ten (text/action) ♊ this is the dance of the pokémon advance!

[viiru2alert]

[Early on the morn of the seventeenth, this anonymous text message appears on the Network:]

PFC. Since I haven't heard anything about stopping the meeting in light of that rampage at the Department Store, it'll still be happening. Just be ready to move somewhere else if they tell us to; I'd say Route 35 would be a good place. So yeah, if you like Pokémon battling, come on up to the top of Goldenrod Depot in a few hours.

[And a few hours later, lurking on the rooftop of one Goldenrod Department Store is a kid with stupid glasses who seems more interested in his Pokégear than anything else. But that's really because people haven't showed up yet!! There's not a lot to suggest that there is even a thing still happening here, to be honest, no banners or anything. He... didn't really put in much effort to get snacks or anything, because there are vending machines right over there, and all the money people win can totally be used for food! ...And for the people who lose, they should have brought more money.]

[There's gonna be two subthreads below: mingling and battling. If two characters meet and want to duke it out, one of them should make a new thread under the battling comment, just to keep it neat.]

Comments

MINGLING

[viiru2alert]

[islandshore]

[When Riku arrives, he arrives with style.

That is to say his big ol' Charizard swoops down over the roof, and he leaps down, landing flat on his feet.

Flare then parks himself next to his trainer. Sure, the setup's... basic at best, but hey. He can work with it.

Also, he's wearing a white armband, though there are a few other buttons including a black, green, and teal. Y'know, on the off chance he wants to train his Salamence, shiny Charizard, Kingdra, and Druddigon. Not like he can't fly to the PC to swap rosters.]

[viiru2alert]

[...Okay, that was impressive.]

[Sollux kind of had to stop what he was doing and stare at the entrance. There wasn't much of a setup at all, actually, and he never intended for there to be; this was a thing that could be hosted anytime, anywhere. And besides, there was kind of a giant rampage on the store a few days ago. So he didn't really want to step on any toes in case they got booted out. Still, he walks over to Riku, grinning.]

So how long've you been practicing that?

[islandshore]

[When Sollux wanders over, Riku shrugs, placing one hand against his hip. Flare, in the mean time, snorts and gives a quick wave in greeting. 'sup, dude?]

Oh, about two years, give or take a few months.

[Could've been worse. At least he didn't dive from Flare onto his Pidgeot like he did one time.]

[anabottleofcola]

[Bobbery and his team land on the roof from the stairs, and push into the scene with a stubbornness. His Sealeo hauls and thrusts herself along at his side with each step her trainer takes. The Raticate bristles and sniffs and glares at every other Pokémon whose face meets his. The Prinplup waddles behind looking intense, and the Wingull, as poised as she can.

This charge that they had has been hanging with them since the Valentine's Day rampage, especially since they'd recovered from the certain whoopin' they'd all gotten from the three in the Department Store. What a failure it had been in every sense, and every bit as much of a motivation to make the most of this. A fantastic training opportunity, for starters, build up competence, readiness, that they were clearly capable of but so far behind on - but also with any luck a place to find some respectful, fair, and friendly competition.

Bobbery's wearing his armband plainly, yellow and thinly embroidered with a black anchor, onto which is pinned four simple circles, two yellow for the Sealeo and Raticate, two orange for the birds.]

[viiru2alert]

[Got stuck in the rampage? Ouuuuch. Sollux was still traveling to Goldenrod at that point, so he was busy setting things up in the hotel with everybody else; but hey, that team didn't look too worse for wear. In fact, Sollux couldn't even tell they had gotten their asses handed to them at all. Signs of a good Trainer? Definitely. Sollux's own team went thusly: two Lv100s, one Lv95, and three 30-40s, which meant a yellow band with two white and one black pins on it.]

You're all looking motivated.

[anabottleofcola]

[Bobbery sizes up the trainer who's approached just as one of the trainers here - it intrigues Bobbery how many of the people displaced to this world are still children, but those levels!

He does wonder if that comment has anything to do with knowing - or even simply guessing that they had a brush with at least one of those maddened Pokémon, but that could be simply because it's still on the brain. And even so, he'll try to avoid making it into the topic of conversation - admittedly at least as much because it embarrasses his team as it does him. He'll just hope his short chuckle of "Hm!" comes off as just loaded enough instead.]

I should hope so, dear boy! I expect there'll be a certain value in any opportunity for one's team to test themselves and to make acquaintances. [Nodding at his armband.] Although I'm certain you've guessed that comparatively to the others present, my experience as a trainer is still limited, wot?

[friendyousohard]

[Wandering over from the vending machine, a cheery and dopey-looking Dragonite waves at the admiral and his team, beaming as he chugs a lemonade. His trainer walks up behind him.]

Whatcha up to, Spike? Oh, hello! [She smiles as she notices Bobbery, waving at him with an arm boasting a black armband with one pink button and a teal one.] Did you just get here?

[anabottleofcola]

[The big tame lemonade-drinking dragon approaching waving got a rather immediate smile out of Bobbery, if not an immediately obvious one under the moustache, and a cheery bark out of his Sealeo.

His brow raises at the sudden appearance of his trainer, but the smile deepens politely.] We did, miss, yes. How do you do? This dragon is one of yours, is he?

[islandshore]

I take it you're fond of water types.

[And cue Riku wandering over with his big ol' Charizard and one huffy and skinnier-than-usual Dragonite.

Not every day he sees a Wingull or Prinplup around, nor a Sealeo, other than Sora's. Consider his curiosity piqued.]

[anabottleofcola]

[More dragons.

Bobbery is impressed at the sight of the lad approaching with the two, and it most likely shows. It takes a moment for him to tune back out and address the question.]

