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

[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!

[enjoymyatelier]

[Oh, well, that's a familiar voice!]

Well, what a happy coincidence. It's good to see you too, Miss Twilight Sparkle-in person, for once.

[...they met in person once before, didn't they? Well, there was the blackout, but he doesn't remember much about that outside of... certain realizations about her original species...]

[friendyousohard]

Meeting in person is a sad rarity around this world.

[She blinks, then chuckles suddenly.]

Ah, sorry, that was a bit of an unintentional inside joke. I have a friend by the name of Rarity back home, you see.

[enjoymyatelier]

It truly is. I-

[...wait why is she-oh

...well he can't really say he finds "Rarity" too strange in a universe where people are named things with way too many hyphens]

...ha, no, it's fine. I was going to say that I assume that's probably why so many people congregate in Goldenrod and simply stay there, despite the fact that it's rather dull compared to the vast majority of cities here.

[friendyousohard]

Is there a city you've been to that you prefer to all the others? I have to say I personally liked my visit to Saffron. Celadon was also quite enjoyable. Ecruteak probably stands as my personal favorite so far, though.

[enjoymyatelier]

I rather like Violet, although I admittedly haven't managed to get to many cities yet. Every time I'm prepared to leave for Azalea to continue the Gym challenge, something always comes up and interrupts me. It's really bothersome, since I would like to at least get to Ecruteak someday. I've heard very good things about it, and it seems like it would be very relevant to my interests.

[friendyousohard]

Given that in addition to the numerous books on mythology, there are the two towers there to explore, I do believe you'd find it quite fascinating. Though, sadly, only one of the towers is open to the public, and it's the ruined one.

Still, the story behind them is fascinating, particularly if you think back to the time that the three beasts mentioned in that legend proved their existence beyond a shadow of a doubt.

That's an interesting answer, though... most everyone else who I've spoken to about the city has had a rather harsh critique for Violet.

[enjoymyatelier]

Why would only the ruined one be open to the public? That seems more like a liability than anything to me. Well, regardless, it should be interesting to look through when I get there.

I'm told that's mainly because people tended to run into a roadblock there, which I can understand to a certain extent. Taken on its own merits, though, it's a fine city.

[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.]

[enjoymyatelier]

Ah... hello.

[Well, it's not like yellow, white, and black look awful together. There are worse color schemes!]

...they're not exactly my first choice.

[viiru2alert]

Well they're the only choice you have, this isn't exactly the kind of event that you hire catering for.

[S h r u g. Even on the one night of lucid insanity that he thought this might actually take off, he didn't imagine that it would be that fancy, but now that it actually has... he still doesn't think that it should be that fancy.]

[enjoymyatelier]

Well, I can't say that I was expecting wine and hors d'oeuvre, but variety beyond water, lemonade, soda pop, and various varieties of crisps would have been pleasant. Then again, this isn't the sort of event you're going to be doing much eating at...

[viiru2alert]

Well, sorry. [He shrugs, seemingly unperturbed by the whole thing. Maybe Kayneth will think to pack a lunch next time.] Though to be honest, they serve as real quick healing items for your Pokémon in a pinch, so I wouldn't be so fast to knock them.

[enjoymyatelier]

...[wait

what??]

Do they? How does that even work?

[viiru2alert]

Because it's enhanced mineral water or something? I don't know. Either way, they're safe for Pokémon and humans and can heal the latter.

[enjoymyatelier]

...I was more baffled by the soda, honestly, as I've always been under the impression that it isn't particularly healthy. I suppose I can't complain about it, though, given that it's fairly convenient.

[viiru2alert]

It's sugary and gives you energy. Nobody cares about health. [He certainly doesn't, considering all that Aradia has to do for him to just eat a kind of balanced diet.]

[enjoymyatelier]

Given that this world's variety can be used as an impromptu Potion, I'm sure that someone here does. They... seem to be less expensive than actual tiers of Potion, too-are they noticeably less effective...?

[that has to be the case, right? why else would people not exclusively use these...?]

[viiru2alert]

Well, probably 'cause there ain't an awful lot of vending machines in most cities in Johto.

[enjoymyatelier]

...that is true. I hadn't really bothered to notice, but thinking about it... Goldenrod is the only place I've really seen them. Though, my frame of reference isn't exactly the best.

[viiru2alert]

Yeah, it's pretty much just here and Celadon. And maybe Saffron, I dunno. But one way or another they're pretty rare, and convenient when you're about to do a lot of fighting.

[enjoymyatelier]

Celadon is the only other place with a Department Store, isn't it? I suppose that would have something to do with it, though I couldn't imagine why. Are they intended as some sort of extra draw...?

[meanwhile he'll make a mental note to self: stock up on these things before leaving for Azalea...]

[viiru2alert]

Well, there are a lot of companies based around here. Maybe it's some kind of cross-promotion.

[enjoymyatelier]

I suppose it could be that, yes. I'll admit, I don't usually care for this sort of thing, so it's not something I would know about.