Kazooie

"You guys are a real barrel of monkeys, huh? But I guess you filled what I wanted. Not quite what I was hoping, but they're all yours, Zeru." "I told you they haven't been here long. And Mr. Laurent seems too shrewd for you. So, what can ya tell us?" Cade liked to think that was a good thing. Having others underestimate him was fine, but he couldn't let them think they could easily pull one over on him. If this was someone they were likely to interact with again, he needed to be at least a bit careful about it. He crossed his arms as he was stared at briefly, but he didn't say much as he raised an eyebrow, waiting for a response. "Most recent reports say that weird shit is happening northwest of here. Likely a Sojourner, you know how it is. Wooded area spawned around it, with reports of horrific screams and strange creatures! Sounds fun, yeah?" He hummed for a moment as he tapped at his forearm slowly, "...Wonderful, yes. I'm sure we'll have a great time figuring out whatever is happening there." His voice was soft, but there was a bit of an edge there as he turned to follow Zeru, "...I'll be making a small detour to my room before we continue out into the woods. I need to grab something." · · ─────── ·?· ─────── · · Cade was on high alert during their trek. His eyes scanned around the wooded area they were in as if he was expecting something to jump out at them at any moment, and whenever he heard a noise, his hands tensed. His trip back to his room had been short and he returned with an awfully large backpack over his shoulder, refusing to elaborate on what was inside of it. The occasional stops to forage didn't bother him despite the general atmosphere, it was everything else that seemed to have him on edge. It was only once Zeru decided that they needed to stop and set up a camp for a while that he seemed to relax even a bit. Cade made himself busy getting things set up, his hands moving on their own as he mumbled a tiny bit. It seemed to be coming back to him decently well, obviously he had some experience in this department, though the exact reason was still not there. He just shrugged his shoulders as he finished setting up a tent, before hearing a voice speak up from nearby. "So, government projects, huh? While we're here, you might as well spill some exciting federal drama, if you've got any to share." Cade grinned slightly, but he wiped it off his face as he stood up and turned to face the girl. His hands clapped together a bit, dusting off some dirt as he hummed out lightly, "Man, I knew it was going to get questions asked, but I was just hoping it would be a bit later." He shrugged his shoulders lightly, "I don't know if government contracts matter outside of wherever you made them, honestly. I'm inclined to say no, but I can still only tell you so much." He tapped at his forehead, a small grin on his face as he lowered his voice, trying to avoid letting Zeru hear too much, "Obviously I don't remember as much as I would like, things are still cloudy at best... But I do remember I was drawn into those projects pretty young, myself. Not something I thought about at the time most likely, but with age? You start to realize how shady it is to use kids like that."

Cade wasn't exactly a fan of Zeru, so far. The cloaked figure wasn't forthcoming with answers, which was already something causing him a great deal of annoyance. He wasn't entirely sure why, but it seemed to grate his nerves in a way that made him tense. It didn't help that the younger ones here were being used to answer his questions either. That really frustrated him. Yet still, he kept a stern look on his face, refusing to show those small annoyances as he tried to prod for information that could help them. “Think of them like… characters in a game. I’m not sure if y’all would remember video games, so I’ll also say like… extras in a movie. Side characters in a book. The locals who are stuck in their flow aren’t going to hinder us. The inn y’all stayed at was run by them. They’ll be helpful, but they won’t go out of their way, just follow their invisible script.” This annoyed Cade too. Maybe it was a bit silly, but something about Zeru was so incredibly perfect at needling his sore points, and he couldn't even remember why this particular point was sore for him. He shoved that frustration down as he listened to Zeru and Jet finish up, the discussion about perfectly nice people ended on a note where, at the very least, they weren't doing anything to harm the locals. "Very well. If we aren't causing the locals any stress, I'll help." He didn't bother adding in the "I don't like it", that was an unspoken thing he was sure Zeru would catch onto. The underlying reason he was hopeful wouldn't have come through to the cloaked figure at least, which meant he had something to work with there, "Food does sound like a good idea. If only to keep morale up." · · ─────── ·?· ─────── · · "Sometimes odd things like dragons or monsters show up. They don't, y'know, exist here, but they seem to show up around Sojourners. It's how many of ya end up being lost. At least, that's a standing theory." Wonderful. Cade sighed as he rubbed at his eyes a bit, trying to ignore the building annoyances being stacked precariously on top of one another. It wasn't enough that he had no idea what to do about this whole situation, but at least he was getting information. Dragons were apparently a thing here that he would have to worry about, which already sounded a tad on the insane end of things. He wasn't even sure how effective against a dragon he might be. In the end, maybe he wouldn't be able to help much after all. Deneb, on the other hand, seemed happy to share more promising info, of course... Before he could speak up though, the stuttering young man had already started. He couldn't fault him, he supposed. Jet had been a bit of a nervous wreck the entire time so far, and it was a chance to either vent, or do something relatively normal... But what he heard only made that tower of annoyances a bit more unstable. Child abuse would explain quite a bit about the young man's seemingly fragile mental state, and he resolved to keep an eye on Jet while he could. "Before we continue... I do have to be sure, we'll hear the information too, won't we?" Cade held his hands out, shrugging a bit with his palms facing towards the sky, "I don't know Zeru well enough to care about them getting it alone." "Feisty! I like it." Deneb snickered, "You don't have a problem with it, Zeru?" A rather particularly resigned sigh came from Zeru, shrugging a bit. Seemed as if they had been through this song and dance before, somehow. Cade fully expected to not understand, not be able to use currently, or just plain not care about whatever was so important for Zeru to know from this vendor. Cade also fully expected to be able to find a use for whatever information was received here eventually. He just smiled as he nodded his head, his hands slipping back into his pockets as he did, "Wonderful, we have a deal." His ability to manipulate those books was already off the list, he wasn't going to give that away until he had no choice in the matter. What he could remember though, was a different matter entirely. It was fragmented in the worst possible ways, just enough to give him a gleam of knowledge from his past... "I was quite the researcher, back home. I worked for a number of government projects, where I was often asked to dig into a number of old books by the ones in charge." He waved a hand in the air, shaking his head as he did, "It's hard to imagine what might be of interest, but... I suppose that alone might be quite alluring, if government projects are nearly as secretive here as they were back where I'm from." He gave a small grin, hoping that little seed would blossom in the future. If Deneb or Zeru read between the lines there, it was just enough information to potentially give himself some more... Value in their eyes. Or maybe it would amount to nothing, but it was a safe thing to give away. "That was where my skills generally were. Research and communications. I have some experience with fire arms as well, but I suppose I'd be a bit rusty with those, even I had access to them here..."

