Ask to Join Alola World Festival [RP]

[Merciless Medic]

Pyros heard about this in some kind of scientific rant his sister went on when she started looking into Z-Crystals. At the time, everything went over his head, but Colress had put it into simpler terms than his sister, who had gone through a whole thirty minute rant about the subject. He replied with "simple enough" and then looked over to see Sedna at his side. He flashed a smile towards her and Kyukon, who was staring at Seven and Colress with a strange expression. Pyros decided to respond to everything else Seven had said.

"Yea, I'm damaged, but I have broken bones before. A few scratches isn't going to stop me, even if it came from my own Pokemon. Thank you for apologizing. Although, I would like to say that the experiments you did on the Pokemon had left them and their friends mentally scarred from the ordeal. Hopefully, you realize that now. Nokus' friend had been taken by you and your team and was experimented upon. Since Nokus was my only Pokemon at the time who was healthy enough to fight, he had to fight his own friend, which you forced his friend to fight him. Nokus has been torn since that day. Chandela had been affected by the machine you left at the Celestial Tower, and my two brothers and my sister and I had to destroy it to stop the Pokemon from destroying us and our teams. I took Chandela in because he was the most damaged, physically and mentally, as my sister was using Ghost-Types against him. His fear of Ghost-Types arose due to that, and has appeared as a form of PTSD. Hopefully you are better now... Right?"

He gave such a stern look. The intense burning sensation now is a dull ache in the back of his mind. He wanted to make sure Colress wasn't going to do anything stupid like that. Zarda shared the same look.

Regardless of what they say, he said "I hope you have a wonderful day here. I also hope we can battle each other soon, whether in the tournament or outside of it."

With that, he turned and went back. His mind wanted to forget everything, but it was then shifted to what Atty had said before his attention got shifted towards Colress coming in. He stood there for a few moments, and then directed something to Atty without looking in her direction. "Oh, and if you want him to notice you, you should probably start by talking to him and make yourself seem presentable. Perfume shouldn't be the thing that would buckle his knees, but your personality. That's the most important part. But if you really need it, I'll give it to you."

With that, he turned to Sedna, and asked: "So, did Kyukon bug you too much?"

Kyukon looked up at her trainer and cooed a little, sending him some quick information she managed to get from Sedna. So, it was her mother that caused her to hate other females, mainly as a form of projection since she hasn't resolved her conflict with her maternal parent. Man, he was starting to think just like his brother. He had to stop with this psychology BS. But he figured as much. Only someone close would cause that kind of hatred. All he could muster out was a "I'm sorry" before he started feeling dizzy. Oh, no... His Haxorus must've accidentally used Poison Jab on him.... He wasn't feeling too good.

His face turned a slight shade of green and he had to say "excuse me" before he sat down at his Charizard's foot, using her as a wall to lean against. Zarda looked confused and that's when she growled in discontent. Really? Now? She laid down and curled around her trainer. He was burning up on the forehead and he was getting quite sweaty. He then only muttered "I really hate getting poisoned... Someone find a Pecha Berry... I failed to bring one... and I ain't getting up... I'm sitting here... I don't want no shot... Just a berry...."

Kyukon aided in helping him cool off by tugging off his royal blue jacket with dragon motifs, which he allowed her to slip off. His flaming red tank top was starting to get drenched in sweat in the collar and armpit areas, and he was just not having a good time. Kyukon looked at his wounds on his back, and she cooed at him, telling him he'll need to take off the tank top. Pyros just nodded and Kyukon, with the help of Baku, took off his tank top and set them near Zarda's tail to dry. His muscles were now glistening in the hot Alola sun, and the sun's rays weren't exactly helping. Zarda's wing facing him began to gently flap, hitting his body to help cool him off. The scratches on his back now looked infected with some bodily fluids seeping from them. Ew. They also looked red and raised.

Aside from the appearance of a half-naked, pale, scarred, young man getting curled around by a lizard with wings and getting undressed by an explosive turtle and a fiery fox, this was actually quite normal. Which was why Pyros had no objections in being half-naked. He was a guy after all, but he didn't have the anxieties that caused him to hide his scars like his other siblings.

 

[Ninian]

Frowning at the man's response, Seven insisted, "Perhaps, however you do not know the extent of the damage."

Pyros had some choice words to say to Colress, which the blonde man respectfully listened to. However, his expression really did not change much as the man continued to elaborate on the effects his actions had on his partners. "I see. I do regret my actions. Had I foreseen their adverse effects, I would not have continued through with the experiments. However, you will be delighted to know, the data collected allowed me to reach my current conclusion on how to draw out the strength of Pokémon." Giving a nod he spoke, "I do hope you are treating your Pokémon with care. Despite what might have happened to them in the past, it is your actions that will allow them to grow."

At the fiery man's regards, the scientist nodded, "And you as well." Looking to his assistant, he'd continue, "It would appear my presence is causing tension. I encourage you to explore the festival on your own." As the man walked off, Colress presented a Pecha Berry to Seven, "Give Pyros my regards." With that he turned and made his way out of Malie Garden, his hand still typing madly away at his embedded device.

Seeing that her Master had taken his leave, Seven froze up. She was to give the berry to Pyros? Clenching her jaw, she'd turn and start in his direction.

It didn't take long for her to reach the now topless man propping himself up on his Charizard. Holding out the Pecha Berry, the woman spoke bluntly, "My Master wants you to have this."

 

[Merciless Medic]

Pyros squinted at the berry, his vision quite blurry. He tried to reach for the berry, but couldn't. Even though his head was swimming, he was delighted to hear that Colress wasn't doing anymore illegal activities. Kyukon gently took the Pecha Berry from Seven's hand, thanked her with a muffled coo, and then gave it to Pyros. Pyros couldn't lift his hand, so Zarda had to feed it to him. Zarda took the berry from Kyukon's muzzle and put the berry in Pyros' mouth. He began to chew, and after eating it, his body temperature slowly descended to normality, and his body became less pale. Although, he was still quite weak from the adverse effects of the poison wracking his body, he was now fine. He thanked Seven, and told her to tell her master thanks, as well.

