JiMing

IC: Aria/Ryan Sanders "...Ryan Sanders. Agent of Team Liberty and the self-proclaimed leader of the search party." Aria said, closing her eyes once more while not budging an inch from her current stance. "Ryan Sanders, the surrogate elder brother to Ellen Burks, whose world feels incomplete without his younger sister. Ryan Sanders, who bore witness to the rise of the Ancients, who slew the Seventh with his own hands. Ryan Sanders, who yearned for the affections of his colleague, and looked at disgust towards his rival in love. Ryan Sanders, who allowed his resentment to reject and shatter a new friendship. Ryan Sanders, who confronted the weight of his hunger for approval, superiority, and affection, and triumphed over it. Or did he?" she continued, opening both her eyes, both glowing a pale blue. "Ryan Sanders, who never had the chance to apologize to those he distressed. Ryan Sanders, a deeply self-loathing individual who regrets his past gluttony, and yet still hungers. He hungers for penance, he craves to make his world at peace again." the Lucario muttered, the blue glow intensifying for a moment, before fading soon afterwards. "Hello. It is very nice to meet you." Halfway through the kitchen door, Ryan froze, feeling the knot in his stomach grow tighter. For several uncomfortable moments he stared at the Lucario in utter shock, unable to speak. When at last he found his voice, he could only stammer, "I... wha... h-how did you do that...?" "Hmmph. And now you underestimate my abilities? It was merely the range of my aura tracking powers that I said were limited. When you are but half a foot in proximity, your thoughts, your experiences, your emotions, all are an open book for me to analyze." Aria replied, her green-grey eyes boring into his own. "You say you do not let anything else hinder the search for Ellen? Utter nonsense. Everyone here is dragging the weight of whatever baggage they may have, and it holds them back. And that means you, you who have broken your relations with two females thus far. One you are eager to encounter and earn her approval. The other you wish to encounter at the same time with Ellen, and have her wipe away your sins." the Lucario said, shaking her head. "Living beings can never truly be free of bias from their past experiences. We are all far more limited than we seem." "If everyone carries this baggage as you say," Ryan said through gritted teeth, "then why should my making peace with Colette be more important than everyone else's needs? Why is my problem so drastic that you feel the need to ensure we make it to Four Island?" "Honestly, it isn't. It just lines up very nicely with my current goal of bolstering the 'signal' we have to work with when searching for Ellen. You get to make peace and clear a part of your conscience, and I get a booster. Two Spearow with one stone, as they way." Aria said, shrugging. "Though, as a warning, you may not get what you were looking for when searching for Ellen. She joined with Ford willingly... And the last time I was in her presence, I found a large capacity for darkness in her aura. She is far more open than others, and under the right circumstances... That sweet, loving girl could turn into our worst nightmare." the Lucario warned, crossing her arms again. Ryan stared at the Lucario in surprise and shook his head in defiance. "You clearly don't know her as well as I do. Ellen, having a capacity for darkness? That girl is anything but." "Do you truly think that you can fully understand a fellow human being simply based on a few interactions here and there? No, you merely see a snapshot of who they are at that moment." she countered, holding her head down with her eyes closed. "I looked into her heart. Ellen is malleable, moreso than any other human being I've met thus far. She carries the potential to become anything, both good and