A week and a half wasn't much time to work with, all things considered. Cade didn't expect things to just fall into his lap, answers to be handed out without any resistance, but he was hoping a bit more would be found out at least. Books surrounded him in the library he had manged to find in Solstice, trying to find anything of note about this area he had found himself in. Unfortunately, all his impromptu trip to research had done was leave him a little more confused than he had started. Books responded to him naturally, he had found out. While he had a few on him when he woke up, he hadn't noticed at the time. No, it was only once he had begun his inquiries in full that he was given a look at what exactly happened around him. Books flew from the shelves at his command, piling into his arms as he scanned over their spines. Really, it was almost surprising, if it hadn't felt so natural to him. It was long nights at the library for him. He poured over pages upon pages of information, most of it detailing the basics about 'Equinox'. And just the basics, it seemed. There were a few books that talked about two other cities, but nothing particularly in depth. A travel guide here and there, or a column about the wonders of 'Zenith' where the sun never set. If he had to be honest, that one almost sounded like hell to him. It wasn't a total loss, in any case. His research had yielded something interesting, a third section of books, outside of the usual bounds of non vs fiction, meant entirely for books for Sojourners. Whether that meant they were written with them in mind, or written by them, Cade wasn't entirely certain as of yet, he would need more time to really investigate this new category of book. And that was how his first week in Equinox went. There was an occasional break for something to eat and rest, but the majority of his time was spent trying to dig for information, it just felt safer than wandering blindly into the world. Unfortunately, nothing he could immediately use was coming to him in his efforts, aside from the discovery of just how convenient this digging was for him. It seemed prudent to keep his newly found ability to himself for the time being though. · · ─────── ·?· ─────── · · "Sojourners go missing regularly. Even accounted for ones. Some are estimated to never be found, lost to the unruly wilds. I work as a one person rescue team, if you will. Help is appreciated." Cade nodded his head gently at this. Since the cloaked figure had been the one to wander upon him out there, this wasn't shocking news. Probably a formality, to request help in this manner. Even so, his face scrunched a bit in thought as he considered the options... Only for the stuttering of one of the younger ones to catch his attention. He crossed his arms as he supported himself against the wall, having taken in the small room quickly enough as he spoke up again, "Presumably you'll be wanting us to help with your recon work. I can imagine that it would be a lot of work for one individual... But why fresh arrivals who hardly know a thing about this place?" His voice was soft as he spoke, but firm still as he posed the question to their mysterious benefactor, he had a small hunch about what the answer could be, but it was worthwhile to try and dig for a bit more, "Surely there are locals who could be of more help? Knowing the area well enough seems like a boon that we don't have the luxury of, after all."

W.I.P. ...And the Story Closes

╔. .═════════╗ "I knew you could do it," she whispered to her vice-captain, cutting straight to the point. "Congratulations Kendra. And you too, Daichi." Kendra rubbed at her neck for a moment, shaking her head gently, "...It was too close for comfort. I only got lucky that he overthought the situation and played into Counter Gate." She glanced down at the roughly put together duel disk on her arm, brushing her fingers over the deck in it as she frowned, "Hardly a ground shaking performance from me." Kendra wanted to take some praise for the duel, but realistically, she should have lost. Yukihito was a conceited, narrow-minded duelist and that worked to her advantage, but that didn't mean she should have won. She did turn her head to Daichi though, giving him a little thumbs up, "Obviously I didn't catch most of it, but you looked like you were holding up pretty well there. Seemed like a tough opponent." “Yes, you both performed so well!” Vega beamed, though she now took a position with her hands on her hips, chest jutted out, and grinning wide, “Everyone on the team has shown off what they’re capable of now, so you guys should start making a good name for yourselves. Who knows… maybe the comparisons to Team Origin might come in handy!” She paused as she considered Vega's statement, a tiny sigh escaping her, "We shouldn't worry too much about that particular... Aspect. Seems like an easy way to get a swollen head..." --- "Oh, by the by, you all can call me Maddy. Nice to meetcha!” Kendra yawned as she glanced up from her spot, her head resting on her arms as she mumbled a tiny bit. She waved a hand in a small greeting to the new arrival, hardly considering who it was as she mumbled lightly to herself. Vega probably wasn't going to be a huge fan of the sudden intrusion. "It's nice to have you here today; I hope you're not offended if we dive right into things. We have an important match here, I think, even more so than the team may realize." Kendra raised an eyebrow briefly at that. Sure, it was following up a solid performance from them, but they didn't even know who they were facing yet. For all Rosalia knew, this could have been an immensely uphill battle... It seemed a bit excessive to build it up right away, but what did she know? Then... She followed it up with another round of congratulations, which only made Kendra's face drop a little. Despite winning, the duel left a bitter taste in her mouth. It was hard to feel proud of winning it, when it only happened due to her opponent being an airheaded narcissist. "But now we're gaining steam; Two wins... a draw," she added, a slight strain to the word, "and no losses. We're going to start garnering attention. Though we've already started gaining that in... one aspect." This, at least, Kendra could nod her head with. People are going to be paying more attention to them now that they're positive. If they had lost and stayed tied, people would lose interest... "I think we can take this momentum and really drive into it. For our next match... We attempt a clean sweep." Kendra didn't interrupt, despite immediately having a response in mind. Her finger lazily ran through a strand of her