He looked up and noticed she was tense. For all intents and purposes, she was a robot, right? Well, he then figured out that an android is something more than just a robot. Glad his other brother pounded that information on him. An android was a robot with feelings and opinions and thoughts like a human, but they act mechanically and calculating like a robot. Seems like they get the best of both worlds. He looked up at her, still confused. "Wait... You're genderless if you are a Porygon2... But you choose a female body? Why?"

 

[Ninian]

The automaton gave a curt nod at the man's appreciation, not saying anything further for the moment. She wasn't about to leave when he was this badly damaged. Especially considering she was partially responsible for this particular outcome.

His status improved greatly, which was evident by the fact that he was finally attempting to speak. At his question, Seven nodded, "Correct." Pausing, she'd then respond to the rest of his question, "This is the appearance my Master chose for my shell." Clenching her jaw, she'd continue, "Unfortunately, it would appear having a female body was a disadvantage, for I have been placed in this restrictive outfit."

Holding out a hand, the Virtual Pokémon spoke, "Are you able to stand? You should receive medical treatment immediately."

 

[Merciless Medic]

Pyros, after his vision became clearer, now paid attention to the "clothes" she was wearing. Maybe it was restrictive because it was this weird synthetic material, or it was like a corset in a way. He didn't know about girls' clothing. He looked at the hand offered, but being his stubborn self he denied the help, but he did so politely.

"Nah, I'll be fine. It's just a few infected scratches right? It'll heal on its own," complete with a denial hand wave, he smirked and acted tough. To impress himself or someone else, even he wasn't so sure, but he knew he didn't need any help.

Of course, Zarda knew better and got up, forcing him support his own weight. This caused him to have to get up, so he took the proffered hand and got her help up. He wouldn't show it, but it was a relief to get help standing up. He looked over at Zarda and she was giving him quite the motherly look. He sighed and said "fine," and then made his way toward the PokeCenter. He returned Boto and Baku, and had Zarda and Kyukon out. Zarda, seeing that he had forgotten his discarded clothing, picked them up and slung them over her arm, and then followed him out of the garden. Kyukon wasn't so sure if she should follow her trainer or Sedna, but seeing that he was damaged, it might do him well to be there for him. She cooed up at Sedna, and then left, rushing to catch up to her trainer and her draconic friend.

 

[Ninian]

It was clear the automaton was not content with his response, as her brows furrowed, "Perhaps, however you could experience complications."

Watching the Charizard carefully, she then understood that it shared her opinion. Helping the man to his feet, she'd stare at him, clenching her jaw. Looking to Sedna, and presumably the nearby Atty, she'd give them a nod before following after Pyros. She expected him to evade treatment.

 

[Captain Cardboard]

Shiori yawned and stretched. The day had been so nice out, and his Milotic's skin so soft, that he couldn't help but to have a small power nap. Sitting up, Shiori looked over to see Quagsire and Gyarados playing in the river. Braviary was nowhere in sight, probably off exploring somewhere, but Shiori wasn't concerned. For a large bird of prey, Shiori's Braviary was pretty tame. The actor looked over to see Raza also asleep, lying against the Milotic. The Zoroark looked quiet relaxed, and Shiori wondered what she was dreaming about.

Shiori stood up and looked around, trying to get his bearings. The Malie Park, right. Glancing at his Xtransciever for the time, Shiori wondered when the tournament itself would start. The actor noticed Pyros, who didn't look all that well, was standing next to a person Shiori didn't recognize, a blonde woman in a white dress. Interested, Shiori walked over to the two.

"Hey dude." Shiori said to Pyros. He looked at Seven-over-Nine, not realizing she was an android, then back at Pyros. "Who's this? Also, you're not looking so hot, man."

 

[Merciless Medic]

Pyros turned around and smirked at the man's comment. His robust self was coming back in full stride as he said "Not looking so hot? Man, I'm always hot!" With that horrible pun/joke/whatever the hell he made, he actually heartily laughed at it, but then a second later it got reduced to slight chuckling. Seemed like he just realized how bad his joke was, or realized not everybody knew him to appreciate his joke. Anyway, he answered Shiori's question. "This is Seven of Nine, a Porygon2 that can take the form of an android by..... Wait, by how?"

He looked over to Seven with a quizzical look. It seemed like he either forgot how she did it, or it wasn't explained to him. Either way, he was wanting to know the answer to that question before going to see the nurse. He did like the nurse, but he preferred not to be treated on. Nonetheless, he'll just have to ask that he gets less treatment with mechanical or man-made objects.

 

[Ninian]

One of the bystanders came up to the pair, the blonde's icy gaze scanning his form. After a few moments, she recognized him as the prolific actor, Shiori Fujimoto. Pyros' cringeworthy comment received a sharp glance and a raised brow from the humanoid. However, the man finally realized what exactly she was which cased her to clench her jaw for a moment before responding, "Porygon-class Pokémon are comprised of programming code. We are capable of moving freely in cyberspace, which allows me to control this automaton."

Given that she was already introduced, she gave a nod to the other man, "Shiori Fujimoto. It is nice to meet you."

Focusing her attention back upon Pyros, she'd give him a stern glare before speaking, "I believe you were heading to the Pokémon Center for an examination." Though her words were phrased as a statement, her tone of voice indicated that it was a command.

 

[Captain Cardboard]

Shiori stared blankly at Pyros as the joke sunk in, then laughed and shook his head.
"The pleasure is all mine, miss." Shiori said with a slight bow. The actor took a closer look at the woman. She looked very humanlike, the only differences seeming to be metal showing in a few places. A Porygon2. Shiori shook his head. Science really was crazy. But hey, she recognized him.
"Seven of Nine is a bit of a mouthful. Is it okay if I call you Seven?" Shiori asked.

 

[vaultie]

((im just gonna attempt to revive this a lil bit))

Atty had pouted at Pyros's words about her little fanatical crush, the younger trainer turning to her Pokemon and mumbling, speaking with her Roserade as if she could completely understand the situation. "It's not that easy... He's intimidating. But, like, In a hot way..."