evil, or something beyond such labels. That could be the simple, kind girl who hails from Village Bridge you remember her as, a paragon of virtue and an inspiration for all, or the representation of humanity's most sinister vices and sins." Aria muttered, shaking her head. "With the right experiences and influences, anything could happen. And given the current circumstances... I have reason to suspect your precious little sister is slipping ever closer to the third option." "No..." Ryan clenched a fist. "You're wrong! I lived with her for six months, and she wouldn't hurt a Kricketot... how dare you call her a representation of sins!" "You're projecting." was all Aria said in response, as she looked up at Ryan. "I did not ever state outright I saw Ellen as 'a representation of sins'. I merely stated I saw the capacity for her to head down such a road, and fear that may be what is happening right now. Your slip reveals a lot about yourself, it shows how low your self-image has fallen in recent times." the Lucario said, shaking her head. "Is it Sonja? Is it how your hunger for her affection has broken your relationship with her and Ray? I suspect it to be a major factor, at least. Or maybe you feel you've failed Ellen; that you abandoned her, led a pure, innocent child astray. Well? Which is it, Ryan Sanders?" The Liberty agent flushed angrily. "Get out of my head, Aria!" he said in a low voice. Her words stung as sharp as if she had raked her claws across his face, and their implications seeped into his mind like a poison. "Ford manipulated Ellen, he's the one to blame!" But even as he spoke, he knew that it was he who had left her all on her own. He might not have led her down the path she took, but it was his negligence that had allowed her to wander so close to the darkness. The thought that Aria might be right sickened him. The Lucario was quiet for several tense seconds, before shaking her head. "I didn't have to read your mind for that one. I could feel your sorrow; I could feel your regret. Your doubts, your fears, your aura paints a picture of hardship." Aria muttered. The Lucario pushed herself off the wall, and turned her gaze to the Liberty agent afterwards. "It gets repetitive making logical conclusions, deducing the reasons behind one's emotional states and their unconscious motivations. But it never gets easier when you're the one experiencing the emotions of everyone around you at the same time, so much sadness and anger is out there, even within the person who has the biggest smile. It's just as visceral the hundred thousandth time as the first." she continued, shaking her head. "My condolences. Hopefully you're one of the individuals that bounces back quickly." Ryan flushed again, this time from embarrassment and shame for his rashness. "I... I'm sorry. I had no idea... You're right, though. That's the worst of it. Everything you've said about me, as much as I hate to admit it, you've hit the nail on the head. Which makes me fear you could be right about Ellen, too..." The Lucario nodded some more and closed her eyes yet again. "I'm well aware the implications my prediction may have. I know the devastation it would bring to those who care about Ellen. The possibility of my deduction being correct is painful, painful on such a level it would shatter your spirits." Aria said. "It's not rewarding to be the one who brings up such disturbing possibilities. I merely hope that it can lessen the pain should the prediction become reality." Ryan sighed and looked down in defeat. "Suddenly, I'm not hungry anymore." "You should eat regardless. Skipping out on nutrition isn't something you should do if you can help it." Aria responded flatly, turning around. "Well, I hope that was an enlightening discussion. I'll see you at dinner, Sanders." the Lucario said, walking down the hall, leaving Ryan to his own devices.

