yards ahead of them. Rose was glad that everything out here was so loud, so that no one could hear her yelp as it did so. Cira also seemed to be heading towards the waves, though her Mantine was going towards a calmer section.

"Hey, we should go over there too. Like, in that direction. The direction you're not going!"

"Tine!" The water Pokemon huffed, speeding up and forcing the girl to focus on holding on rather than adding her snippy commentary.

"Yeah, you got this Rose!" Cobalt screamed from not too far away.

"Shut up, I'm trying to focus on not dying!"

"You're such a drama queen," she thought she heard him say.

From there, everything started to get worse before it got better.  

Out of the corner of her eye, the blue haired girl saw Cira do a little baby trick on the calm wave, pumping her fists in the air in her victory. After, she got the Mantine to turn so she could watch the other two, and Rose could feel her smug glance.

Next, they got so close to the curled wave that Rose was getting absolutely soaked, and having no fun doing it. But they were able to get on the wave. Rose was able to look around, noticing how much different everything looked from this angle, as well as admitting it would be fun if you knew what you were doing. This would be enough for her; she would be able to take Cira's digs at her.

However, it didn't end there. The wave started to catch up to them, casting a shadow over them, and Rose's stomach fell.

"Um, we should probably go faster?"

She could hear the end of the waves crashing from behind her. Still, they didn't speed up.

"If I drown, you're going to have all of the Jenny Police force after you, just so you know."

Rose thought the Mantine rolled its eyes, but was too preoccupied when the full shadow cast on them, and man would drowning suck-

But they hadn't crashed. The Mantine had actually slowed down on purpose, letting her have a view of the crystal clear water tunnel they found themselves in. A million shades of blue cast a shimmer on them both, hiding them from the world outside. Rose ran her hand along the wave, glee filling her as she felt the actual excitement of surfing.

"Alright, you win. This is fun. But that's a secret between you and me, okay? Now let's shut those losers down."

Rose and her Mantine shot out of the wave like a bullet, using all that momentum to ride to the top of the wave, jumping higher than anyone else had, before they regrouped with her friends.

"That was easy peasy," Rose scoffed.

"This is gonna be amazin' guys! I've heard nothin' but great things about this event."

"When do we get to eat again?"

"Cobalt, this is a traditional ritual of the Alolan people! We can eat once we go back inside."

"Fine," Cobalt whined, shoulders slumped. He squirmed in the greenery inspired button up he'd been forced to wear, not used to the collar at the top and the fact that all the buttons had been done all the way to the top. Fortunately, he'd been able to compromise with the two fashion police into wearing a pair of black jeans and his sneakers, since it was enough to be presentable. Cobalt, Baritone, and Treble wore a lei around their neck of the brightest orange

Victor was at the head of the pack, wearing a black and floral button up as well as some pressed kakhi pants. And, adorable as always, Biscuit was wearing a matching shirt and bright green lei.

Rose was wearing a short, dark blue and pink floral romper and a pair of black wedges. At her back was Scramble in her backpack, and at her side was Bango, with all three of them wearing a yellow lei.

Cira was wearing a backless dress, the top a pure white lace, while from the torso down it was a black skirt with red floral, which covered up her simple sandals. She'd been able to pull Wood away from the buffet that they hadn't yet opened, and he was sourly walking at her side, wearing a blue lei just like she was. Raimi sat on Cira's head and wore one of the lightweight flowers on her head, making it seem like a hat.

Since it had taken a little while for them to get all their Pokemon rangled and get ready, they were some of the last to arrive, having to sit in the back on the logs that the hotel had provided. As if this had been a cue, the owner of the hotel stepped forward with a large smile on his face.

"I want to thank you all for coming tonight, and for choosing to come to Alola and learn about our culture as well. Even if some of you are just waiting for the food."

Everyone laughed while Cobalt grumbled again.

"Things here in Alola are a little different from the main lands, as I'm sure you've seen. We strive to keep to the roots of our ancestors and keep the history of our islands alive. We hope you enjoy this dance, which is a performed ritual for our guardian deity, Tapu Lele."  

As he left, six other men came out, followed by two Hariyama, all with serious looks on their face. Towards the back of the stage that they had made sat a couple of other people, holding instruments for the men to dance to. Beside them were different types of Pokémon, all originating from Alola.