Her attention was drawn back however, when Pyros had nearly collapsed. She watched from the sidelines, unsure if she should make an attempt to get in the way and help. Belle was feeling the same upon seeing someone in pain, the Roserade giving small worried murmurs as the scene unfolded. Thankfully, the woman that was with Colress remained, there to assist Pyros. It was conflicting for Atty. On one had, she still had a distrust for Colress, but on the other, this young lady he was with seemed much more helpful even despite her awkward nature.

Atty couldn't stop herself from trying to listen in on the conversation. So, she was really a Porygon2? The whole concept of a Pokemon controlling another "body" seemed familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Still, it now made a lot of sense as to why she acted the way she did. Atty watched as Pyros left for a visit to the nearby Center, Shiori following and the android nodding her way before they had followed him out. She was now left in the garden with her Pokemon, and began returning them one by one, save for Ruby, who clamored onto her trainer's shoulders once more.

"I'm gonna just... Head back into the city. I think the opening ceremony should be starting soon." She spoke up to anybody that might be listening, squinting as the sun hung right overhead. "I think it'll be in front of the library, in case anyone was wondering." She gave a curt nod, her Weavile's ear feathers flicking, and the two had left, walking back into the heart of the city.

 

[Merciless Medic]

Pyros sighed heavily and walked back to the Pokemon Center, Zarda and Kyukon walking beside him. As he made it, he went inside and walked up to Nurse Joy. The Nurse Joy looked up and greeted all of them, and asked what she could do to help. Pyros turned around and pointed at his back. The Nurse gasped and said "oh my... It's really infected... Sir, what kind of move was used on you?"

"Poison Jab...." Pyros murmured. "I was trying to stop my Haxorus from hurting anyone and he ended up scratching me instead. Whoops. Although, I couldn't blame the poor Pokemon. He about had a mental breakdown."

"Do you want me to take care of your Haxorus, too?"

"No, he'll be fine. We can deal with it on our own."

The nurse raised an eyebrow at that, but beckoned him to follow him to the back, where she can operate on his wounds. Zarda and Kyukon wanted to follow, but they decided it best to stay behind. Zarda sat on the bench, her tail moved on her lap so she wouldn't burn anything. Kyukon laid next to her, her head resting on Zarda's leg. Being nice, Zarda beckoned for Shiori and Seven to sit with them while they waited.

Meanwhile, Pyros was told to lay down on a bed on his stomach. He did as he was told and the nurse began to work on his back, draining out all the pus and putting a special kind of salve on his back to reduce the burning and to draw up all the poisons. She was about to give him a shot until he adamantly shook his head, his eyes dilating in slight fear as he saw it. "Please... No needles. No shots. Just use the natural stuff, I don't want any man-made anything besides vaccines."

Hearing this, the nurse put the needle down, albeit confused, and then put a healing salve on his back to heal up his wounds. Miraculously, they healed quickly, only to be raised portions of what they are known as scars. The nurse told him he could leave now and Pyros told her thank you. With that, he headed out of the nurse's office.

 

[Ninian]

Furrowing her brows, the blonde stared at Shiori for a few moments before stating bluntly, "While it is an incorrect form of address, I will allow it."

Once out of the garden one might notice Colress heading towards the Malie City Library, a black-clad teen following behind with his gaze downcast. At Atty's words, the hooded teen flashed her a quick glance, but remained silent as he continued through the city.

As Pyros made his way towards the Pokémon Center, Seven of Nine followed, whether or not the actor accompanied them. Stepping through the automatic doors, the Porygon2 watched as the man interacted with the stationed nurse. It would appear he took her advice afterall. Clenching her jaw, she simply waited.

At Zarda's gesture, the woman gave a curt nod before making her way over, however she did not take a seat. "I am surprised your Trainer did not seek help sooner."

 

[Merciless Medic]

Zarda said something to the extent of "he's extremely stubborn. Normally it takes me to drag him towards the Pokemon Center. He takes advice from complete strangers, though. How ironic." Her guttural growls had perked up Kyukon's ears, but then they settled. Zarda looked over to see Pyros just about to leave, and then rush to the men's bathroom. He really had to go. He waved to his friends before rushing into the men's bathroom.

Zarda just sighed and said "he's been holding that in for a long while now. Surprised he didn't do it while we were flying over to Alola."

 

[Ninian]

As the Charizard explained, the android listened, finally responding with a curt nod, "Indeed." The woman was preparing to greet Pyros as he left the treatment room, when he quickly ducked into the restroom. As he waved, Seven raised a brow. That was a rather odd gesture given the situation, and she was having a difficult time discerning the meaning.

Zarda 'explained' the situation, which left the automaton speechless for a brief few moments. "I was under the impression that humans did not share such information with others. Is my assumption incorrect?"

 

[vaultie]

Walking through the city streets, all the stands and tents that were set up were now complete, decorated with objects, food, and souvenirs to sell. Each stall had their own flare, and Atty was keeping an eye out for any kind of Unovan tent, even the chance of something exclusive to the Driftveil, Mistralton, or Icirrus area. Although the entire point of the festival was to branch out and experience different cultures, a slice of home wouldn't hurt. She had been in Alola for a couple months now, and she was almost beginning to miss the cool, crisp air of Northwestern Unova.

She could feel eyes on her, but decided it was best not to focus on that. Everyone was headed towards the same location, she was bound to be glanced at a couple times. Heck, she was even doing the same, trying to scan the crowds of heads for the face she kept seeing in her thoughts. Considering his height, it wouldn't be hard to pick him out in a crowd to begin with.

She huffed, still no sign of him. It left a bittersweet feeling in her stomach, but her attention was thankfully distracted when the moving crowd stopped. She was at her destination, a large stage set up near the front of the city library, decorated with beautiful flowers, tikis that resembled various native Pokemon, and unlit torches. There was one face she recognized. Professor Kukui stood on stage, talking with who Atty could only assume was the Mayor of Malie City. They were conversing, occasionally glancing out into the crowd and checking the time, getting ready to begin and kick off the festivities.