hair, curling it around her finger as much as she could manage as the captain continued. Sai's own response to her comments... Until finally, Rosalia asked for input. She let out a tiny breath... "...I think you're correct to put yourself in. We should probably wait and see what we might be up against, but they're going to want to see the captain giving a strong performance." She tapped at her desk for a moment, "Sai also should be in, and I have no doubt he can perform well enough. As for..." She glanced towards Eve and Falisha, her finger tensing for a moment, "I don't know nearly enough about Turbo Duels to say who should go in here." She shrugged her shoulders a tiny bit, "Daichi isn't... Entirely correct about things just falling into place, we have to work towards the goal, but he is right about one thing. Don't stress yourself over it too much. You'll perform better that way." She gave Rosalia a small grin, right up until... “You’ve got some real straight shooters, don’t you?” Maddy grinned as she hung on Vega’s shoulder, the younger woman’s face still drained of any color, “You know, you should really invite them t-” “Mom. Can we talk about this outside?” The coach’s face dropped a bit along with her tone. Not so much angry as… uncomfortable. Annoyed. The cheery Maddy blinked as it happened, giving a nod. “Alright, alright, I don’t wanna pester too much. I just wanted to come see your team, and pass along a message from your dad. If you can step outside with me for a minute, I can do that, and be on my way… oh and one from your auntie too!” “Yeah, that works. Just… warn me next time, will ya?” With a sigh, Vega nodded, stepping towards the door with her mother in tow. She turned around and pointed at Kendra, “Sorry guys, but I guess I need to handle this. Kendra, you’re closest to the projector and my notes so you’re in charge. Go ahead and go over our opponents this week and you all can start planning while I handle this.” As Vega pushed her mother out of the door, Maddy leaned back and gave everyone a happy wave, just in time for the door to slam shut behind the duo. Kendra let out a small yawn as she sat up slowly, shaking her head a bit as she did, “...Dunno what I’m supposed to really say, first time I’m learning about our opponents too. Haven’t had a chance to look into them.” She made her way towards the projector, flicking it on as the screen lit up in front of the team, “Alright, let’s go… Stormwolf. I’ve vaguely heard of them. They’re not a very notable team… Average performance, they had been in the league for a while. The most notable thing is that for most of their run, they were running with only three team members.” She tapped to the next slide, pulling up a picture of the Team Captain, “Mason Dunbarr is the captain and his known deck is Cloudians. He’s maintained a positive record, despite being their only Standard duelist. Guy looks even more tired than me.” Another tap, “Sigrid Talbot. She was their only Action Duelist at first… Vega seems to want us to use the same order as we did against Team Free, which is a choice I guess.” Kendra snickered a tiny bit at the next slide, “Here’s one for Daichi, their original Turbo Duelist. Corbin Fey, who has since swapped to dual roles. Action and Turbo. Fortune Ladies, which I guess we shouldn’t be surprised over…” She continued, the next tab showing a woman in a lab coat, a small pause given before she spoke again. “Vanity shot I guess. Eris is their second Turbo Duelist… And finally, we have a new guy. No record, no games, but they finally found a second Standard duelist.” Kendra’s eyes narrowed a tiny bit as she glanced at the notes Vega left her, a small mumble escaping her, “...Man, the coach’s notes are super scattered. Anyway. Like I said, she seems to want to put us in like she did with Free. She thinks the new guy, Itsuki, would be their standard duelist for the surprise… Dunno why she thinks the other two though. You three good with that?” Kendra folded her hands on her lap as she sat back, glancing at the others. The bags under her eyes were a bit softer than usual, but other than that… She looked just as tired as always, and just as forward as she glanced between Eve and Sai. Then she turned to Rosalia, "I think you're the better bet here. Your deck is more well-rounded than mine, I'm just good at fine tuning for my next opponent. A benefit to Xyz, ya know? When I don't know what deck they use..." She tapped at the projector lightly, "I don't like my odds as much. Think you can handle this?" ╚═════════. .╝

╔. .═════════╗ “Draw!” Yukihito added a fourth card to his hand as he began his turn, taking quick stock of the cards before placing a monster down. Like a bolt of lightning, a crystalline rabbit appeared, bouncing about excitedly. “I normal summon Bujingi Hare,” [LIGHT Beast; Level 4; 1700/500], “Then overlay it with Yamato! Xyz Summon!” The galactic spiral appeared for yet another Xyz Summon, but this time only the hare entered. Instead, Yamato strode across the top, standing above the center as crystalline forms flew from it, covering its body in armor. Headdress, wings, an ornate sword, and a more practical sword being notable parts among it, Yukihito grinned as he held his hand out. “Bujintei Susanowo!” [LIGHT Beast-Warrior; Rank 4; 2400/1600] “By detaching Bujingi Hare from Susanowo, I can either search a Bujin or send it from my deck to the grave. In this case, I’ll add Bujin Mahitotsu to my hand, then discard Bujingi Wolf to Special Summon it in defense!” As he followed the motions, an ornate eye appeared next to Susanowo, with crystalline white pouring from around it, leading to a red body below the hair-like white crystal. The monster took up a defensive form as Yukihito discarded yet another card, causing the monster to glow slightly. “Then I’ll use its effect- by banishing Wolf, I’ll send Bujingi Sinyou from deck to grave. Then battle! Susanowo, destroy Tornado Dragon!” The Bujin emperor spread its wings wide, rocketing forward towards Kendra’s Xyz, only to bring its broader sword down on the creature, the wyrm was torn apart, the wind that formed its body scattering, as if there had never been a storm. “I suppose I’ll have to set 1 and end my turn at this point. You haven’t really proven you’re any better than Aya, either… The minor leagues are so dull.” As the winds dissipated, Kendra was left standing there, a disappointed look on her face as she drew her next card, “You’re acting like I took the damage or something. Unfortunately for you…” Kendra’s trap card flipped face up as she looked to Yukihito, “This isn’t over yet. I activate Portable Battery Pack to resummon