...Hm? Yes, I do imagine I've something of an affinity for them. My Scarlette was the companion provided for me on my displacement. [Indicating the Sealeo.] ...I suppose that speaks to some intelligence in the so-called starter Pokémon's assignment to new "trainers", does it not?

[friendyousohard]

[Armband, check. Black with one pink and one teal button on it.

Pokemon, check.

Collection of healing items for in between battles, check.

And that was really all one needs for a meeting like this. Twilight's eyes are practically sparkling (heh) as she flies down onto the roof on the back of her loyal Dragonite. Immediately upon landing she hops off and begins looking around to see who else is arrived, but it looks like she's pretty early. Well, that's no problem. Time to get a few drinks for herself and her team and wait to see who else shows up.]

[viiru2alert]

[Look at all the effort put into this meeting, Twilight. Look at it all.]

[...yeah there really wasn't much.]

[Don't mind the yellow armband of the Trainer now walking up to Twilight as she waits for her drinks to come out of the machine; that's just his weak team, as one can tell by the two white and one black pins on it. But really, he seems much more interested in the Pokémon she rode in on.]

That's a Dragonite, isn't it?

[friendyousohard]

[Well, nice to meet the creator of this little group in person. Twilight gives Sollux a little wave of greeting as he walks up to her, smiling and gathering up lemonades and sodas.]

Yep. Spike, say hello.

[The Dragonite gives a cheery little wave, grinning kind of dopily at Sollux.]

Spike here was my starter, and he's still my right-hand Pokemon. It's hard to find a Pokemon more adaptable and powerful than a Dragonite, and I've always gotten along well with dragons at that.

Nice to meet you in person, by the way.

[islandshore]

[Well, it won't be hard to miss this dude with his trusty Charizard in tow and---

BaaoOOOOOoo!

Oh. Oh, boy. That'd be his skinny, big-winged Dragonite trudging over, raising an eyebrow and Spike and Twilight. Who is this? Why do they have another Dragonite? There's only room for one awesome Dragon in this--

...cue Flare dragging him off to the side while Riku approaches.]

Fancy seeing you up here.

[friendyousohard]

[Okay she totally expected him. She turns to Riku with a wave, which Spike mirrors at Flare and Draco, looking like a complete dope.]

I thought it would be a good chance to see how they've progressed, depending on the challengers we get. Right now it looks like we're pretty deserted, so here's hoping things pick up.

[She tosses Spike a lemonade, which he happily opens and starts to chug.]

I hope the roof's strong. I wouldn't want to have Sapphire break anything.

[timelymaid]

[ The original message did promise egg-sitting services! Aradia's pretty content to play that part for anyone toting around wares from the con for whatever reason; she's got her Chandelure out and about to help with that - free egg warming services while you're here, too. She's set up off on the sidelines, and will cheerfully greet anyone she recognizes.

Although she looks perfectly content to play sitter, she's also got an armband; purple, with one teal patch and two green. It's also got a few decorative skulls courtesy Kanaya, because of course. ]

[buckyouup]

[Not far behind Twilight, a blonde-haired cowgirl lands on the roof on the back of her Skarmory. Still new to flying, she may have circled the building a few times, making sure she was balanced enough to properly stick the landing. She pushes her hat up and out of her eyes, before adjusting her new purple armband, before dismounting.

Knight smirked, pecking at the back of her head in an attempt to steal her hat, before the young woman quickly turns, catching the metal bird's beak with the tip of his ball, recalling him. Not this time, you trickster.]

[friendyousohard]

Hey AJ! [Twilight waves from a bench as she sips at a soda, Spike and his lemonade sitting next to her.]

Think you're ready for this? There's no refusing combat unless the other person's a whiteband, for you.

[buckyouup]

It's been a while since I've had a real fight. I reckon I've learned a thing or two.

[She refuses to let that fight in Saffron hinder her any more. It's time to win.]

[enjoymyatelier]

[...this all seems kind of inelegant and simplistic, but whatever. Kayneth is up for some battling, and while he's a bit disdainful... well, he's wearing a blue armband with stylishly arranged purple, green, and orange buttons on it.

...he had a hell of a time picking out shades of those that didn't clash horribly with the blue and each other, mind... he could easily have gone for solid white, but it's been hell training the Pokemon that are high levels around Goldenrod and his current team needs some leveling so he can have a bunch of ridiculously powerful Pokemon and also start on training more! ...that, and he wants to work out some frustration and having some sort of challenge is more fun...

...though, are there really no snack tables? He doesn't even think of using a vending machine. That's for plebes.]

[friendyousohard]

Sir El-Melloi!

[Seated next to her loyal Dragonite, Twilight waves at Kayneth from one of the benches, her black armband with one pink and one teal button sewn on it clear to see.]

I didn't know you were a member. It's good to see you!

[viiru2alert]

[He would have nagged you if you didn't come, Kayneth. ...Nah he wouldn't have cared enough to do that. But he would have judged you, at any rate.]

Hey!

[Over comes Sollux, holding one hand up in an exceptionally lazy greeting and followed by an Eevee and Shiny Mienfoo. It's clear that Sollux didn't really put that much effort into his own colour coordination, but that's okay, because yellow, white and black are some of his favourite colours. He just wishes there could have been two black pins to even out with the two white ones, but oh well.]

Got something against the vending machine? [He sees you eyeing that thing, dog. Sollux himself could be easily described as a plebe, so he's used to them.]

BATTLING

[viiru2alert]

Sollux Captor vs. Twilight Sparkle

[viiru2alert]

[After giving Twilight a few minutes to compose herself and her team (...well, and for him to compose himself and his team as well), Sollux headed over to the center of the roof to await the beginning of the first real fight in the PFC circuit. He couldn't help but grin to himself; no matter what he tried to tell himself while he was occupied being a super grumpy gills, this was kind of exciting.]