IC: Aspen Seaton Aria nodded, turning her green-grey eyes towards Paul and Ryan. "Two, actually. Frankly, you both massively overestimate my aura abilities. Do you truly believe I could track Ellen's location anywhere on the planet that easily?" she asked, shaking her head. "No. My aura tracking abilities are highly limited. Whatever trail I could dig up as a high probability of turning up cold, like it or not. What I need is a booster, such as the ones you humans use for wireless signals. If Colette's aura truly surpasses that of even a Pokemon such as myself, that greatly expands the range in which I have to search for your daughter, Mr. Burks." The Lucario then turned her head to Ryan, raising an eyebrow. "And you... Convincing her to help find Ellen is not your only motive to meet with this Colette. You two have sour interactions in recent times, no? That is why you purchased the Squirtle doll in Lilycove." Aria pointed out, closing her eyes. "Currently you are a guilt-ridden and unstable individual due to the weight of your past actions. Quite frankly, I would bar you from the search in your state if there were more stable individuals available. There are not however, so what you need is closure." she said, opening her eyes as they glowed a soft blue. "I know you wish you could apologize to one individual in particular, but your love isn't here I'm afraid. But you still wish to make up for recent events with Colette. Upon doing so, a weight would be lifted from your shoulders. That is not to say you will have no burdens to concern yourself with, far from it. It will however, put you in a more productive state of mind, thereby aiding in the search more effectively." Aria explained, cocking her head to the side sloghtly. "So then. Was that a satisfactory explanation?" Aspen blinked, not having expected Aria to bring up the points she had. Ryan had trouble with this Colette? And another girl...? the youngest Seaton thought curiously, anticipatig a quick reaction from his fellow Liberty agent.