 

[Merciless Medic]

Zarda let out a strange kind of half-growl half-chuckling noise. She shook her head and responded to Seven's silly question: "It depends on the human. He was just waving at us to say hello. But normally, humans tell others if they are going to the bathroom, especially when they need a moment. Others are a little more subtle with this message. In his case, he does tell people when he is going to the bathroom, and he feels no shame in calling it the 'potty'..."

After a few moments of relief, Pyros finally got done, washed his hands and left the bathroom. He stretched as he left, his back now feeling ten times better. He then apologized to his abrupt leave. "So sorry about that. Had to use the potty."

Zarda rolled her eyes and mumbled "speak of the devil". She got a strange look from Pyros, but he actually didn't hear what she said. She was too quiet. Seeing that he was confused, Zarda gave him cute, innocent eyes and nuzzled his shoulder. Pyros broke into a smile and pet her head. He then looked at the clock posted on the wall of the Pokemon Center and smiled.

"Looks like the show is about to roll. We should head to the library."

With that, he left with Kyukon and Zarda behind him. He took a right from the Pokemon Center and headed off toward the start of the festival. He waited for Seven to follow him.

 

[Captain Cardboard]

Shiori turned back to his Pokemon upon hearing that the festival was finally starting up.
"Alright guys! Sorry, but it's time to head back in to your Pokeballs." Shiori said. His Gyarados and Milotic nodded, and Shiori returned them. At that moment, Shiori's Braviary rejoined his trainer as well.
"Have a good flight?" Shiori asked his Braviary. The large bird Pokemon nodded, and Shiori returned him to the Pokeball. However, there was one missing.
"Hey, Raza... Have you seen Quagsire?" Shiori asked, looking around. The Zoroark simply shook her head. Suddenly, there was a loud crackling sound, and Raza's leg became encased in a block of ice. The Zoroark fell over, revealing Shiori's Quagsire, staring at Raza with a gleam in it's eyes. Shiori returned the Water Fish Pokemon to it's Pokeball before the two got into a brawl.

Raza broke the ice off her leg and stood up, glaring at Quagsire's Pokeball.
"Raza! Now is not the time for such grudges!" Shiori said, his voice becoming more dramatic. "It's time to take our trip... TO THE LIBRARY!"
At this, Shiori pointed dramatically at Malie City and posed. Raza stared at the antics of her trainer, then sighed and put her head in her hand.
"BUT FIRST! A small detour to our hotel is needed." Shiori said, and ran off towards the hotel. Raza followed shortly after, recasting her illusion as a human.

 

[Ninian]

As Zarda elaborated, the automaton raised a brow, "I understand. I believe in that situation, my Master typically excuses himself, though he does not state the reason." Furrowing her brows, she'd continue, "It would seem your Master handles the situation in a unique manner compared to most."

Once Pyros returned, the Porygon2 quickly responded, "I was informed."

Glancing at the Charizard for a moment, the woman's gaze then returned to Pyros as he referenced the time. "Understood." At his suggestion, Seven followed suit, scanning the crowd for signs of her Master, but he had long since passed through the area. She decided to get into contact with him later.

Turning to look over Pyros and his pair of Pokémon, the android posed a question, "Are you participating in the tournament?"

Once outside, Seven quietly observed Shiori's antics. He was truly dramatic. Raising a brow, she'd give them a nod if eye contact was made, before continuing after Pyros.

 

[Kaiserinoo_]

Maxene stood up and went to the venue. she still bumps to people. "Whoops, sorry, oops ,i am so sorry." she got to the venue and said "Look its starting! lets go sylveon" the sylveon replied with a "syl-sylveon!" like its saying 'im really excited!'.

 

[Ninian]

The blonde-haired teen made his way through the streets, his gaze lingering upon a few of the nearby tents. Had he not eaten that morning, he likely would have stopped by one of the food vendors, but he wanted to be prepared for the opening ceremony. Hands in his pockets, Gladion continued to press through the crowds until finally he arrived at the library.

Unfortunately, he was still short, and found it difficult to see anything that would be on the stage. Wading through the crowd, he finally managed upon a relatively sparsely populated area. Finally, he could see.

Of course there was nothing to see. It was only the Masked Royal™ and someone he didn't recognize. Probably someone important. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he checked the time with a scowl. Well, he didn't have anything better to do. Glancing up, he checked the vicinity to see if perhaps he knew someone. No one looked familiar, at least from what he could see. An aggravated sigh escaped his lips.

 

[BurbleBurble]

It was convenient that two of Gerald's Pokemon never ate, which helped keep down on food bills. This wasn't because they sourced their own food or anything- it was physically impossible for them to eat. So they sort of missed out on eating. Which wasn't exactly a huge loss- his Doublade had screws loose and his Shedinja sort of just sat there and creeped people out. Shedinja didn't exactly have the best track record with the whole "stealing souls" rumor, and Empty wasn't helping.

His remaining two Pokemon were actually quite pleasant. Million, his Scolipede, was a kindly giant megapede, while Violet was a somewhat loud but friendly Noivern. Just well mannered Pokemon, really. They had finished their Malasada a while back, but Gerald elected to leave them out. More eyes to watch Puff at least.

With Violet perched on his shoulder, Million behind him, and Puff and June at his side, he made his way through the town. The festival was almost about to start, as the crowds bustled and stands were opening. Baubles and trinkets proudly displayed, ready to be bought. One of these days, Gerald had to "kit out" his Pokemon...but not this day. As the streets filled up, he kinda felt bad about leaving Million out, but the Megapede wasn't causing any issues either...Speaking of issues, Puff.

At first, Gerald thought he lost the bugger- he loved that rabbit, yes, but he was a pain. But looking up on Million, he saw the little Lopunny had hitched a ride. How cute.