Batterman 9-Volt and Batteryman AAA. Once again, 9-Volt allows me to search for another Batteryman.” As the three figures returned to the field, the rectangular battery pointed to the sky once more. Another crackle of electricity signaled another search, “I’ll add, and normal summon, Batteryman Solar.” The flash that had accompanied the previous summons wasn’t present with this one, instead, light was refracted briefly as three solar panels were raised to the field. The largest, middle panel stood as light was absorbed from the sky, channeling towards Kendra’s deck much like 9-Volt before it, “When Solar is summoned, I can send a Thunder monster from my deck to the graveyard. I’ll send Thunder Hand.” The card was quickly deposited to the grave as Kendra looked towards her hand, “The current beckons. I overlay my three Batteryman monsters to Xyz Summon.” The portal reopened as 9-Volt, Solar, and AAA faded into light, circling down into it. “The flow of power won’t stop, all I can do is guide it. Xyz Summon, Ultra-Electromagnetic Radiation Dragon!” From the portal burst a large, rusted pair of wings that fanned out on either side of it. Mechanical claws followed closely behind as the sound of metal dragged itself from the portal, the bronze plated head of the thunderous creature reared itself upwards. The crackling electric filled the air around them as the Dragon took the field, a creaky, metallic call echoing across the stadium. [LIGHT Thunder; Rank 4; 2900 / 1600] “Battle. My dragon will be attacking Mahitotsu, and when it does, I can detach an Xyz Material from it.” One of the three lights orbiting Radiation Dragon vanished, being replaced with AAA appearing beside the mechanical dragon. A panel shifted in the back of Radiation Dragon’s neck, allowing the pair of batteries to slip into place as it shut… “When I do, I send one Batteryman from my deck to the grave-” A single card popped free from her deck, which she quickly deposited in the graveyard, “I’ll send Fuel Cell. And in return, Radiation Dragon’s attack and defense are doubled until the end of your next turn.” [2900 / 1600 > 5800 / 3200] “No kill like overkill, right?” Yukihito grumbled, waving for her to continue. With a creak, the head of Ultra-Electromagnetic Radiation Dragon began to turn. The build up on electricity around the dragon’s claws became apparent as the entire body crackled with it, eyes lighting up with a sudden burst. The monster lurched forward, raising its claws up as the current orbiting its body focused on them. Then, with a single slash downwards, Radiation Dragon sliced straight through Mahitotsu, cleaving the red plated figure straight in half. As the dust settled, Kendra placed a single card face down, the card materializing in front of her, “With that, I set one and my turn ends.” ╚═════════. .╝

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅──╮ Strange Ladder, Mesagoza – 2:00 PM With the assembly at an end and students finding their groups, the day was still not even half over for many of them. Despite the fact that Clavell’s speech had dragged on a bit near the end, he still managed to get them out before the end of the normal day, which gave the students enough time to begin their planning. The school was buzzing with activity, groups forming and taking over every corner of the school as they pondered their options and where they should go. Although most students already knew what they wanted to do, the group format meant they had to come to a consensus together… Of course, that meant that students were funneling out of the school as well, meeting up at various different points around Mesagoza. The local cafes and restaurants knew this time of year well, the post ceremony lunch rush. Of course, not everyone was interested in picking a place to meet that had decent food, if the small group gathering behind the Pokemon Center had anything to say about it. As they settled in to discuss their plans, another figure approach them. The boy seemed slightly older than the rest of them, his face covered by a medical mask. A ring of flowers draped around his neck swayed from side to side as he approached the gathered students, “...Group 13, right? Hopefully I got the right ladder, since I was going to be in this area anyway.” Wendy turned to face the masked boy. "Correct. Are you another member of this group as well?" If so, that brought the group's size to six. A fine number, often preferred by top-of-the-line trainers if everything she heard was to be believed. He nodded his head for a moment, before rubbing at his neck, "Yeah, I am, but I also won't be traveling with you, if you all intend to travel. Name's Mahli. I was offered an internship, working with Pokemon Centers around the region. I figured I would stop by, give you all my Rotom Phone number, stay in touch... Jaqc would probably get on my case if I didn't at least pretend to be traveling with you." "Wait, you're going to travel by yourself?" Ryu asked. Concern filled his question to the brim. "That's really dangerous, you know. We should stick together, lest you get caught unaware by a powerful Pokemon." Mahli paused for a moment, when he spoke again, his voice was a bit softer, "I mean... That's fair enough, but always a concern anyway. I've stocked up on Poke Dolls to make a quick break if I need." He gave the bag hanging against his back a little pat, "I'm heading towards Levincia for my first assignment, I wouldn't wanna drag you all out of the way." "Levincia?" Aruto muttered, rubbing his chin. "Isn't that the city where the Gym Leader Iono is from?" "You got it." He shot Aruto a quick thumbs up, before his eyes glanced upwards towards the sky, "...Man, I hope I don't have to interact with her myself. Not a huge fan. Hopefully the nurses take care of that." He coughed for a moment, before turning his attention back to the group, "I've heard some rumors though. You know how the Gym Leaders are all prepping for the challenge? I hear she's recruited help from those Team Star guys that run the Training Camps." "Team Star?" Scully raised Gligar up to his shoulder; It felt like a more dignified position than hanging in his arms. "I've heard they're supposed to be really strong, right?" Mahli's hand rose up as the colorful flowers shifted around his neck, lifting up over his head and floating into the air as the small, light green oval shaped main body revealed itself. The boy brought his hand up, scratching at the side of its cheek as he shrugged, "I dunno. I never checked out those training camps myself, I just heard about it while I was interning at the Center here. They're great places for gossip." Scully