IC: Aspen Seaton "Your guess is as good as mine. I've only had Aria for the last while or so." Aspen mumbled, putting his hand in his pockets. "And it's not like we chat a lot or anything... Aria just does her own things sometimes. I can't ever get a read on her either, she seems to be a lot more intelligent than me." he said, looking to the side distractedly. "Maybe that's why Alistair rolled her Pokeball to me. So she could knock some brains into my moronic head." A nearby trainer tapped the youngest Seaton on the shoulder and let him know the nurse had his Pokeball ready. He quickly turned around and retrieved the Pokeball, releasing the Lucario inside the Pokemon Center. "Alright. These two want to ask you a few questions, Aria. You know what to-" "Yes yes, I'll handle it from here." she muttered. Aria turned to Ryan and Paul, raising an eyebrow. "You wish for me to explain my reasoning for not communicating earlier, is that so?"

#YouCan'tTellMeWhatToDo #AlsoMeatIsMehAlrightDependingOnStuff

IC: Dahlia/Aspen Seaton Dahlia continued hugging her brother for a while until she heard more discussion occurring, resulting in her letting go of her brother and walking closer to Evan and Jamie. "Oh, I didn't realize you were here... Are you another Hero of Legend?" she asked curiously, her mouth quickly curving into a friendly smile. "I'm Dahlia Seaton! Mr. Giratina made he his chosen champion of Reverse! What's your name?" the gardener asked. Aspen quickly gasped for breath after Dahlia released him from her iron grip. He looked and saw people were reacting to a newcomer in the group, who had at some point arrived while the battle with Xander was going on, and he had been so invested in the fight he legitimately didn't perceive her until now. The young boy went to call out to her, but saw Paul interacting with Aria and walked over. "What's up?" "Paul took notice of my aura capabilities and wishes to have me search for Ellen." Aria explained flatly. "I would respond to that right now, but I would like a trip to the Pokemon Center if that is alright..." she said, breathing heavily from her injuries and exhaustion. "O-oh, right, right. I'll get on that." Aspen replied, hastily grabbing Aria's Pokeball and recalling her. "So, I'll see you all at the Pokemon Center then?" the youngest Seaton asked, looking around. He then turned in the direction away from the field, and in the same direction Xander and Sylph were heading towards, with the former somehow seeming as winded and injured as the latter...

IC: Aspen/Dahlia Seaton As the others around him began to applause and praise the battle, Aspen couldn't help but break out in a wide grin. "Thanks! Honestly, it doesn't even really feel like I lost just then!" he exclaimed in response to Ryan. The youngest Seaton began giggling uncontrollably, cutting it off with a sigh. "Oh man, oh man, that's one of the most intense battles I've ever had. It was so cool, too! Thanks for agreeing to it, Xander!" Dahlia stopped taking footage shortly after Ryan officially declared the match to be over and looked over at the sheer enthusiasm of her brother. The gardener hadn't seen him this giddy in a very long time, especially after the incident with Pride... "Congrats, Aspen, you were great out there!" she said, rushing over to her brother and hugging him tight. "You did so well!" Aspen yelped a bit at the choking grip his sister placed on him, but smiled anyways. "Thanks, Dahlia..." he managed to croak, chuckling somewhat even as he was finding it difficult to breathe from the hug. The trainer blinked as he saw someone else interacting with Evan, but he couldn't say much in that situation due to his position. Aria looked over at Paul, and at the scrap of cloth in his hand. "Hmm? Oh yes, the search. I had been trying to keep quiet about that." the Lucario said. "It would be in your best interest to still head to Four Island for a few reasons... Which I shall explain once my injuries are healed." she muttered, wincing at bit as blood dripped past the fingers of the hand she kept over her shoulder.

yeaaaah, i'm not. Youuuuuuuuuu got me.

You are very welcome, my friend. Eester thanks you for your kindness as well.

(i'm sorry.)

Quick question, what are the odds of viewer battles occurring? I have some strange compulsion to seek out new opponents in games like Smash even though I know I'll get destroyed, *flashbacks to matches with Alku on Sm4sh 3DS with faint screaming in the background* But hey, if it's not an option, that's perfectly fine, means no evidence will exist of how bad I am, haha. Honestly I just want to find new people to play with! Randoms get boring in games like Smash after a while.

