Week 13.

[azumods]

WEEK 13 The trip to Celestic Town is an unconventional one, though it's infinitely faster than walking and doesn't leave everyone feeling woozy in the same way that teleportation does. The town itself is a small one, though it's scenic, and there's a sort of beauty to it that's very rustic in nature; it's surrounded on both sides by mountainous routes that you're welcome to go on to both the west and the east, though it wouldn't be recommended that you venture too far out, seeing as they can be on the dangerous side for those who are unfamiliar with them. It seems Cynthia was right about one thing - there was certainly an incident at Lake Verity that went off almost as soon as you left, another of those deep pulses echoing through the surrounding area; it seems that whatever Mesprit did can be felt by the region as a whole, given that Celestic Town and the surrounding areas seem to have been affected as well despite being so far east of the lake. Cynthia herself can be found throughout the town for the duration, should anyone want to speak to her. Sometimes when left to her own devices, she can be seen in the company of a little girl who looks very similar to herself; sometimes she's with a pair of people much older. Either way, the family resemblance is strong. Lucas is here as well; he's still willing to speak to anyone that wants to, though he seems a bit subdued. Either way, it's been a long, harrowing trip so far; hopefully spending some time here will help to rejuvenate you. CURRENT LOCATION: CELESTIC TOWN POKEMON AVAILABLE: WITHIN CITIES SURROUNDING ROUTES: MOUNTAINS/ELEVATED AREAS SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY [OOC: Welcome to week thirteen 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.]

Comments

[bloodspent]

[Seeing as Jake just kind of fucked off into the nearby mountains yesterday and wanted reasonably little to do with almost anyone, he's at least trying to stay closer to the town today and see what he can do to get his Pokémon to chill out a little bit. This goes halfway well until it suddenly doesn't; this morning's training is going to be disrupted by...well, a lot of things happening at once, while Jake is distracted by the usual martial arts with Hlača.

Namely, emotions are terrible and Naočale isn't even affected by them yet, but goddamn if he isn't tired of Kandža's shit; Kandža can't even figure out what in the name of Arceus she did, either because she genuinely wasn't doing anything and Naočale is mildly insane or because she's legitimately just fucking stupid, Jake can't really be sure which it is. Either way, Naočale is in Kandža's business, Kandža is getting in Naočale's business right back, Cvetka is coming over to get mildly and confusedly involved because she's just there and Kandža is her buddy, and then there's a goddamn fight and because Naočale is a ground-type this is going to end in a literal fight cloud, and by the time the damn dust settles we've got. Well.

A couple of different Pokémon just kind of there in the aftermath. Cvetka is okay with this because she's okay with everything, Naočale looks more thug life than before, somehow, and Kandža seems totally fine not being part of the evolution party because she's more distracted by the fact that her friend is now a slug the size of a Labrador.

Jake will come over to check this out, because this is really stupid but you know what, the results are cool.]

...So I'd prefer you guys not do it like that in the goddamn future, but whatever works, I guess.

[...He sounds proud of them anyway? Sort of. He's still really severe in the face, but such is Jake.

That said, though, he'll spend most of the afternoon just kind of...around town a bit; he seems restless, and it isn't until evening falls that he finds himself back at the ruins that he was looking at with Bucky the night before. He isn't going into them, but he's staying outside of them to look at the images carved into the plates lining the walls outside. He doesn't touch them, he's just...looking at them.

He isn't sure how he feels about them overall; he has to wonder, too, if these are the same ones that were taken by Cyrus. Maybe they are, maybe they aren't; maybe they're the spacetime gods, maybe they're the things they're supposed to find near Canalave. Thinking about it too long's going to do his head in, but he doesn't really know what else to think about.

After all, what he's got left is a bunch of the shit he's been discussing with Michael and a bunch of problems that may or may not be his, and he'd rather not deal with that right now or he's going to scream at someone, probably. Either way, Lobanja is with him just...nuzzling up against his leg once in a while, because that's more or less her job, concern over everything.]

Evening

[hyruglyphics]

I did not really see you must yesterday, Jake.

[ Zelda's voice is soft, but she's under no illusions that she snuck up on the man. She's going on a late-night walk of sorts with Miphanus floating behind her on the one hand, but also with Porygon - now named Vah Daroh - ... technically. It's once more on the Sheikah Slate, which is a little frustrating, but whatever. Saber remained back at the center with Urbin, and Bosphoramus is in its ball.

But she really is kinda glad to see Jake. ... she wants to make sure she didn't make him too mad with a public praising. ]

[bloodspent]

[She didn't sneak up on him, no, but it's also exceedingly hard to do that. Probably due to all the hypervigilance. And the fucking PTSD, if Michael is to be listened to.]

Hey, Zelda.

[He doesn't really offer an explanation for the past day, because there really isn't one; he doesn't sound mad, though, for what it's worth.]

[hyruglyphics]

[ I mean, fair enough. Her and Miphanus get closer, getting up next to him to see the inscription of the ... gods. She's still not sure what to make of them, if she's honest? But more to the point, she hums a little bit and, ]

You look so pensive.

[bloodspent]

I've had a lot to think about, I guess.

[...]

Thanks. For what you said.

