azume | Week 13.

Week 13.

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.]

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[They'll likely be leaving soon, so Emmeryn's making some final rounds of the town—or, at least, trying to. Audhulma has the occasional tearful fit Emmeryn needs to quiet her from, and Duma sometimes just, like, gives up. Just like flops all four of his little limbs askew and lies down on the middle of the grass and refuses to move. Of course, he weighs nearly three hundred fucking pounds, and she basically never uses his Pokéball and she sure isn't gonna start now, so every time he decides to quit she's just gotta deal with it.

So that's about the shape of Emmeryn's day.

Come the early evening, some shit is absolutely going the fuck down, and that isn't exactly beside the point but more an explanation to the point: Duma has managed somehow to escape Emmeryn's ever-watchful care and wandered off on his own. Our favorite disaster orb has to take his sweet time hauling his way across the city and then to Route 111, and while he may be willing to entertain some conversation along the way, he has places to be and won't be slowed down anymore than his terrible shell vessel requires. Up the mountain path he goes, if you decide follow his little journey, and along the mountainside, high as he can go. Slowly, Duma waddles his way over to the cliff's edge—

And fucking flings himself off it.

okay so actually if you look down he's just picking himself back up outta the dirt and restarting the steady climb back up the mountain like absolutely nothing happened but if you DON'T look down duma may as well have just fucking died. later losers]

Edited 2018-08-31 22:28 (UTC)

Fuck!

[Michael, who had been content to follow from a distance on what he thought was bound to be Duma's hilarious adventure, actually tears up the cliff once he throws himself off. God, is he gonna be able to lie to Emmeryn about watching this hap -

- oh, wait. He's fine.]

Don't jump off cliffs, you fat dink! [michael expresses his previous worry by shouting insults from the top of the cliff apparently]

[Don't tell him what to do??? Duma is a free agent, his mom is NOT HERE and NO ONE IS IN CHARGE OF HIM!! For being as much of a fucking idiot as he is, Duma is actually real focused on...whatever the hell he's doing, so instead of wasting time throwing a tantrum over being yelled at, he just sets to work waddling right back up the mountain path. Because this cliff is the best cliff, he's coming back in Michael's direction on his way over. He does use his one singular manner to squawk in greeting on his way, anyway.]

[Since Duma can apparently survive that jump, Michael doesn't...really make any attempt to stop him doing it again. What, he's gonna throw himself in front of this giant stupid roundboy for no good reason?]

What are you doing?

[On one hand, fuckin thanks Michael, on the other Duma's shell is just kinda dirt-covered at worst so that's fair.

Probably by way of answer, Duma, pausing, squawks at Michael, turns to look at him—because Duma's face is also his entire body, this involves laboriously spinning his entire self around—turns to the cliff, turns back to Michael, squawks again, and turns back around to the cliff.

Aaaand jumps off it again.

...Th...anks......]

You know that explained nothing?

[Aaaand he's gone.

Michael sighs, and releases Quaver from his Pokeball.]

Okay, I need you to go find Emmeryn, and tell her that Duma is out here jumping off of cliffs, if she was wondering. [Aaaaand off goes the messenger parrot!

With the return of his emotions, he's at least gotten better at this part. No more creepy monotone recitations!]

[well so long as Michael isn't doing anything about this, Duma's just going to...keep at it, then, until mom comes here to stop him...... he is using his singular courtesy to greet Michael each time he comes by with a little squawk that grows increasingly agitated with each go.

Meanwhile, Quaver will find Emmeryn in a minor frenzy up and down Celestic Town, two Pokéballs at her side and her usual entourage otherwise nowhere in sight.]

Duma? [Usually she is above all this yelling but the circumstances are dire.] Duma?

[This keeps too much of her attention for her to really mind Quaver right away... He's always out and about unattended, what else is new.]

Duma's jumping off cliffs.

[Quaver now understands human speech well enough to not literally repeat what Michael said word-for-word! It's actually a very good imitation of Michael's speaking voice now, though, he could definitely impersonate him over the phone.