OOC: These fools have no idea I wish to take over the world by flooding it with jam... Ehehehe. Ehahahahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-wait am I saying this all out loud. IC: Mercury/Lachina/Payton Silver eyes opened, and Mercury stretched as he straightened. He had fallen asleep in the hospital's waiting room, it seemed. Anubis was resting on floor near him, and opened one eye as he awoke. The pair stood, and Mercury looked around, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he tried to find Lachina and . . . the woman? Things had progressed too quickly for him to reliably remember names. "Nice time to take a nap, sparky." Payton said, as she looked over at him. "Ready to move?" Lachina looked over at Payton with a raised eyebrow. "He was shot, you know. Non-lethally of course but a gunshot wound is something that at least takes some sleeping off." she said in Mercury's defense before turning her attention to the trainer in question. "Speaking of gunshot wounds, are you feeling better after that rest? Better hope that doesn't happen again anytime soon." Mercury smiled a bit. "I'm fine, yeah. The bullet only grazed me, she had terrible aim." He brought his other hand up to touch the place the bullet had hit. It would probably leave a scar, but that was nothing new. "I . . . needed to think some things over, and I fell asleep, I guess. Sorry for holding us up." He locked eyes with Payton. "Before we continue, I think you need to explain a few things. Your sister shot me? How'd that come to pass?" Payton frowned grimly at that. "That's something I want to know too. I don't know what this stuff's about, but, apparently, my sister's gotten wrapped up in all this." She glanced over at Lachina for a moment. "Now, then, if your boyfriend's ready, we found some information about that group. Well. Key word being 'some'. We know where they're hiding. That's about it, considering the tablet Matt was using got a virus that... well, let's just say we won't be using that tablet for anything but a paperweight any time soon. And even that's sketchy." Lachina blinked quickly and looked at Payton strange, turned to Mercury, and then went back to the woman. "Oh, no, we aren't like that, bit hard to explain what exactly it is but it's not that." the Ranger replied, taking a quick breath to maintain her composure, even as a subtle red lingered on her cheeks. "Well if they know we're after them, then that's no good. Still, getting the location is already pretty darn good. We should come up with some sort of plan to make sure no one gets shot at this time." she muttered. "Payton, where is this base your colleague found?" "It's near the outskirts of town. Apparently, there was a mansion there about forty years ago, but over time it was torn down and rebuilt." She explained, as she thought for a moment. "Not quite sure on that plan... But I have a feeling I might be useful there." Mercury nodded. "We'll need all the help we can get, I think." He paused. "Lachina, do you remember that thing we discussed earlier?" Was that only today? It seemed so long ago, after all that had happened. "I may have to use that, if things get bad." "Thing?" Payton cut in with a slight frown. "You mean there's something you still haven't used, even after everything today?" "It's a dangerous pokémon," he replied. "If I send it into battle, it won't stop until I've returned it, even after it's killed its enemies." "That does sound dangerous." Payton agreed with a frown. "Definitely sounds like a last resort to me... But why would it do that?" She frowned more, as she tried to puzzle it out on her own. Lachina frowned as Mercury began to explain things more. "The corrupted Absol, right? The one whose aura is all... Wrong?" she questioned, frowning. "You did talk about how dangerous it would be to release... But is there anything anyone can do about it? From what you told of me it's not that way by choice..." Mercury chewed his lip. "I can attempt to control it with my own aura, but there's not a guarantee, and it will require a lot of my concentration." He glanced to Payton. "If I slip, it could be bad for anyone nearby, but it will be an extra body on our side." Payton frowned. "A corrupted... Absol?" She frowned more, but nodded. "That makes sense, though. But if there's no guarantee, it might be more dangerous to us, than to them." Anubis nodded, speaking up. It could be, but I have fought and beaten it before, when it had the advantage of surprise. I believe we may use it as an effective weapon. Just point it towards the enemy and let it go. Mercury nodded grimly. "If it looks like I'm losing control, I'll return it." "Just be careful and don't let the Absol out at the wrong time, then." Lachina said, rubbing the back of her head. "If it's really that risky we can only really use it when there are no other options left... I get what you mean about how effective it can be, but would you really be able to return it when it's gone into a complete frenzy?" He hesitated, then nodded. "If it comes to it, I can. We need all the help we can get, even if it is a lunatic Absol." He looked to Payton. "Don't suppose your friend got a layout of the place?" "And I suppose you wouldn't happen to have any other spare computers to get around that fact... Well. Going in blind is probably not to our advantage." Lachina said, sighing. "Already fighting a losing battle, hmm... Well, how do we plan on even getting inside? There must be some sort of security to get past, right?" "Probably. Not the toughest thing. Derek can likely distract-" "Derek?" Matt repeated with a sigh. "We're all doomed." Mercury scowled. "I don't really know him, but I think I have to agree. He didn't really impress at the gym." "... He wasn't that bad..." Payton mumbled, and sighed. "Besides, at the least, he acted as a pretty good distraction. If he can pull that off again without getting shot, then we probably can sneak in. Or maybe not sneak, but we don't really need to care about that one much." "Better for him to distract than me. I'm not very good at acting like a scared child." Lachina pointed out. "We have to work with what we've got, and cross our fingers that things still turn out alright. Which they should, I hope." Mercury sighed, nodding. "Alright then. Five of us, plus pokémon against . . . Do we even know how many people we're dealing with aside from the w- Your sister, and the other two we saw?" Payton bit her lip. "That's an unknown as well. But, I have hope still... plus, it's six; Nadia probably will join us if we mention it." She explained, and sighed. "I know it seems like the odds are against us, but... we have to do something. At least find out what they're planning. Eliminating anyone who investigates? That's dangerous, and if they're left alone, your friend could be in danger too." "How I'm going to explain this to the Ranger higher-ups, I don't even know where to begin." Lachina muttered, shaking her head. "Well I suppose that's that. If there's anything we've overlooked we should probably go take care of that now, if not, well I suppose we have to head out, don't we?" Payton nodded in response, as she stood up. "Yeah... the more time we waste, the closer they become to fulfilling whatever plan they're hatching." Mercury nodded softly. "Alright then, it's settled. Let's get... Nadia? And go to this mansion."

