Week 26.

[azumods]

WEEK 26 The longer you remain on Spear Pillar, the more rejuvenated you feel. It's something in the very foundation of the place, everything from the ruins to the soft winds coursing through them, replenishing strength that may have been lost and fortitude that may have been shaken. There's peace to be found here, strange though it is given the task that lies before you. As the world continues to change below you, it may be for the best to remain there for a couple of days; the Hall of Origin isn't going anywhere, after all, and you could definitely use the rest now that you're actually experiencing it. On Tuesday, however... Well, we'll see what that brings then, won't we. CURRENT LOCATION: HALL OF ORIGIN POKEMON AVAILABLE: NONE SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY [OOC: Welcome to week twenty-six of Azume; feel free to make as many top levels as you'd like and tag out to other characters! This post is for all of your interactions this week... at least until the weekend.]

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SUNDAY

[azumods]

[bloodspent]

[Man.

Jake's been feeling pretty wired for the past day or so; there's something about being here that's got him in a great goddamn mood, and it's not just the general properties this place has surrounding it. It's the whole situation, really, knowing that it's going to be over one way or another, that's got him pretty worked up; for the first part of the day, though, he's content to sit near one of those pillars, Naocale's head in his lap - and Naocale's gotten, like, fucking huge lately? He is a terror. Over 200 pounds of crocodile that his dad would probably have approved of. Holy shit.

Anyway, he's petting his fightbeast and just kind of absently fucking with that weird phone he's got with his other hand, but eventually he'll notice anyone who's nearby; he'll do what he can to get your attention if you're anywhere in the area.]

Hey, c'mere and do me a favor, yeah?

[niceoppai]

What can I do ya for? You testing something?

[eudaimonikos]

Sure.

[Michael ambles over; Jake's one of the few people he won't ask what the favor is before agreeing.]

[anythingforyou]

[Jake's certainly not alone in that regard, honestly, it's real easy to get worked up here but it's almost invigorating, it's great--]

Certainly. What can I do?

[Arion's kinda close by her feet, as usual, just sniffin'. Don't mind him.]

[semistableman]

[That sure is a gigantic crocodile.]

Sure. Whatcha need?

[takestheblame]

What's it?

[Kiryu sure didn't hesitate to ask for details. He's usually willing to do favors to people -- and when he isn't, he can be convinced to do it anyway, hah]

[greydients]

I suppose I could.

[...as if she isn't going to do whatever you ask, etc]

What is it?

[ventulus]

[ Someone asking for his help with something? Ventus turns his head towards Jake, smiling a little. ]

A favor? Sure, I can help!

[ Then he'll come closer, and kind of look curious too, assuming he's about to explain what it is. ]

MONDAY

[azumods]

[niceoppai]

[In the morning, Chelsea's sitting on the edge of the ruins, looking down the cliff and doodling in the note space of the Pokémon guide. She turns to look if you approach.]

It's pretty cool, isn't it? Even if it's also kinda terrifying.

[Later, she'll go down the steps to the caves to train, just in case. While Arbor isn't doing great and Rolly, despite his type advantage, would rather sleep, Lemonade's mowing through the local Rock-types. She does get tired eventually, though, so Chelsea switches to Sunflower... and immediately comes upon an Onix that towers over them.]

Ohhh, boy.

[It seems to have paid off, though, because in the evening, Chelsea comes back up the stairs riding on the shoulders of a Snorlax who takes up the entire stairway. She waves to the rest of the group.]

Check it out! Michael was right after all!

[eudaimonikos]

Of course I was!

[He tells back automatically from wherever he is.]

[anythingforyou]

[Camilla's been more than fired up ever since they got up to Spear Pillar, honestly. So have her Pokemon; for the most part, one can see her coming back up and down the stairs with her partners between little training sessions, resting sometimes at the foot of the stairs, and sometimes at the entrance with a smile on her face. All of her partners have been doing exceedingly well, and she can't say she's shocked at all. She'll just be here for chatting if needed, but...

It's during one of those trips back up and walking towards the ruins that Camilla's talking to her team, practically beaming with pride.]

Oh, you've all been doing spectacular, my dears. Really, I'm so proud of how far all of you have come!

[She watches her partners preen under the praise, Arion especially so--it's about that time that he begins to shine in that telltale white light, Camilla struggling to cover her eyes as it takes place, before it finally dies down...

...And, well, that is a big ol' boy right there, now isn't it. Camilla doesn't even get a moment to react as she watches Arion sniff the air with all three of it's heads before just kind of proceeding to tackle her and smother her face with licks??? Dear gods, he's like a dog--]

Arion, Arion, honey--Travant, you too, all of you, I love you all so, but really--

[Like, she's not even mad, really it sounds like she's having a grand ol' time and he's kind of levitating off the ground to not crush her but. SHE COULD STILL USE SOME HELP HERE, PLEASE...]

[niceoppai]

Uh... Arion times three? Cubed? --Hey, wait, you're okay, right?

[ventulus]

Woah!

[ That...sure happened. He'll step closer and peer over to make sure she's not hurt at least. ]

...Are you going to be alright over there?

[ He'll try to wave a little to get the Pokemon's attention after a bit though. ]

[eudaimonikos]

Ha! I was right about him too!

[Michael crows, referencing a conversation that happened literal months ago about the possibility of Arion growing more heads, like everybody's got his perfect memory and focus on proving himself correct.]

TUESDAY

[azumods]

Welcome.