Of course, Puff's intentions were anything but cute- he was trying to find that Linoone. Yes, now he had a vengeance to settle- that Linoone would feel the sting of his revenge...and know not to cross the path of Puff the Lopunny!...Man, why did Gerald name him Puff? Some intimidating name that was.

In any case, if he wasn't able to smack the smug look on the face of that Linoone sooner or later he was gonna go crazy. And by that he meant just get a bit angrier than he always was. Because that was just how Puff worked.

 

[Captain Cardboard]

Shiori walked through the crowd, now pulling behind him a rather large suitcase. The stop at the hotel had been a rather short one, but Shiori had been extremely pleased nonetheless. Also, wearing his "plain sight" disguise of sunglasses and his hair in a ponytail, nobody had recognized him. Sure, he had gotten a few stares from people, but they seemed to brush it off as a coincidence. Only one little boy had recognized Shiori, and the actor only winked and put a finger to his lips. Shiori sat down at an outdoor table and Raza, disguised as a human, sat across from him. The actor glanced through the crowd, feeling it's excitement for the upcoming events of the festival.
"This is going to be fun!" Shiori said to Raza. Raza was too busy watching a Lopunny riding a Scolipede.

 

[Merciless Medic]

Pyros looked as Seven gave him a question regarding his participation in the tournament. He was going to be sarcastic, but then he realized that the Porygon2 might not be familiar with sarcasm. Then again, he had to try, right? His loud and boisterous voice set him apart from the crowd, which gave him quite a few stares.

"Why, no, I didn't just bring out all of my battle-ready Pokemon here to battle at the tournament. How preposterous!"

His goofy grin couldn't be hidden, though, as his one little quirk to find out if he's lying or being sarcastic showed itself. Zarda just groaned in slight annoyance and shook her head. Kyukon stared up at her trainer with a look of "what the hell are you saying?" and that was when Kyukon caught sight of Shiori before he vanished through the thick crowd and was going to alert Pyros, but because he was into the conversation with Seven, it would be a little impossible at the moment. She'll just have to wait for Pyros to find his way back to Shiori.

Up ahead, Pyros could find Professor Kukui and some kind of man he had never seen before. Probably the mayor of the city. He then looked over to Seven and asked her a question. "Where is Colress? Shouldn't we find where he is, so you two can experience this together? Don't worry, my Pokemon won't erupt from their Poke Balls and attack him."

 

[Ninian]

Flatbrowing at the man's flamboyant display of sarcasm, she'd stare at him for a moment before letting out an aggravated sigh. "I understand the concept of sarcasm. It may not be apparent, but it is something I utilize when appropriate."

Averting her gaze, she'd continue onward, "So you will be participating. Perhaps we will have the chance to battle each other."

Once the approached the library, the woman's brow raised, "That will not be necessary, though your concern is noted." At his final words, Seven let out a sigh, "Though I do not understand their emotions, from what I have observed it is not an unusual reaction. Still, their volatile emotions are a danger, not only to my Master, but others. Yourself included." Pausing for a moment, she spoke once more, "Perhaps in the future they will be better able to cope with their past experiences."

 

[Merciless Medic]

Pyros just chuckled at her flatbrowing. It looked quite silly on an android. Either that, or he just missed seeing someone throw the ol' flatbrow at him. He nodded at her statement of him participating in the battle. He gave her a sweet, yet dorky smile, saying "I hope we battle each other, too. It'd be a shame of we didn't. Although, we could always battle outside of the tournament."

Pyros listened to Seven as she replied to his questions. The response about the reactions and, apparently, how frequent they were, kind of unsettled him. Yet, he didn't show it. He replied instead, keeping his voice calm. "They are just angry and upset that they had to go through that kind of trauma. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a pretty big deal. Nokus is upset that his friend didn't survive the ordeal and wasn't able to be brought back, and Chandela was mainly upset because he didn't like the feeling of being controlled and hurting people and Pokemon like the way he did. Their emotions do put everyone in danger, but usually I'm able to calm them down. Just at that moment, they were so filled with rage and anger that they couldn't stop themselves. Once I release them somewhere where they can do some damage, they'll calm down. Well, Nokus will enjoy that. Chandela would just want a hug.

"Maybe they will be able to cope with their past experiences, but it is an old scar for them. A scar they wish not to look at or remember. A scar that puts shame in their hearts. You wouldn't understand, since you are an android and mainly devoid of most emotion. My brother would put it as ghost programs in the memory of an android or a programmable Pokemon. Those shouldn't exist, but they do because of some error in the coding. These ghost programs would cause spikes that will cause these androids or programmable Pokemon to review their memories and become erratic due to the visions. Either these ghost programs trick the programmable construct that what they are seeing is real, or they start to feel unpleasant, or something in their programming starts to spike and they can't describe it, as it is new to them. I would explain it more, but my brother could probably explain it better than me. I only listened just in case I had to help a Pokemon, such as a Magnemite or a Porygon get through with what they were "feeling" at the time."

During that entire spiel, his posture was more slack and he was slouching just a tad. His eyes were slightly glazed over as he was relaying information to Seven that he had remembered from his brother, but he regained their glow after he was done. He looked back at Seven to see if she even understood all of that.

 

[Ninian]

At his suggestion, the woman considered it for a moment. "Perhaps... however my Master would only accept if it were done safely. If we locate him, I will propose your suggestion."

Quietly, the automaton listened as Pyros explained the situation. With a curt nod, she'd response, "Yes, I am familiar with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." Clenching her jaw she'd respond, "Be sure the area is vacant, if you decide to release them."

He continued this explanation, alluding to a ghost program. Shifting her weight uncomfortably, she listened before finally speaking up, "It is a common defect in the Porygon-Z line. Four of Nine experiences lapses in its ability to make sound judgments, and since the development of this body, it often calls me Concordia."

Once she finished her own explanation, her gaze began to scan the crowd before it finally settled upon a familiar face; Atty. "You were speaking with that woman before you were damaged. Did you wish to stand with her?"