When the men got into position, the music started to play and one of the men on stage started to sing.

The whole entire audience was captivated as soon as they started. The music, deep with its beating drums, as well as the Alolans rhythmic dancing, was enough to put everyone into a trance. Even Bango was floored, which was a sight to see.  

One of the bird Pokemon—"A Toucannon!" Victor pointed out— started to flap its wings, and with each beat the flames from the torches started to flicker, growing stronger before dying down over and over again to the beat of the drums.

As the song came to a close, the men dancing started to chant along with the singer, their voices strong and in unison. Victor looked around at his friends and noticed that it wasn't just him who had goose bumps now.

It ended abruptly, with the chanting, music, and dancing stopping all at once. It left the whole area with an echoing silence, with a solid moment or two where no one even seemed to breath before the roaring of applause started.

"Wow, that was amazin'. It was more than I ever expected!"

"How did they even dance like that?" Cobalt asked, trying to move like the men had.

"You think any of them are single?" Rose questioned. Cira rolled her eyes and pulled the younger girl away from the group of men.

"Oh, wait, there's one more thing we have to do before we go back inside!"

"Awwww."

"Come on, just follow me!"

They walked for a little while in the dark, with only Treble and the stars above them to give them light as they moved. There were only some complaints when they had to climb a small hill, but for once Victor was able to ignore his three companions until they finally reached the top.

"Just look," he said, pointing to the sky.

And they did. Above them, everything seemed normal for only a moment until there was an explosion of color. Something small and pink flew across the sky, leaving a trail of what seemed like sparkling dust in its wake. Even the stars seemed to shine brighter whenever that thing was near it.

"One of the locals told me of this spot," Victor started to explain, smiling at his closest friends, "Whenever they do that ritual, they say that Tapu Lele comes down to bless them for their prayers. I didn't know if it was going to be true, but I'm glad it was."

Tapu Lele, if that rumor was to be believed, continued to dance in the sky like the Alolan's had danced in the sand. And as it disappeared, leaving only the dust behind, Cobalt sighed and wrapped his arms around everyone, pulling them into a large hug.

"I'm really glad that we came here. It's been awesome!"

"Me too! And I'm glad I had the pleasure of meetin' y'all and becomin' your friend."

"It has been a great adventure, hasn't it Bango?"

"Grow!"

"I'd also be really glad if you let me go."

"Just enjoy the damn hug Cira."

This fic is based on an AMAZING podcast called Pokemon World Tour: United, which is obviously and rpg based on Pokemon. Since I’ve only been writing angst lately, it was nice to do something happy and light hearted.

I hope you all enjoy, even when I start to ramble and rush at the end, lol.

[grizzlybaron-blog]

Suspicious Behavior Part 1

Kyle was sitting across from an older man with a small table in between them. The table had food and drinks, but the two seemed more engrossed in the small wooden gaming set in front of them. Kyle picked up one of the small wooden pieces in front of him and moved it toward the older man. Kyle looked to the man, but the man’s only reaction was to grunt. Kyle let out a sigh.

“Your strategy has gotten better,” the older man said in a gruff voice. “It would seem that this distraction has taught you caution and planning in a way that your mother and I could not.” His voice took on a familiar instructive tone as the man raised one finger. “A true ninja knows that while improvisation is important, the battle must be won before the first pokéball is ever thrown.”

“Thank you, Master Koga,” Kyle intoned as he bowed his head at the compliment. Kyle decided not to press the unintentional slight of his “distraction,” and instead focused on the game taking place on the board and off of it.

“So, you have heard of the Looker Bureau before?” Kyle asked as he watched his grandfather place a tile.

“Oh yes, the original Looker was quite instrumental in taking down Team Galactic a few years ago, and he’s helped clean up after the Team Plasma incident—”

“Was that the one with the castle that appeared from nowhere?”

“Yes, don’t interrupt and make your move.”

“Yes, Master Koga,” Kyle said as he divided his attention between the story and the game board.

Koga cleared his throat as he closed his eyes and scratched his chin. “I believe he is currently inspecting the Ultra Beasts in Alola, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of his subordinates here. He once worked as part of an international police force, and his bureau may continue to function as a front for that work. At one time, he had the Kalos League Champion working on investigations for him. This is likely legitimate, but you may wish to consult with a Gym Leader. In the meantime, begin your investigation. Watching Emma’s videos may provide you with insight. I would consult with Mitch as well.”