thought for a second about this, then grinned. He had an idea. "I mean... that sounds kinda neat. Right?" He leaned back against the ladder, attempting to affect a laid-back, confident pose. "We haven't really figured out where we go first, right? And Levincia's as good a place as any. Besides," and here he clapped his hands together, "I'd love to get that badge off Iono, Team Star or not!" "Well, looks like we've ended up with a little group of weirdos," Helena hummed as she continued to work on her pad, having only dodged the Gligar and nodded to the others as they showed up, "Myself included, of course! Helena's the name," She poked the Pumpkaboo atop her head, prompting a squeak from it, "And this cutie is Jackie. I don't see much of a problem with Mahli wandering off and doing his own thing, it'd just bring everyone down to force someone to go somewhere they didn't wanna go... But we may as well tag along to Levincia for the first stretch, ye?" Mahli shrugged his shoulders a tiny bit, a little smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he did, the mask shifting upwards slightly, "I guess that's fine. I don't mind the extra company. Right, Aroma?" His fingers reaching up to brush the side of the Comfey's body gently, a small coo escaping the floating flower bunch as he did. "If you all want to head out today, I'm good to go whenever, I'll just swing back by the school and grab my traveling bag. The east gate is a good spot to head out from, there's all sorts of wild Pokemon you can catch out there too, so you can keep yourselves busy." He turned himself around, giving the group a thumbs up as he turned away from them, "I'll catch you all outside the east gate later. I recommend being careful out there, the Pokemon get pretty strong if you wander too far from the gate!" Outside Mesagoza, South Province Area Three - 4:30 PM The individuals were given plenty of time to prepare on their own, Mahli apparently took his time on getting ready. Either he wasn't nearly as prepared to go as he made it sound like or he had been distracted by something. There were students roaming around on their own, preparing for their own journeys, or just enjoying the freedom to leave the city as they wished. There was a small group of students standing on a bridge of land connecting to the grassy plains of South Province Area Five. They charged back towards the arid Area Three with a brown amphibian held up into the air, cheering as they ran back into Mesagoza. The Wooper had a blank smile on its face, a small "woo" escaping it as they charged back into the city. Wild Pokemon roamed across the dusty terrain, settling in together to avoid human contact where they could. Rocky and harsh to those trying to explore deeper in it, but calm enough for the beginning trainers to travel through it... Mahli stepped through the gates of Mesagoza, rubbing at his neck for a moment as he took a small glance around, "I guess I should, uh... Damn, I shoulda gotten the numbers from those guys before I left, huh? Guess I'll be waiting over here at the gates..." ╰── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅──╯

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅──╮ Naranja Academy, Mesagoza – 9:30 AM STEM Homeroom The front of the classroom was empty as the students trickled in, leaving them to get settled in alone. A few students gossiped among themselves, while others just continued getting their sleep by taking little naps, until Tyme walked into the room a few minutes later, "I'm sorry, everyone. Director Clavell was speaking to me about the announcement today." A few students perked up at the mention, "That's why we were given a late start right?" Tyme nodded her head, before holding a hand up towards the class, "I'll mention it briefly, but then we're going to get to the lesson. The director wanted us teachers to meet to discuss the announcement today, so we weren't able to start at our usual time. Lucky for you, that meant you got a bit of extra sleep for the day!" She smiled as she took her place at the front of the class, nodding to the students as she did, "That's all I'm going to say though. If you want to know what the announcement is, you'll just have to wait until noon." With a knowing smile, Tyme gave the class a nod, before directing everyone back to their studies for the rest of the class session... DING DONG DONG DING General Studies Homeroom "I know today is a very late day and we don't have much time to cover anything substantial..." Jacq ran his fingers through his hair for a moment as he considered the options for the day, "With the end of our classroom time coming up, I really thought we would be able to cover a bit more than we did..." One student near the front of the class raised her hand, waiting for Jacq to notice her, and when he did, "Well... Can you tell us anything about the school event? You taught us about picnics and how to spot if our Pokemon are showing signs of illness, a lot of stuff we don't use in class, are those going to be useful for it?" Jacq smiled as he crossed his arms over his chest, "You could say that. The Director is going to go over it in more detail, but as usual... We'll be allowing you all to go on your own studies. Some of you may stay here, but I know many of you will choose to head out into Paldea to explore and forge your own path... I just hope some of what I've taught you will help. Let's review instead of covering anything new." Time passed from there, leaving the students at the mercy of Jacq's review. There was more than enough information for him to keep the class occupied for thirty minutes... Then an hour, then finally, hitting the 11:30 mark. DING DONG DONG DING Humanities Homeroom "Bonjour, my students! The past few months have gone by in a flash, I know. I wish we had more time to chat." The professor at the front of the classroom held a hand behind his head, a small laugh escaping him as he shook his head gently, "But nein, I'm afraid that isn't the case. You all have a wonderful experience ahead of you today... You'll be joining the school's très important annual event!" "The Treasure Hunt!" A small murmuring started as he held out his hands, "Now, now, I'm not at liberty to say too much. Some of our higher grade students knows. The Director loves to give the opening speech and all. I just cannot contain my own podniecenie!" Salvatore blinked at some of the blank faces staring at him from the front row, before laughing again, "Oh, yes. That would be excitement! With that, we can begin our lesson today... Excitement!" Salvatore led the students into a brief discussion, one that was entirely