 

[Captain Cardboard]

Shiori was sitting at the table outside a shop, lazily looking around the crowd when the familiar sound of feminine squealing reached his ears. The actor turned pale as he looked at Raza.
"Oh, Arceus. They've found me." Shiori whispered. He began searching the crowd for the group of paparazzi, but the paparazzi wasn't after him. At the edge of the crowd was a man Shiori recognized. People were flocking to the handsome Blondie haired stranger. Shiori recognized the man at once. He was Ben Krayton, the famous billionaire actor. He had played the role of Gold Knight Dragonite in both of the Order of the Dragon Knights movies, a main antagonist. Shiori thought the man had done the role pretty well. Krayton had also been in plenty of other movies, from spy thrillers to romantic films.

As the handsome actor smiled at the crowd and began to sign autographs, Shiori wondered what he was doing here. Ben usually stayed at a summer home in Undella Town, or at his actual home somewhere in Hoenn. Shiori hadn't pegged him for the type to go to festivals. While they were acting, Shiori got the feeling Ben was kinda... Well, snooty. After a few minutes of signing autographs and talking to fans, a woman that looked like a secretary shooed away some of the paparazzi. Unlike Shiori, Ben didn't seem to mind the paparazzi.

 

[vaultie]

A hooded figure stood a ways from the crowd, his full-moon sunglasses obscuring his face as he leaned against a building. He huffed, back pressed against the concrete wall, grazing over the crowd with cold eyes. It wasn't like he had any trouble seeing, given his height and stature, even with a slightly slouched posture. What mattered was keeping out of plain sight.

It's not like he wanted to join the tournament anyways. He had better things to do. Besides, he was fairly certain with a reputation like his, anyone native to Alola would be in an uproar about him representing one of the "beautiful and sacred" locations in Alola. Yeah, all super great, with Po Town being the one exception, right? He could count on his fingers the amount of people that would actually be okay with him participating, and of course Kukui up there, Mr. Masked Royal himself, was one of them. What was he doing here, anyways? Wasn't it the kahuna's job to do this kinda stuff and give speeches and whatever? Not like he could blame Nanu, though. This whole thing just seemed like an excuse for more tourism.

He could feel his brows furrow, repressing whatever anger that suddenly sprung up. Now was not the time. He had to stay low, see exactly what kind of trainers were around, and scout out any strong ones. He could catch up with them later, when it wasn't so crowded, and give them a good beat down. He didn't need some silly tournament to prove anything.

 

[Merciless Medic]

Seeing that her mental capacity was much larger than his, he smiled and did so even wider when she said in her own way that maybe they could. When she brought up the name "Concordia", he swore he had heard of it before. When did he hear that? When he was in the Unova region? Probably likely. Maybe it was that blonde-haired lady that always had that pink-haired lady with her... Maybe... He didn't know. All he knew was that this Porygon-Z commonly calls her Concordia and that androids can even understand slight lay man's terms.

He looked over and saw Atty searching for something, or someone. Or both. He looked over to Seven, never having been asked that question before and being conflicted with wanting Seven to stay with him, but also wanting to be with Atty, but also wanting to make sure Atty was comfortable around him without some android following him. He sighed, and looked away for a bit, trying to come up with a response. He finally made one in several seconds and nodded towards her. "Yes, I would like to, but I'd feel better if you find Colress first before I stand next to anyone and start to chat."

Zarda and Kyukon, predicting their trainer's movements, walked on over to Atty and said hello. Being as tall as she was, Zarda could see above many people's heads and was searching for some slice of home. It seemed like all the tents here were full of Alolan wares. Maybe there were tents with some slice of Kanto? Probably, they got their architectural designs from them and Johto. She finally found a little area of tents that held some Unova, Kalos, and even Kanto wares. Cool! Zarda bent her head low, so she was at least eye level with Atty. She looked toward the tents with the "everything else not Alolan" vibe from them and huffed in that direction. Kyukon nudged her legs affectionately and bounded in circles to the area Zarda was huffing towards, her bounding stopped as she was waiting for Atty to catch up.

 

[vaultie]

Atty had her eyes focused on the stage in front, occasionally standing on the tips of her toes to try and get a better look, although not much was happening. Her focus was interrupted by a sudden warmth, the brunette looking over her shoulder to see a familiar Charizard and Ninetales. They were Pyros' Pokemon, weren't they? He must be somewhere nearby.

"Well hey, you two," She cooed, affectionately stroking the scaly skin and soft fur of the fire types. "I bet this means Pyros is feeling better, huh?" The trainer watched the two of them, Ruby still situated on her shoulders. She gave a playful mewl as a means of hello, knowing that despite the type differences, they were to be trusted.

It took a moment for Atty to realize they wanted her to follow, and she couldn't help but hesitate. "Well..." She murmered, looking between them and at Kukui up on the stage, finally deciding with a shrug. "It couldn't hurt for a couple minutes, right?" She quickly followed after Kyukon, dispersing from the crowd and over to the tents that the Pokemon were fascinated by, Ruby holding on tight to her trainer.

 

[Captain Cardboard]

Ben Krayton looked around the square as his secretary dispersed the fangirls. Offering a handsome smile and wink to a last fangirl, Ben glanced over and noticed Shiori sitting at a table with another person, most likely his Zoroark in disguise. Smiling a winning smile, Ben approached Shiori.
"Why hello there, old sport! Didn't expect to see you here in Alola!" Ben said in a cheerful, slightly British accent. Shiori smiled, and Ben sat in the chair next to Shiori.
"I could say the same for you." Shiori said. "How have you been?"
"Oh, just fine, just fine! The latest movie I'm in is coming along smashingly, The Atom Protocol as you may know." Ben said.
"That's another one of your Agent Walker movies, right?" Shiori asked.
"It is indeed!" Ben said.
"What are you doing here in Alola, then? Here for the festival?" Shiori asked.
"For the tournament, old sport! It will be an easy win for me." Ben said smugly.
"I wouldn't be so sure on that..." Shiori said cautiously. "It's a worldwide tournament. Trainers from around the world are gonna be here. And, eh, so am I."
"You?!" Ben said incredulously. He eyes Shiori for a moment, then laughed loudly. "Very funny, old sport! But I've seen your team. Nearly all water types, except for that sorry excuse for a Zoroark. She could barely pass herself off as a human!"
Raza bolted up and growled angrily at Ben, her illusion shimmering for a moment before returning to human form. Shiori waved her back, and Raza sat back down, glaring at Ben.
"That was years ago. And we've gotten better since then." Shiori said. "My whole team has."
"And you think I've just been sitting on my butt? I'm sorry old sport, you haven't a chance while I'm here." Ben said. His secretary whispered something to him, and the blonde actor nodded.
"Very well then. I'll see you around, old sport." Ben said, standing up. "Farewell."
With that, he and his secretary walked back into the crowd.