Meanwhile, back at the cliffs, Michael has taken a seat at the top to watch each impact happen.]

Are you going for distance? You should try a running start.

[Emmeryn just sort of. Stops. Goes impressively pale.]

He is what.

[Okay. All right. Deep breaths. She tries for one and does not look any less vaguely ready to pass out. With a little jolt, she starts like she's going to move, then remembers they're surrounded by cliffs, he could be anywhere??]

Would—Would you show me where, Quaver? Please.

[this is going to kill her. she's going to die here.

Duma, oblivious to the wrath he is liable to be facing soon, stomps a little in place in response to Michael, and takes a few unsteady steps back so he stands a few feet from the cliff's edge.

As it turns out, he is way too goddamm heavy to actually run, but bless his heart does he try to get a good vault off into the goddamn void again.

It...doesn't stop him from acting any less angry on his way back up.]

...what if you rolled down a very large ramp? Like a motorcycle jump.

[Michael demonstrates the shape of a motorcycle jump with his hand.

Quaver, on the other hand, squawks and flies off in their direction.]

[Watching Michael intently, Duma hops back and forth as much as he's able, and uselessly rolls face-first across the ground. Squawk squawk, like this? He's...kind of stuck on his back now, like a turtle, though. Squawk squawk. Please help.

Elsewhere, Emmeryn hikes her skirt up over her ankles and chases behind Quaver. Once they get on the route proper, though, she goes still, her breath catching a moment. M...must she...... Must this happen. ]

To me, Latona. [Audhulma is in time out but Emmeryn lets Latona out of her ball to pace uncertainly beside her trainer, who takes Latona's arm to keep steady once they start up the mountain path behind Quaver.

And so, echoing from down below, half-panicked and half like an exasperated mother about to deliver the grounding of the fucking century:]

Duma!

[...squawk squawk roll. please help.]

...you're not going to be able to run away even if you get up.

[And Michael can't push you out of Emmeryn range. Also he doesn't really want to, he is the one who got her here in the first place?]

Here, let's hide you. [Michael takes off his suit jacket and just. Drapes it over the part of the shell that Duma's head pokes out of. Honestly, just because he thinks it'll be pretty funny; he leans back against Duma as Emmeryn draws close, grinning.]

Hey, Em! What's up?

[Michael is Duma's truest ally, and so Duma very immediately goes completely still and silent. It's genius! Emmeryn will never find him here. Honestly though with his face covered, his legs off the ground, Michael in front of him, and his shell covered in dirt and scuffs from his cliff-diving adventures, he passes well enough for a chunk of mountain terrain at a glance?

And here comes Emmeryn, looking less like she's going to put Duma in time out for the rest of his life and more like she's going to fall over. It probably speaks to just how disoriented she is that Duma's marvelous disguise doesn't fall apart immediately.]

Michael— [WHOOF okay let her catch her breath] Quaver found me. Is Duma...?

[Michael doesn't immediately realize that the deception is working, mostly because he wasn't even really trying. It's just a dumb joke. So he just spreads his hands, still smiling.]

Oh, Duma? No idea, but he's not around here!

[Meanwhile on the opposite end of the spectrum, Emmeryn mostly only theoretically understands dumb jokes just, like, as a general concept, and so her eyes dart anxiously from Michael to the cliff's edge to the mountainside to Michael again, and she gets about as far as,] I was told he, [before she gathers enough focus to recognize Duma, who still believes in the impenetrability of his disguise.]

Really, now... [All of the absolute goddamn nonsense Duma and Sinnoh and everyone and everything else put her through on the regular, and yet this is easily the most exasperated she has sounded—and no less so as she takes Duma's Pokéball in her hand and sighs,] Excuse me, Michael.

[Even though, really, if she recalled Duma while Michael was still leaning on him and he lost his balance, would anyone blame her.]

Oh, yeah, you better go look for him.

[He stands upright and steps away from Duma.]