based on his need to get his excitement out, until... DING DONG DONG DING Each class was left to their own devices until that bell ring snapped everyone to attention. There was a moment of silence, quiet contemplation, until a voice spoke through the speakers. "Attention students and teachers, this is Director Clavell. At this time, I would like you to lead your students, one class at a time, to the courtyard for our special announcement. We'll begin with the General Studies..." Jacq motioned for his students to stand up, herding them out of the classroom towards the courtyard. Tyme's classroom wasn't far behind, and then last was Salvatore's homeroom entering the grounds. In the center of the track was a small stage constructed for the event, where Director Clavell stood above the rest of the school. He kept his arms folded behind his back as the crowd filtered into the courtyard, teachers moving up to the stage as he spoke up. “Everyone, if I may…" When no one stopped speaking to listen to him, Clavell pulled the microphone a bit closer to him, "Please, listen!" A little sigh escaped the director as he pushed his glasses up his face, the students were a bit rowdier than usual, the crowd chattering among themselves as he tried to get their attention. On one side of the stage, Jacq and Tyme both gave Director Clavell a little smirk, while Hassel and Saguaro tried to keep the other two from heckling the Director. On the other end, a black haired woman stepped forward, raising a gloved hand into the air as she cried out, “Hey! You all quiet down, the Director is trying to speak!” Her voice echoed through the courtyard as the students finally began to quiet down, the Director giving her a thankful nod, “Wonderful. Now, this will come to no surprise to most of you, as it has become a long running tradition in our school, but the theme of this year’s group studies is once again: ‘A Treasure Hunt’.” Clavell raised his hand in the air as a few students began to murmur among themselves, “I know, many students wonder if having the same theme could grow tiresome, but I believe the answer to that is no. It is important for each of you to find your own way through our world, and here at Naranja Academy, that means figuring out what brings you joy in this life.” Next to the stage, Dendra nodded her head, her arms crossing in front of her as she smiled. There was a brief whisper on the other side, Jacq had leaned in to speak to Tyme, earning him a little glare from Hassel. Still though, Clavell’s speech wasn’t finished, but a large part of the crowd was starting to get antsy as it continued, especially the younger children. “The Paldea region is a wonderful place for you to discover yourselves, and to soak in the expansive history we have… From the rich landscape, to our own Gym Challenge and Champion Assessment. And this year, we have one extra attraction for you, our eager students. In conjunction with the Pokemon Activities Committee, Pokemon Contests will be hosted across the region. Anyone who collects five contest ribbons will have the honor of participating on Paldea’s first Grand Festival to become the Top Coordinator of the region." "Of course... I will have to wrap this up shortly, so you can all begin your planning... We have organized the groups for your travels. If you are unsure of who your group contains, find a teacher or refer to the board we have put up in the main hall. Please, stick together for safety if you choose to travel across the region. For now, I will end on these important words. Never stop striving for anything but the best for yourself, students. If you lack direction, look to those around you for help. Your teachers will do whatever we can for you, as well as your friends, and of course... Your Pokemon. Never forget that." The crowd was about ready to disperse, but Clavell held a single hand up into the air, "Before you leave, we have two guest speakers. One, you all will likely know well. The other is associated with the Pokemon Activities Committee. Please, welcome Top Champion Geeta and Mr. Raoul Contesta to the stage." As Clavell finished, a figure approached the stage from either side. On the left, a tall woman with dark hair approached the stage, her arms folded behind her back as she looked out to the crowd of students. Most of them seemed to recognize her, varying degrees of excitement bubbling as the crowd spoke to each other... On the other side, an older man with greying hair, clad in a bright red suit climbed atop the stage as Clavell stepped down. He took the mic first, a wide grin on his face, "Hello, Naranja Academy! As your director introduced me, I am Raoul Contesta, and I'll be one of the three judges of each contest here in the Paldea region. My schedule is sure to be busy with how much I'll have to do!" That grin on his face broke out into a laugh as he clapped his hands together, "This is a momentous occasion, not just for you all, but for me. It isn't every day the Activities Committee is able to expand contests to a new region, so I look forward to seeing what any of you who chooses to participate can show me... I'll turn it over to your champion now, but I'm ready to be dazzled by you upcoming stars!" Mr. Contesta stepped back, allowing Geeta to take the mic from him. She folded a hand over her chest, "I believe you all have been waiting patiently, so I will keep this short. I see in front of me limitless potential in you students. As Top Champion, it has been my priority to see the light of Paldea shine brightly into the future. This is why, in conjunction with the Pokemon Activities Committee, I worked to bring Contests to Paldea. That said..." She paused, her hand dropping back to her side, "I greatly looking forward to seeing who wishes to challenge the Champion Assessment. The Gym Leaders across the region have been working overtime to be sure to make this the most interesting Gym Challenge yet, and I cannot wait to see the shining results. For now, however... Go, students. Your journeys begin here." ╰── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅──╯

Test post oops