Raza watched them disappear under a resentful eye, then turned to Shiori and growled some thing.
"Don't worry. We'll show him." Shiori said, although he looked a little uncertain. The actor remembered back to earlier that day, and the conversations he had heard in the Malasada shop. Those other trainers had gone up against Elite Four members and Champions! Would he even stand a chance? Another growl from Raza brought Shiori out of his thoughts.
"N-no. I'm not... I wasn't thinking about that." Shiori said. Raza rolled her eyes.

 

[Merciless Medic]

When Atty asked the question about Pyros' wellbeing, Zarda nodded, softly cooing and purring in her deep growl when she started to get some petting. Kyukon also cooed softly as she was being pet. Zarda waved her claw at the Weavile in a hand-waving gesture, while Kyukon squeaked in greeting. As the two Fire-Types dragged Atty with them to the two tents, Zarda had this wonderful idea to let her ride on her back. She seldom does this, so when Kyukon saw that Zarda was bending forward, with her claws on the ground and beckoning Atty for a ride, Kyukon stared at her in shock. She wasn't normally like this unless she saw that the person had good intentions.

Meanwhile, the crowd gave Atty a wide berth, now that she had a fire-breathing draconic lizard by her side and a playful fox up ahead. The crowd dispersed enough for her to see the tents, one of which was significantly important to her, since they had Unovan merchandise, and Castelia Cones.

 

[Ninian]

Furrowing her brows, the blonde woman seemed confused by his answer, "Is my presence troubling you?" Looking to Atty, she attempted to discern some answer from her mere presence, but did not come up with much. "I am capable of finding my Master on my own. If you wish to cease interaction, I will oblige."

It appeared the man's two Fire-types had already made the decision for him. Giving Pyros a nod, the woman made a motion to leave. However, she paused when she caught sight of the dispersing crowd. "You should make haste. Your Pokémon appear to have an ulterior motive."

Scanning her surroundings, she caught sight of a few familiar faces. The man from before, Shiori, speaking with another actor. At least for a brief few moments. However their interaction was brief.

 

[vaultie]

Atty was given enough space as the two Pokemon and her made their way over, the young woman pausing in her tracks when Zarda had stopped. She leant forward, stretching her wings and giving enough space for a certain 5'3.5" trainer. She grinned, cheeks glowing with joy and appreciation. "Really? You don't mind?" Atty had to muse over it for a bit, awkwardly getting herself comfortable on the beast's back. With Ruby completing the stack, it was a pretty neat sight. "Alright, alright-" Atty kept her balance in check, wincing a little bit when Ruby dug her claws in, holding on tight to her trainer. "Just don't suddenly take off or anything, okay? I've- ah- Never actually flown on a Charizard before, even though they offer it here in Alola. Only experience I have with that is my Altaria, and she's at home..."

However, the sight of some home food was enough to calm down the brunette and her little feathered weasel. Ruby instantly perked up at the sight of Castelia Cones, a shared favorite with her partner.

--

He watched as the crowd grew, picking up bits and pieces of conversation from the loudest speakers, everything melding together in a jumble of words.

He was about to ask himself if being out here was really worth it, if he should just go back to the trailer park with Plumes and hang out with her like he always did, when suddenly much of the garbled talk was cut off. His cool gaze followed back to the crowd, that now seemed to be dispersing for whatever reason. It only took a moment for him to see it- Some chick on top of a Charizard with a Weavile. And what also looked like a Ninetales, but not the ones around here. Probably one of those fancy, fire-type Kantonian Ninetales.

He gave a low grunt. She was a bit of a show off, huh? At least having those kind of Pokemon around meant that she was one of the stronger trainers he was looking for. Boy, he couldn't wait to see the look on her pretty little face when his Golisopod one-shots that annoying little weasel.

 

[Merciless Medic]

Pyros looked over to see Zarda lifting Atty up on her back and carrying her to the stands with Kyukon bounding around happily. Pyros saluted towards Seven and said: "I hope you find Colress. I gotta make sure my Pokemon don't pull any pranks or tricks." With that, he left, ignoring her question about whether her presence alarmed him, mainly because he was focused on the situation happening a ways away.

Pyros finally caught up and pet his Charizard on the head, to which she replied with a soft growl. "Well, looks like you found Atlas. You don't normally give people rides, girl. What's gotten into you?"

Zarda just responded by licking Pyros on the face. Pyros just chuckled, as it tickled him slightly. Kyukon, seeing her trainer was back, bounded towards him happily and pounced on his back, and Pyros helped to keep her on his back by bending forward a bit. Kyukon cooed happily and wagged her nine tails playfully. Zarda then had a mischievous look in her eyes, as she wanted to give Atty a ride of her life. Pyros, seeing this, just started laughing. "Does she know how to ride a Charizard? I'm not so sure, and you were leading her towards the Unovan tents for food and merch. Come on now. Give the girl a slice of home before you whisk her away."

Zarda just rolled her eyes at him and nudged his head with her own, nuzzling into him. Pyros returned the nuzzle with his own and walked alongside his beast with Atty on board. He looked over towards Atty and said: "Like the view? Zarda wants to have you ride her, but you'll need to hold on for that. Luckily, I stopped her from doing that, so you should be good, until you get your stuff from the Unovan tents."