[hyruglyphics]

[ It seems like he's thinking about things a lot, honestly. That said, she glances up at him and she smiles softly. She's... glad, honestly. That said, Miphanus beeps a little, looking between them and at the Houndoom and then ... you know what it's not sure what it wants to do now. Huh. ]

No, of... course. Rather. [ Inhale. ] I just said what was true.

[bloodspent]

You keep talking like that about me and you're gonna make people think I'm a good person.

[He shrugs a bit; it's hard to tell if that's sarcasm or not.]

[hyruglyphics]

I believe you are. You have at least been good to me.

[ Gently, she responds. ]

[bloodspent]

Back before we got dragged here, I would've killed all of you if I'd been paid enough to do it. You get that, right?

Morning

[takestheblame]

It's like everyone's Pokemon is evolving at once. We're all going to need a lot more space nowadays if they're going to be out often.

[Because seriously, all these Pokemon are getting so big! And some aren't even done evolving]

[bloodspent]

Most of this place seems like it was built for it, at least - they all used to be closer with their companions and stuff, from the sound of it. But this is gonna make traveling kind of a pain.

[Maybe less so because they can fly now?]

Evening

[anythingforyou]

[Camilla's been intending to get a look at the ruins herself, honestly; hopefully you two don't mind company as Camilla and Arion come over and look at them too.]

...Really, they're rather fierce looking things, aren't they? [Like, in comparison to most of the stuff they've seen.] Even from drawings as simple as this.

[bloodspent]

[Oh, hey, Camilla.]

Yeah, they are. Wonder what the hell Cyrus has been doing to them.

[Hopefully he's not stupid enough to torture them like the others have been torturing the Lake Guardians, because eesh.]

[anythingforyou]

Likely nothing good, all considered. Considering the state the lake guardians were left in, it doesn't lend well to them escaping unscathed. It's very concerning.

[...]

Among other things, of course. [Yeah, Camilla looks at Jake when she says that, but it's not really said in a digging sort of way as much as it is just...generally concerned.] Are you alright, Jake?

[bloodspent]

[Ah, damn, and here he was hoping that this wouldn't turn into feelings somehow...]

Yeah, I'm okay. Probably just need to sleep some shit off, that's all.

[...Convincing.]

How about you? You guys had a hard time a couple days ago; Zelda did all the work for me.

[anythingforyou]

[Jake, friend. Pal. Buddy.

You can't escape your feelings forever. And...yeah, Camilla is not even close to convinced and just places a hand in front of her mouth.]

...I'm quite fine. It isn't anything that needs concern.

[we're just like a bunch of fucking wobbuffets using mirror coat with how hard we're deflecting shit, aren't we]

You make it sound like you're getting sick when you say that, Jake. [she ain't buying that] Did dealing with the guardian discomfort you again?

[bloodspent]

That was actually pretty tame as far as they usually go - no loud screaming constantly, no attempts at killing us or turning Gym Leaders into vegetables, we came out of the whole Mesprit thing pretty well.

[He shrugs a bit; goes back to studying those carvings.]

I've just kind of been having a hard time this month. I don't know, it's stupid.

[anythingforyou]

...That is true, yes. I'd wager that it wasn't what any of us were expecting.

[Camilla sighs a bit, but her tone goes a little bit softer, practically into big sister register.]

I doubt that it isn't as stupid as you think it may be, if it's bothering you to such an extent.

[bloodspent]

[...]

It feels kind of like the more we stay here, the less I actually have anything.

[It's...a start.]

Like, you guys all loved those little towns and shit, and you're doing great with your Pokémon and the routes have all been easy this month, but it feels like if I'm not in a position where I'm probably gonna die every thirty seconds, I don't really have a fucking purpose, you know? I don't think about shit, I don't deal with shit, I don't help people with their problems, but there's literally nothing to do but all of that here, and I just want to go back where something's trying to murder me every time I turn around so I don't have to do this anymore.

[...That was a lot of words, um.]

...We've been making a lot of progress, and doing a lot of good for these people. I shouldn't be getting all weird about it. Like I said, it's stupid.

morning

[redbellion]

[ wow.

that sure happened. ]

...Congrats?

[bloodspent]

[God, didn't it just.]

Sometimes there's not much else of a reaction to have to it, yeah.

[He sounds kinda amused, for what it's worth.]

[redbellion]

...I'm not even sure what happened there, but I guess if it works?

[ his new hippopotas makes a noise...whatever this is anyway. ]

I think he wants to say hi.

[bloodspent]

[Oh, holy shit, what an absolute unit.]

Hey there, buddy.

[That'll get Cvetka's attention, anyway; she is now a sea slug the size of a dog but you know what she's really, really chill and just kind of wants to say hi, so. Here she is.]

[redbellion]

[ if there's one thing that can be said about keith, it's that he's weak to animals--animal-like creatures, in this case. there's a fond smile on his face as the hippopotas calmly looks at cvetka. ]

He's a new addition to the team, so I'm still trying to figure out how he communicates. I'm pretty sure he's just saying hi, though.

[ and then...back to what happened just now-- ] How did that all happen, anyway?

morning

[semistableman]

[Well. He hasn't exactly seen Pokemon fight quite like this before. Sure, Henrietta picks on poor Donny who is still trying to figure out the whole emotions thing, but his small herd of Pokemon haven't done anything like.... that before.]

....Well. That's one way to evolve, I guess.