To Applicant ___ Congratulations. You have been selected for our new Region Transfer Program, and are being offered a once in a life time opportunity to attend the prestigious Naranja Academy for this school semester. In addition, you will be allowed the chance to participate in the school’s treasure hunt, a time honored tradition. If you applied, you no doubt already know what this means, but for the few who do not know, you’ll be given the opportunity to explore the Paldea region, participate in the Gym Challenge, make new friends… And as of this year, participate in Paldea’s first Pokemon Conference League, thanks to the aid of the Pokemon Activities Committee. For you aspiring Coordinators, this is the chance to earn a prestigious title as the Paldea Region’s first Top Coordinator. With this all said, it is important to note that the school has one major rule you must follow: Always be searching for your next step. It is always easy to lose yourself, or lose your way. We here at the Academy are dedicated to making sure our students come out better than they entered, and that goes double for our students from far regions. -Director Clavell Students from non-Paldea are being accepted in a student transfer, you can be one of those lucky students! There will be an in universe three-five month time spam we skip over, that'll be classes and stuff, so I'll set up a list of teachers, but most of them are going to be straight from the game itself, so if you need a quick refresher check the database below! Rules Character Application Database

“Draw for turn! Yoooo, I got it!” Felicity’s face beamed from the field, onlookers swearing there were stars in her eyes, “I reveal Fortune Fairy Swee when I draw her, allowing me to summon her immediately!” Placing the card on the disk, the watery fairy appeared with a sparkle, her half-lidded eyes accompanied by a smile, as she pointed at a monster on Ayakuro’s board. “When she’s summoned from the hand, I can target a monster you control and banish it temporarily. And I target… Your Oneiros!” Next to Aya, an angelic man with black wings stood with a fierce expression, more than twice her side. With dark wisps floating around him, as well as an angry red hound at his side, his wings began to flap as a red-eye on his chest began to glow. “Not so fast! I activate the effect of Oneiros, the Dream Mirror Tormentor! Since I have…” She motioned to the field that the duel had become, a dark castle courtyard, with wicked laughs breaking out occasionally, “Dream Mirror of Terror, I can negate one monster effect! End of Dreams!” A beam shot from the eye in Oneiros’ chest, hitting Swee and causing her to cry out, a red aura around her. With a pout, Felicity moved to continue her turn, but… “Next I activate my set Metaverse! I use it to activate Dream Mirror of Joy from my deck!” The horrible nightmarish castle area began to bend and stretch, but as it began to form cracks all over it, Aya grew a big smile, taking in a breath. Looking around, Felicity quickly stole an action card, using Fortune Fairy Chee as a means to boost her up. Moments later, the nightmare shattered, and was replaced with an identical castle shining with resplendent light, complete with the sun in the sky and cherubs flitting about. “Then I use Oneiros’ other effect, as I control Joy. I tribute him in order to bring out his good half from the extra deck… Oneiros, the Dream Mirror Erlking in defense!” As the light of the field rained down on Oneiros and the beast beside him, Oneiros’ wings began to change color, folding in on him… Before suddenly opening triumphantly, revealing the same figure but now adorned with lighter colors and a kind smile as the eye on his chest faded. --- Daichi, who was trying his best to keep his composure while also recording the Duel, couldn't help but get excited at seeing this. Felicity Fey and her Fortune Fairies against Hifumi Ayakuro's Dream Mirror. And of course, while he was disappointed that Felicity's combination fell flat at first, it was obvious that her and her monsters were definitely working in the vein of trying the next thing and simply going with the flow. "Using Chee to boost her to get the Action Card…" he nodded, remembering the fact of how Honey utilized her monster to move about the Action Field more freely. "Definitely needing to make a note of that." Daichi muttered, glancing at Kendra. "What do you think, Kendra? How's things looking thus far?" Kendra tapped at her cheek for a moment as she watched the ongoing duel, a tiny mumble escaping her as she yawned lightly, “Action duels are so hard to keep up with…” She chuckled softly underneath her breath as she watched Daichi falling into the duel more and more… Her hand propped her head up as she caught the energy to properly respond to Daichi, “I’m not sure who has the edge in this exact situation, to be honest. I haven’t looked into either deck very much, and with Action Cards being a factor, it’s hard to guess, but…” She closed her eyes as she mumbled to herself, “Fey is relying pretty heavily on top decks, while her opponent seems pretty well set up. If she can’t manage to end it this turn, then… I’m willing to bet she loses from here.” "It's the style of the Fortune Fairies, unfortunately…same time, in most scenarios, the Fairies usually support other Spellcasters…though the best one for them to aid is Fortune Ladies" Daichi sighed a bit. "And since Felicity mainly runs the Fairies, you can see how it generally relies on the top decking. Heh, removing the 'Action' aspect of it, you got the board state and general profiling of Felicity fairly well, Kendra. Would expect nothing less from our Sleeper." he snickered. Kendra gave a soft smile to Daichi, a little chuckle escaping her as she let out that sigh once more, “It’s the one thing I can do. I don’t think I could keep up on the Action Field, that’s why I stick with Standard duels. But with those, you have to pay attention to every move. There are fewer variables…” She didn’t want to say what came after that statement, but ultimately she didn’t want to hold that thought either, “...I imagine that’s why Rosalia took her tie so hard. In the end, a win or loss in a Standard Duel always comes down to being prepared for your opponent. There are fewer mix-ups that can happen…” "I see…" Daichi muttered, lulling this over in his mind. He needed to keep that in mind. --- “Now in my main phase, I switch my three defending fairies to attack… then activate the equip spell One-Shot Wand! By equipping it to Chee, she’ll gain an additional 800 attack! That’s on top of the 2000 she sits out due to Miracle Stone!” As the fairy’s wand was replaced with the staff ending in a crescent, her attack grew to 2800. “So what?” Aya jeered, putting a foot onto the balcony of her dream castle and resting one arm on it as she leaned forward, “2800 can’t beat Oneiros. Unless you’re plannin’ on another topdeck?” “You got it. I proceed to battle and attack Oneiros with Chee, which activates Miracle Stone! When my fairies attack, I can draw a card… and I believe the top card of my deck is going to beeee…” She drew it dramatically, revealing it to Aya without a second