For some reason, smelling the Kalosian Galettes nearby had caused Pyros' Chandela to escape from his Poke Ball. He happily twirled around, the experience in Malie Garden all but forgotten. He snuggled with Zarda and Kyukon, as well as Atty before rushing over to the Kalosian tents. Pyros just chuckled and patted Zarda on the head, to which she responded by lightly biting her trainer's hand. Her sharp teeth didn't puncture his hand, and it was only a playful bite. Pyros just laughed and allowed her to bite his hand, until she pulled away, licking his hand before leaving off towards the Unovan tent. Pyros went on ahead to the Kalosian tent to pay for a Galette for Chandela to eat. Chandela twirled around happily as Pyros got close, and Pyros ordered a Galette and gave the man the money. As the man gave the Galette to Pyros, Pyros handed it to Chandela, who then began to eat it quickly. Such a cute chandelier. Pyros looked over to see that Zarda made her way to the Unovan tent and was allowing Atty to get off, so she can easily buy her merch.

 

[Ninian]

Seeing that Pyros did plan on ceasing interaction, the blonde stood there for a moment, clenching her jaw before making her way through the crowd. Colress was nowhere in sight, however she was unfortunately rather short and found herself at a disadvantage when it came to scanning her surroundings.

Making her way out of the crowd, she came upon a building. A hooded man stood there, clearly observing the chaos. Perhaps he had seen her Master? Approaching him, she stood stiff, her blue eyes boring into his sunglasses. "Excuse me. Have you seen a blonde-haired male wearing a grey overcoat?" Of course, despite his intimidating dress and stature, the woman was wasn't phased.

 

[vaultie]

"Oh yeah, I was telling her the only real experience I have with flying is with my Altaria, who's at home. She likes to take things really slow and smooth, so I'm not sure how much of a difference a Charizard would be. But... After ice cream." Atty nodded, thankful that Pyros could easily keep Zarda under control and have her wait just a little bit longer for any excitement.

She couldn't help but adore his team, though, all of his warm fire types so welcoming and friendly with her. Even that quick snuggle with his Chandelure had reminded her of the one she owned, apart of her first ever team and also residing at her home.

She hopped off Zarda, watching Pyros make his way over to the Kalos stand while she browsed the Unovan goods. There was much merchandise she recognized, mainly of the Gym Leaders such as Elesa (a fan favorite of hers), but also many of the sports teams that played in Nimbasa. She was quick to place her order, recieving two Castelia Cones within minutes. She handed one to Ruby, dotting her lightly. "Just make sure that doesn't drip on me, okay? It's so hot out, they're already starting to melt.

Ruby let out a purr and carefully took the confection in her claws, already lapping up the melting cream. She was thankful to finally have something cool and refreshing to snack on, especially if it meant sharing the experience with her trainer.

--

And who was this guy? Looking closer, it actually looked like the fire types had belonged to him, the one with the red hair. It made sense at least, given how he looked.

But why was he being so friendly with her? Was he- No. Nah. Too old for her.

...Wait. Why was he worried about that, of all things? Whatever.

He was interrupted when another woman came up to him, asking him of all people for help finding someone. He stared for a minute, heart suddenly dropping. Was she...? No, no. Blue eyes, not green. Thank God. His attention went back to the description, and although it sounded familiar and he had quite an idea of who it could be, he had other things to do. "'Dunno who you're talkin' about." His voice was gruff and blunt, not in the mood to be talked with. "Go bother someone else about it."

He pushed off from the wall and walked away from the blonde, still hooded, sunglasses still masking his eyes. It was creepy in theory, following this chick just out of her line of sight, trying to get some more dirt on her, but what else could he do? There would definitely be onlookers if he suddenly went up to her and started his usual smack talk to challenge her to a battle. All he could really do was watch and wait, and try to find out what other kind of Pokemon she had on her team besides that Weavile.

 

[Cryronn the Mudkip]

Emerald and Jade, his Sceptile, were squatting by the library. It was the only place they had gotten to chill in days, because of the Hoenn gym challenge and the boat they took that actually required you to battle. Ninjaha, his Ninjask, fluttered around him, and Airlin squatted between Jade and Emerald. He looked out seeing all the trainers. "So many people. I just want to relax, and watch the tournament." He sighed, looking out to the sea. It reminded him of the view of the water he could get from Lilycove City back in his home region. He really hadn't truly been on Hoenn's main landmass because he had lived in the secluded Sootopolis.
Jade saw a gathering of some sort. He looked over at the Unovan stall and strayed over there. Emerald, being chill, let Jade roam most of the time, because he knew Jade'd come back. Jade saw a girl and her Pokemon. He walked over to her and smiled, not sure what else to do. He looked over at Emerald, and he raised his arms. He mouthed; 'It's all on you, bud.'

 

[vaultie]

Ruby had quickly devoured her treat, now munching away at the crunchy cone. Her ear feathers twitched when she felt someone else approach, looking up to see a Sceptile that had wandered over. She gave a wave to the grass type, tapping the shoulder of her trainer to get her attention.

Her trainer was in the middle of eating her own Casteliacone, enjoying the sweet vanilla before Ruby had caught her attention. "What is it- Oh! Well hello there!" Atty looked up to see the new Pokemon, a bit startled at his sudden appearance. She wasn't one to turn down the attention of a friendly Pokemon, however, reaching out to gently stroke the skin of the Sceptile. "Well aren't you handsome?" She grinned, giving Jade affection before turning back to the other Pokemon to introduce them. "This girl up here is Ruby, she's my partner. And the Charizard is Zarda, but she's not mine, she's just hanging around with me for a little bit."

--

The hooded man watched from the sidelines as another Pokemon came up, presumably not hers either. He was getting impatient at this point, between random people coming up to him, to this clueless girl getting distracted so easily. Jeeze, did she have a bag of Pokenip on her or something? What was with all these Pokemon flocking to her?

He frowned, his gaze on her not breaking just yet. He wanted action, he wanted a battle, he wanted someone or something to take his anger out on. But at the rate things were going, he was going to have to wait even longer.