Kyle moved one of his game pieces into position. “I am worried that my only opening for capture would be during one of her fights.”

“Prepare yourself and the path you need will open itself before you. Study your enemies, wait for your opening, and strike when you have the advantage.”

“Yes, Master Koga,” Kyle said as his grandfather made another move.

“I’m more concerned with the growth of your pokémon. You have chosen diversity which may benefit your flexibility, but you must remember that it is your understanding of your pokémon and their trust in you that will lead you to success. So, what in the world happened to your Blitzle? Do you understand her? She seems unusually aggressive.”

Kyle scratched his head. “Well, Flare was all set to evolve when all of that weather weirdness was happening. I was finishing delivering that package for old Lt. Surge as a favor from mom. I know it was snowing in other places, but Veridian was blazing hot. I was fishing around in my bag when my Blitlze got her hooves on a Fire Stone I had found in the Pewter excavation site. You can imagine my surprise when she began to glow and grew a horn along with flames coming out of her back and hooves.” Koga nodded and gestured for his grandson to continue. “Mom put me into contact with an evolution specialist in Sinnoh, but she couldn’t make heads or tails of it either. She said that it’s more than just a type change as sometimes happens. It might have taken on some of the characteristics of a Rapidash, but other than that she is a relatively healthy and normal Zebstrika. The professor said that her change might have something to do with some supernatural influences that caused the weather.”

“Well,” said Koga with a tight smile, “I suppose you better keep her away from Ground-types.”

“Yes, Master Koga.”

“Remember Kyle, you will never become Champion until you unlock the potential of your pokémon. You must learn from your successes,” Koga bent down and picked up one of his tiles, “and your failures.” With a determined click, Koga looked into Kyle’s eyes and gestured at the board.

As Kyle, studied the board he mentally picked up the pieces and moved them into previous positions. How had that trap been set up? When had his defeat begun?

Koga rose from his position and began to ease his stiff knees. “We will exercise our less familiar pokémon. You will attempt to defeat me without using your Espeon or your Greninja. You may stay for dinner, but our original deal still holds unless you’ve given up. Say hello to your mother before you go.”

Kyle allowed himself a small sigh. “Another night in the woods,” he thought to himself, but what he said was, “Yes Master Koga.”

[washipink]

Eliot please take Tanner’s recommendation. We GOTTA talk about PWTU

give me some good dnd (or other ttrpg) podcast recommendations cuz i finished all the main taz arcs (balance being my fav by far, with ethersea in second) and want more

i remember i checked out critical role a couple years ago but just could not get myself into it at all. a few months ago i listened to part of an episode of dimension 20 (i think the fantasy high arc) and i didn't get too far into it because the mood wasn't right but i didn't dislike it and would be willing to try it again now that i'm in a different mood

so far my preferences are:

-i'd prefer one with a main overarching plot, as opposed to just an open-world deal with the party going on a bunch of unrelated adventures with no end goal in mind (this was one thing abt ethersea that i didn't quite jive with tho the characters and worldbuilding kinda made up for it)

-i want there to be a comedic element to it, rather than all serious all the time. but i do also want there to be serious/emotional moments too

-i like strong relationships between characters (with found family being my fav but i'm not picky) and sweet/emotional moments

-it needs to be something that i can just *listen* to. it's okay if there's optional visual components but if they're necessary to fully enjoy it then it won't work for me

-i think i prefer party sizes around 3-5ish but this isn't a hard and fast type rule. but i feel like larger casts tend to sound less appealing to me

-uh idk you probably know my taste in other media if you've been following me for a while, like what kinds of tones and themes and elements i tend to gravitate towards in a story

[illustrationsbychristina]

“Ah, no--Bango, Bango...look at me.  Look. At. Me.”

Pokémon World Tour: United aesthetics: Rose Jenny

[shannonmanorart]

Cira got to be an Alolan style Trial Captain over on PWTU and I made it the Team Rocket spin maze from the hideout but made of rock and sand with underground drilburs pulling the characters around

So obviously Cira had to dress and accessorize accordingly