thought, “Fortune Fairy Hu!” A voice rang from the crowd, somehow carrying over the chaos of the arena as the Action Duel raged on, "Never underestimate the Fey fortune!" “You what!?” Placing the card onto the disk, Felicity was proven correct, as the smug looking wind fairy appeared, waving her wand to make Felicity add a card from her banished pile to my hand. “When summoned this way, she returns a banished Spellcaster to my hand… Effect Veiler! But that also means all my fairies are stronger by another 500, at 2500 each!” As the fairies grew stronger, with Chee going up to 3300, Aya grit her teeth, before motioning to her dog monster. “Phantasmos activates! Since I have Dream Mirror of Joy up, it can tribute itself in order to summon its light half from the deck… but this also activates Oneiros’ effect! When a monster I control is tributed, I can target a card on the field to destroy it, and I choose Miracle Stone!” “Not so fast! Action Spell - Dream Shift, activate!” “I use its effect to target Miracle Stone, making it survive Oneiros’ effect!” “Tsk! Fine, the chain resolves and I summon Phantasmos, the Dream Mirror Friend from the deck! When this hound appears, it revives one of my Dream Mirror monsters… and I choose Morpheus, the Dream Mirror White Knight!” A happy and massive white dog appeared next to Oneiros, taking the place of its dark counterpart, before sniffing around. It ran back towards the castle, away from the action… before happily charging back with the knight in tow, with the blonde human quickly kneeling defensively. “And when he’s summoned, he can’t be destroyed by battle or effects this turn. So, would you like to change attack targets?” “Nope!” Felicity grinned, pointing at Oneiros again, “Chee, destroy Oneiros!” The earth fairy saluted before flying in, dodging a blast of light from the Erlking… only to comedically bonk him on the head, causing light to pour from every part of its body. “Alright, I overcame him!” “Useless!” Aya cried in response, her grin back, “When Oneiros is destroyed by your card, he can revive a Dream Mirror… return to the field, Oneiros, the Dream Mirror Tormentor!” As the light from the destroyed king faded away, his wings turned black and his expression dark once more, with the red eye on his chest opening back up. “When the battle ends, I can destroy One-Shot Wand to draw 1,” Felicity retorted, before glancing at what she drew, “Then… Hu destroys Phantasmos! Fortune Gale!” The wind caused the poor defensive dog to whimper as it was torn apart, leaving the knight and Oneiros standing on either side of Aya. With a tilt of her head, Oneiros extended his hand, which she hopped onto, bracing herself against his body. “And then I… I set one and end my turn!” --- Kendra hummed for a moment as the end of the duel came through. Sure enough, Aya managed to stabilize the duel in the long run… “...I should’ve been paying more attention to the other matches too.” She laughed for a moment, her hand rubbing at her neck for a brief moment, “I was almost surprised when Free lost, despite Aya’s win…” "It was all an amazing turn of events." Daichi nodded, putting the camera away before leaning back in his chair with the widest smile on his face. "Honestly, that's why the Duels that Team Fortuna have are so exciting. They have this…this energy to em, Action or otherwise. They can pump the audience up so much that they even get them to feel like they're a part of it rather than just watching the show." He watched as Fortuna ultimately took their curtain call bow at the end of it all. "...it's one of the reasons I admire them. And…it's one of the reasons I hope to reach and achieve that level of Action Dueling. To enchant and entertain the masses to the point of them being a part of this rather than simply being a part of the audience." A small chuckle escaped Kendra as she nodded her head softly, “It’s great, to be able to channel that energy productively. Not everyone has that skill. You do though, I’m sure of it. It might take some time to really settle into a rhythm for it, but… If this is what you want to achieve, you’ll make it there..”

Lusine wasn't a slouch. The fact that a member of their group was missing did not go unnoticed by the old bat, more than anything it amused her. She didn't know what the whippersnapper was planning, but she had no doubt that it would be entertaining. She whistled gently to herself, tapping her cane against the floor a bit as the rest of their group watched the one-turn of decimation that happened, a tiny hum escaping her. This "Skelly" needed some practice... Is what she wanted to say, but honestly, sometimes you just get unlucky in life. For every close game that had tension, there was a person out there winning through a low effort strategy like that one. She wasn't eager to reassure the girl... But she wasn't going to rub it in. If someone else tried to give her shit, maybe Lusine would defend her for a moment. But only a moment. She was much more interested in what the missing child had gotten into. --- She whistled gently to herself as she approached a window, her cane tapping against the ground gently each time as she chuckled softly to herself. "What a resourceful girl..." She whispered underneath her breath, keeping her voice low as she glanced at the bloody spear that Magpie was holding, a small smile on her face. She might not have been able to deal the killing blow herself, which was disappointing, but at least their little target wasn't going to cause them any more trouble. She would have loved to ask him a question or two, but instead, she would have to deal with them just getting their cores back, what a pity. “I… I guess that does the trick…” Lusine laughed, she didn't mean to, but the fact that he sounded so shocked just caught her off guard. This was the world now, wasn't it? She was certain there were more of that girl's out there than Eden's. She waved her hand in the air gently before speaking, "As much as I would've liked to question the rat there... The problem has been solved. I would like to get my things back now." She turned, hardly waiting for anyone else to start moving as she took the lead towards the exit of the rig, pausing briefly to tug Eden by the scarf, whispering to them... And then she made her way out of the rig. She wasn't the fastest, but she had plenty of reason to get down there, beyond just getting back her stolen cores. With both hands on her cane as she landed on the ground, she stomped it down with a thud against the dirt as she walked towards Magpie, grinning at the girl, "Wonderful work. Would've done it myself if I was a few years younger."