Where, oh where, could he be? Tell you what, I'll take the eastern ridge.

[Instead of acknowledging that, Emmeryn walks over and removes Michael's suit jacket from Duma's face. Useless as ever, Duma immediately closes his eyes like he genuinely thinks this is going to keep him hidden?]

Duma, you are not to sneak off like that again, you scared me half to death.

[...This big round moron is absolutely still acting like she can't see him, and continues doing so until he's too busy being inside his Pokéball to do much of anything else. Emmeryn, in order, sighs, recomposes herself, and hands Michael his jacket.]

I hope he did not give you much trouble. Thank you for sending for me—but certainly there was a better way to express the urgency...

[Presently she is not entirely convinced that Duma actually jumped off a goddamn thing, but rather than irritated she just sounds exhausted.]

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[Early evening is the best time for Pokemon to go around. Ni was gliding around the cliffs, carrying the Still Unnamed Snorunt and Skorupi with her as a way to befriend them, when she saw a ball jump off a cliff. It's fine when she does that because she can hover, but that Pokemon definitely can't!]

I'll bring Kiryu!

[Ni tried to glide away to look for help, but Skorupi stops her, simply grabbing one of her fins and gesturing wordlessly towards the bottom of the cliff. He's okay. Look at that, he's unharmed]

Go help him, we're right behind you

[Snorunt says, encouraging Ni to go lend a metaphorical hand, which she does quickly. Hi, Duma]

Are you okay? You're not hurt, right? Did you break your...your...

[Your whatever because she only sees a ball, and somehow saying 'did you break your entire body' sounds really stupid to her]

Edited 2018-09-01 03:22 (UTC)

["your whatever," honestly, real. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that it's impossible to talk to or about Duma without sounding stupid because Duma, as a matter of fact, is stupid. Despite that, he makes no effort to slow down his march back up the mountainside, but he can walk and talk at the same time, no problem.]

I'm fine! I'm tough. [He stomps a little as he walks, trying to prove it.] It didn't work, though, so I'm gonna try again.

[That's helpful, Duma, thanks.]

[Bless your soul, Duma. For this group it's pretty clear it'll end with Duma diving down the cliff once again, so the Snorunt gets off Ni's back and waddles to where he had landed]

Don't worry, I got you guys covered

[And proceeds to start coating the area with snow. Anything to make the landing a bit cushy. Ni, unlike her, does ask, though:]

What are you trying to do?

[That's so pure, Snorunt... Duma hasn't noticed it; he has absolutely no peripheral vision inside his shell and his focus fixates on the path straight ahead.]

Fly. [Stern, much more matter-of-fact than his usual bullshit antics.] I'm gonna fly.

Fly? But you don't have wings. Or fins.

[She quickly adds that second part because she's hovering yet she doesn't have wings either. May as well give her fins the credit]

[Duma stomps some more, now indignant.]

I'm gonna fly! I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I will!

[Ah, there's the usual tantruming brat we all know and...l...ove?? Tolerate???? Deal with. That yelling doesn't really prove his point, like, at all, but that's about all he's got, apparently, especially as he comes ever closer to the cliff's edge again.]

[He's got confidence even if it shines through a tantrum, that's good]

If you say you can fly, then you can fly. I believe you.

[The Skorupi on her back disagrees, though. Not wanting to watch Duma jump off a cliff for the second time for what seems like a harebrained plan, he bails out.

At least you have the Gyarados on your side, Duma]

[Despite his shell hiding basically his whole face, Duma's eyes light up as bright and clear as anything. If Ni believes in him and Ni can fly, surely Duma will get the hang of it fast!!!

Skorupi is the only reasonable one of us all.

His confidence renewed, Duma takes a running start, launches himself off the cliff's edge—and plummets right into the snow.

Given that ice weakness and his less than fond memories of Snowpoint, he doesn't much care for this shit even besides his latest failure, and he shakes the snow off with an annoyed rumble, then an angry squawk.]

I-I'll get it this time!

[maybe Duma should consider getting a hobby]

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