Well, the way Pokken Tournament handles things could potentially provide some interesting options. In that game, each trainer has a Synergy Stone that allows for some sort of connection between each trainer and Pokemon. Once enough power is built up during the match, they can activate something called a Synergy Burst. For Pokemon who have one, they Mega Evolve, but without the requisite stone from the home series. However, other Pokemon get some sort of powered up form that doesn't drastically change their appearance, such as Machamp's body turning red-hot or Weavile who looks like its body is covered in some sort of powdered snow. NFE Pokemon like Pikachu and Braixen also get access to this power up. Perhaps if no one can figure out good original Mega Evolutions, other Pokemon can get access to a more general powered up state that doesn't affect appearance very heavily or so? It would at least level the playing field a bit between each Pokemon to some degree.

was the "accursed" part really necessary?I mean, have you read Dawkins's essay on memes? Total snooze fest.Where may I find this essay easily? I love getting myself bored and then complaining about it.

OOC: Dramatic Battle! Excited Title! Part 2: Electric Boogaloo IC: Aspen Seaton/Aria vs. Xander Cruize/Sylph. Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNwOC9cMO4Y/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H40VmHwc5Y0 Aria grit her teeth in response to the panic Psychic, raising her arms to briefly hold her ground and leaped backwards and to the side in order to escape the attack. She hadn't been too badly damaged yet, but Sylph likely was only marginally more injured in the worst case scenario. The battle was still in no one's favor, and the teleportation would cause problems if the Lucario didn't figure out a counter to it... "Alright, keep up the offensive. Extreme Speed and Aura Sphere as needed and try to get closer!" Aspen called out. He narrowed his eyes at Xander and figured it would be more difficult to get in on his Gardevoir. But he and Aria had to try nontheless if they were to take this fight. The Lucario nodded and shot forward once more, continuing to run after the initial burst of speed. She swerved to the left suddenly in order to have a larger window to dodge ranged attacks. Aria quickly charged yet another Aura Sphere and shot it at the Gardevoir without breaking her run. She ran around and towards the Gardevoir in order to see where her blindspots were to come up with a plan of attack. Sylph launched another Psychic in an attempt to disrupt the Lucario's Extreme Speed, and growled as her opponent swerved left and dodged. She lashed out with a burst of psychic energy to block the Aura Sphere. Aria was trying to move around her. Sylph turned to keep her in front, not wanting to get hit from behind or from her left side. She launched another blast of purple energy, leading Aria's movements just slightly to try and hit where she would be, not where she was. Xander nodded. "Keep it up, Sylph! She's tiring herself out running around! Once she's worn down, we'll employ the Teleport plan!" Aria scowled as she saw the attacks leading her movements. She attempted to halt her run then and there but only ended up skidding right into the side of the blast, grunting as she was sent flying back. The Lucario quickly regained composure and dug a paw into the soil to halt her slide backwards. She stood up afterwards with a deep breath, eyeing her opponent warily. "New plan, hold your ground too!" Aspen cried, growling. If Xander and Sylph kept forcing Aria to approach, they would surely dictate the pace of the match. And once they did, it seemed the pair had the perfect strategy to take the win... He had to take back the flow of the match, especially against a teleporting opponent... "I'm not so sure you understand what it takes to leave me exhausted. Nevertheless, a change of pace might just be what is needed for our audience." the Lucario said. Aria then held her arms back against her side with blue energy charging between them. "Let's give them the spectacle they came for. I propose that on your count of three, we fire at one another. Not a bad idea, no?" she asked, the ball of energy between her hands becoming more condensed. "Give it all you've got." The Kalos duo grinned as Aria stopped moving, knowing that they had the upper hand now. "Wanting to make it more dramatic, huh? Sounds like you just wanna give us an easy target!" He grinned. Sylph nodded. If that is how you wish this to go, she replied as another Moonblast came to life in her hands, then I will gladly accept! Just remember that this was your idea! "Ref, wanna count us down?!" Xander addressed Ryan. "Only to keep it fair so neither of us can jump the gun!"

What compels the blogosphere to create these fads one after another? It's pointless fluff to be honest, I really can't see why- ... Wait... Aw crud.

Name: Jalicax Gender: Eh, I would say male but if you need another female character go for it. Element: Fire/Plasma Mask: Hau (Metru red if Fire, Silver if Plasma) Weapon: Double-edged spear/staff. Personality: Dry sense of humor, but ultimately good-hearted and caring.

I swear the timing on getting some of these moves are surprisingly strict, though that's mostly the Burst Mode combos that end in Burst Attacks, which aren't worth it anyways due to very heavy damage scaling. It's not too big a problem though, given that even shorter combos do pretty good amounts of damage. You're playing Chandelure, huh? It looks like a difficult character to play, really. I suppose I got lucky with Lucario being my favorite Pokemon in the roster, feels like the Ryu of the game and while not easy to pick up, makes a lot of sense to me while playing. I feel so bad for you right now. ;-; Honestly, the Green League CPU players are so incompetent it's mindboggling. I mean, I guess they ease in newcomers in a way, but they also make you develop really bad habits. Like, the stuff that works on them is already less successful on the Blue League CPU from what I can tell, and playing online with your only other experience being the Green League is just painful. Though, I surprisingly didn't get totally destroyed by Shadow Mewto, I got it down to like 400 HP before I was finished off, because trust me I'm as much of a fighting game noob as you are. For your own good, if you haven't done it already, go over the tutorials, they teach you a lot of mechanics and interactions in the game and it's a whole lot more understandable after that. It teaches you the attack triangle and how to dash cancel counterattacks, so it's definitely worth it. If you have gone over it and it hasn't done much, apologies for this paragraph! I only got this game last night and it's very fun. Maybe we should play online sometime after adding each other as friends! I've yet to fight a Chandelure and I think it'll be a tricky matchup for a while, so I'd love to see how the fight goes!

