azume | Week 11.

Week 11.

WEEK 11

The meeting with Mars could have gone infinitely worse. It's difficult to say that it went well, admittedly, but at least it didn't go as poorly as it could have; either way, her departure leaves you free to look around the Valley Windworks, and it shouldn't take you long at all to find something interesting on the floor.

It's bright yellow and glowing, set into the ground like any other normal part of the floor otherwise; stepping on it will cause the world to spin briefly in your field of vision, and when it straightens itself out again, you find yourself standing in the corner of the lobby of a large building you've never seen before.

Welcome to the Jubilife TV station.

The place seems staffed with Galactic grunts, but they leave you alone outside of just watching you in that dead-eyed, vaguely unnerving way they have of watching everything; they'll let you leave without a fuss at any rate, and it's probably for the best that you get yourself situated for the time being. After all, you've got an entire new city to get accustomed to.

The people here seem to be trying to get themselves situated as well, though obviously that's for entirely different reasons. The world continues to change, around them and you both, and overall things do seem to be going in a direction that might be considered favorable. Noticeably, the grunts in the TV station don't seem to be changing at all, regardless of what happens to the other locals; that might be cause for some concern...

CURRENT LOCATION: JUBILIFE CITY
POKEMON AVAILABLE: WITHIN CITIES

SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY
[OOC: Welcome to week eleven 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. Don't forget that a write-up is due this weekend!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[HELLO MICHAEL that doesn't look productive but you do you]

I'm guessing he's just bug? Though, I didn't even know Pokemon could have more than one type until I started reading this.

Oh, yes! Their moves have types too, there's stuff about that innnnn...that one.

[He indicates one of the books that he's already quick-flipped through.]

We found some of this information before, in the books they were selling in a department store, but I have to say that this might have been a better introduction. Could've saved us a little trial-and-error, maybe.

Moves have types?

[Atsushi deflates a little, groaning as he slumps to one side.]

There's so much stuff to remember...

I wouldn't fuss much about those. They're better at using moves of their own type, and that's probably mostly what they'll learn anyway, unless -

[Oh! Hey!]

Want me to teach your Pokemon a move?

[Okay, that takes him aback a little.]

Can you really do that?

[CAUSE I MEAN...Chazuke only knows two that he knows of.]

Maybe.

[He plops his bag down on the nearest surface and starts digging through it as he talks.]

There's these things called Technical Machines - little CD things, they teach a Pokemon a specific move. No idea how. Anyway, they aren't all compatible with all Pokemon, but the one I've got has worked on all but one of them so far. Worth a shot.

It does this - Lena, use Double Team.

[The Mawile sticking close to his side looks up, blurs, and now there are apparently two Mawiles.]

[The sudden duplication causes Atsushi to jump and gasp a little, not having expected her to just...MULTIPLY SPONTANEOUSLY

But...hm. He can see where that might be handy in battle. Chazuke already had one move that affected accuracy, but he also only has one offensive move...he looks down at the Wimpod leaning on his knee where he still sits.]

What do you think, Chazuke. Do you want to try?

[The Wimpod eyes Lena for a moment or two before giving something that sounds like a chirp of affirmation. It might not work, but it also might, so why not?]

Guess we're game for it, then. As long as it won't hurt him, or something.

Oh, no. If it works, there'll be a flash of light; if it doesn't, nothing happens at all. Mianphus was the one who had trouble - Zelda's floating metal thing? It was smaller then...

[Ah, here we are! He takes out what definitely does just look like a CD, gets down on one knee, and just...presses it up against Chazuke's head.]

Don't ask me how this is how it works.

Oh.

[Atsushi watches with interest as Michael sets the disc against the Wimpod's head, and he waits. Nothing happens for a few seconds until- very abruptly- the disc flashes just like Michael said it would.]

Oh, there it is!

[He sits back, grinning.]

Okay, do it. Atsushi, tell him to do it.

Uhh, okay...Chazuke, use...Double Team?

[He waits, the Pokemon staying still for a moment, looking from Atsushi to Michael and back.

Then, without warning, he blurs just like Lena had a moment ago, and then there are just. Two of him now.]

I- It worked-!

[What the heeeeck]

Hahahaha!

[He laughs, poking first one Wimpod and then the other to suss out the illusory one.]

Really realistic up close, aren't they?

[The first one happens to be the real one, who chitters softly upon being poked. When the second is touched, it vanishes as soon as it appeared.]

I-I'll say...that's kinda spooky. I can't believe a CD just...taught him a new ability like that?

[HOW CAN IT BE THAT EASY...yet here it is, happening in front of him. He can't explain it, but it's pretty cool either way.]

I don't find that part so odd. Learning is just electrical impulses passing through your brain anyway, isn't it? You can digitize a lot.

[He smiles a little, waving his hand through where Fake Wimpod was, and then gets back to his feet.]

But there's no obvious means of connection, or a power source...and it worked on my ghost, who definitely does not have neurons. I put my arm in there once, nothing.

[Well if somebody was going to have to experiment with shoving their hands through ghosts it would be you, Michael.]

Maybe it's built specifically to work with Pokemon in some way? They seem pretty different from normal creatures in a lot of ways, and all.

A little similar to demons in a few ways. The god ones, especially. It'd be nice if we could have some advanced learning materials...but there's only one library on this entire terrible landmass.

I don't think I've seen a library ye-

[.........]

Wait- demons?

[Michael blinks, as if that's not something he'd considered especially notable.]

Uh, yeah. Do you have demons where you're from?

Well...there are some people who have gifts that can manifest things like demons, but...not real, actual ones.

[Akutagawa Rashomon is pretty demon-like, he'd figure.]

Oh, yeah? [He tilts his head a little, curiously.] What's a demon-like thing like? From your perspective, I mean.

Something...really powerful. Dark, menacing...and it can devour anything in its path. Even the empty space around it.

My. [Michael, grinning, straightens his tie.] Didn't take you for such a flatterer.

[...THATS AN INTERESTING RESPONSE, ISNT IT ATSUSHI

He pales a little, his brows raising.]

W-well I mean...that's probably what a demon would be like, right?

[oh my god???

Michael's a practiced expert at suppressing laughter, which is coming in handy right about now; he just continues the conversation, nodding earnestly.]

Absolutely. We've got stories about them in my world, too. They're supposed to be ancient, eternal beings, very powerful, very smart. Really handsome...

[He pauses, watching Atsushi with a smile, just to see if any realizations are dawning.]

[Honestly, Atsushi is...suspicious, given what Michael just said, but he isn't sure how much he actually wants that to be true...

Could it be true??]

You...you sure know a lot about them, Michael-san...

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