[azumods]

[Your time at Spear Pillar is coming to an end; it doesn't seem to be a sad thing, however. Leaving is something that must be done in the interest of moving forward - and as uncertain as the future may seem right now, it brings with it a sense of finality. Something will end soon; something will be over, one way or another.

It's going to be up to you to decide precisely what that "something" is.

For now, however, there's the Hall of Origin to gain entrance to; the Azure Flute, as odd as it looks, is perhaps surprisingly intuitive once it's actually being played. Whatever is being played doesn't have to be perfect; Aya is more than acceptable at what she's attempting, apparently, and the flute bears with it a sort of strange, almost hollow sound to the notes being formed. The music echoes throughout the area, reverberating softly through the minds of everyone that hears it, and after a brief while the area around you changes, something forming seemingly out of nothing at the entrance to Spear Pillar and continuing upwards, higher and higher until it's difficult to see.

It appears to be a staircase.

It's translucent, shimmering a soft blue in the air where it's hovering in midair; it's easily accessed, though it's long and steep and you might want to mind the edges. Touching it or standing on it will reveal that it's firm and more than capable of supporting you; it seems the only place to go from here, really, is upwards.

The climb is long and perhaps slightly harrowing the further up you go; you can see Spear Pillar receding beneath you if you look down, the structures and altar all falling low into your line of sight as you move further away from it. Eventually, however, the stairs will even out into one solid plane of the same material as the stairs, translucent and shimmering. It's massive, stretching out before you in all directions - to the sides, in front of you - but, perhaps most notably, there doesn't seem to be anything here. No structures, no people - not even any Pokémon.

So. What will you do now?]

[divinedescendant]

[





THIS STAIRCASE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A FUCKING HANDRAIL]

[eudaimonikos]

Hello?

[Michael, upon getting to the top, takes a few steps, looks down, and then stomps on the translucent material holding us all up like a monster.]

WEDNESDAY

[azumods]

THURSDAY

[azumods]

[enjoymyatelier]

[well, it's almost time to end all this, but... well. Kayneth's going a bit stir crazy, still. It's probably not going to come to blows, hopefully. Nevertheless, if things go wrong... well... hopefully, it doesn't, but it's nice to think you might be able to do something about it, as improbable as that idea is.

So... time to train, he guesses? Yeah... he'll give that a shot. He wants to work with Antonia and Duibhne especially, since they seem pretty enthusiastic about it. So the two of them are training together, even if Antonia has a clear advantage, when, uh... there's some of the usual evolution glowing, and then...! Wow, Antonia is even weirder!]

...I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't-

[hey. hey. she has arms to hug you with now, Kayneth. Isn't that nice. this isn't awkward at all! At least it doesn't get goo all over him...

Well, anyhow, later on in the day, he settles down for a nice little dinner and pulls out the Shiny Stone he'd had since everyone had gotten evolutionary item presents to present to Duibhne.]

Well, I haven't quite figured out how to evolve Benn Gulbainn under these circumstances yet, so... what do you think? Are you ready for this yet? I know you've been a bit hesitant.

[...god, it feels kind of weird talking it out like this. He's kind of surprised with himself that he didn't just immediately throw it at his Roselia, but... well, after a bit of internal debate by said Roselia, Duibhne nods, takes the stone, and gets fucking fancy.]

[hyruglyphics]

[ So we're at the end of it - or close to it - and Zelda had been hanging out with her whole team. Bosphoramus the Onix, Urbin the Alolan Golem, Saber the Lickilicky, Vali the shiny Mr. Mime, and Miphanus the Metragross, of course. ... There's one missing, honestly? And the group of them are out looking for Daroh the Pory...gon? In light of that, the princess is sort of skirting around anyone who has some bit of technology on them when she doesn't find the thing in her Sheikah Slate.

...

Said Porygon though has now evolved to its final form. And it is as a result being even more erratic than it has been so far? Want to get pranked by a weird digital duck with lasers while you're on a weird glass-ish place like this? You know you wanna! If you don't? Well, then run into Zelda or her brood as they try to follow up on these pranks. ]

[divinedescendant]

[It won't be long now.

Not yet—and the ancticipation would make anyone restless, but Emmeryn has settled easier, if anything, since they moved from the mountaintop. An old familiarity comes with time spent in a holy place; she stands so tall and steady, day to day, lifelong-practiced grace that looks so natural and easy, even though for the first time in a long, long time, she has to remind herself now and again to straighten up, even out her strides. Six months, and remembering to stand as queen has become secondary.

Her team entertains each other well enough, but Duma spends entirely too much time following Emmeryn around like a lost dog, and his wings twitch and he rumbles low and nudges her with his face, and she pats him and coos,] I know, I know. Soon, love, but not just yet.

[He plays games swapping little spits of fire with Forseti and bouncing Heim on his nose. He snaps his jaws towards Emmeryn, and tossing berries at him to catch (more often than not, they bounce off his face) occupies him. Now and then, he snaps at something small and shining Emmeryn turns over in her hand.]

Duma, that is not food, and if you eat it, I will be very upset.

[But another game of catch and treats and they both settle again, just for now.

Evening comes and Emmeryn sacrifices some of her elegance trying to climb onto Duma so he will, for at least the moment, quit headbutting her, light and friendly but absolutely insistent on receiving her attention. He's content to lie on his stomach with his limbs splayed out on the floor with her resting against his back, petting his scales.

She sits up, though, to greet anyone coming by—] Good evening. [Duma makes a noise and it gives her a decent enough excuse to look away, just so and just for a moment, like she's considering the logistics of getting down from here, when she asks, lightly,] Have you given much thought to what you will be doing when all of this is through?

[It's so like her, to say when.]