IC: Dahlia/Aspen Seaton "Huh? Oh! That's not a problem at all, Xander, I can handle filming duties." Dahlia said, taking the Holocaster and stepping back to get a better view of the field. When Paul and Evan arrived behind her, she smiled and nodded at the both of them. "The battle looks like it's just about to start, once everyone gets into position and Ryan calls the start of the match, that should be go time!" she explained with a wide smile. "You need not worry about me. I will demonstrate the full extent of what I am capable of." Aria replied to Sylph. "Prepare yourself for a difficult battle, Sylph, I'll be doing the same." Aspen cracked a grin at the arrival of Evan and Paul, not noticing that Ray had snuck onto the premises as well. "Don't worry Evan, I plan on going all-out. I'm going to prove what I'm capable of, and take the win!" he declared in a confident tone. He and Aria then moved further away from the Kalos Duo to put some space between them. "This should be a decent amount of space to start with. Aria?" "I've no objections, though a more precise measurement would possibly lead to better performance on both ends. But I believe all parties involved are just eager to get started." the Lucario said, turning to Ryan. "If there is nothing more that needs to be modified, then the battle shall begin on your signal."

IC: Aspen Seaton Aspen blinked, and rubbed the back of his head. "Well... Alright. I'll take whatever audience I get, any stragglers could see the recorded footage a later time maybe." he decided, and shrugged. "I guess what I should really be focusing on is the battle, and how to beat Sylph however I can. You're probably doing the same for Aria anyways." the youngest Seaton noted, gripping Aria's Pokeball and taking it off his belt. Dahlia walked alongside her brother on the way to the field, looking over at Aspen. "Besides, didn't you challenge Hugh that one time? He's Opelucid's Gym Leader. Doesn't that count?" she asked. "So you did fight a Gym Leader once..." "Well, that was more of a sparring match than an official league challenge... Not to mention I lost." he said, adjusting his glasses awkwardly. "Maybe I really should have taken him up on his tutoring offer... Maybe after Ellen's found I can think about that." the trainer muttered, shaking his head. Right now he had to focus on the battleground provided by Ryan, and sent out Aria to also look around. "I believe my presence has been requested in a fight with a certain Gardevoir." Aria said flatly, turning her head to the field. "Hmm... Yes. I can make this work to my benefit. Not bad, Liberty boy." the Lucario replied to Ryan, even as she still scanned the environment. Soon after she turned to Sylph and held a paw up to her chin. "This should be spacious enough for you to use the full extent of your abilities, yes? I myself think this would make a decent stage for our match, you?" OOC: Too much jam, toast is now soaked, sadface. IC: Olivia Seaton/Chloe Hikari A few days later, Chloe was in a similar state, as her and Olivia were walking on their way to the clinic. She tugged nervously on the pink shirt she had chosen for the day, trying to make sure everything was all in order, despite having done that about ten times prior. Olivia rolled her eyes while grinning, and kissed Chloe gently in an attempt to calm her nerves. "I've been hugging and kissing you ever since we got out of the house today, and I wont stop if that'll calm your nerves." Olivia informed her, gently hugging her arm to drive the point in. "Cheer up, these last few days have gone excellent. There's no way any of this could be different, right?" Chloe giggled, and nodded. She still fidgeted nervously, but seemed to giggle more. "I know... I'm jst so excited I'm nervous, to be honest... I mean, you're right... things have gone perfectly. This isn't a dream, right? I am awake?" She giggled more, teasing her friend a bit, as she smiled more, as the building came into sight. "Well if this is a dream, I must be connected to your mind again." Olivia pointed out with a giggle, going so far as to pinch herself. "Nope, feels like reality. This really is happening..." Chloe smiled more, as she giggled. "That's good enough for me...~" She continued to walk, not realizing that her pace was beginning to be a little faster than before. Olivia kept up with Chloe's increased pace without saying a word. Eventually the two of them reached the front door of the clinic, which Olivia pulled open. "After you, dork." she said with a grin while squeezing Chloe's hand again. Chloe nodded, and quickly walked up to the receptionist, and quickly rhymed off the necessary information she had memorized over the past few days. "I was told the results might be ready by now...?" She seemed hopeful, and her smile just brightened as the receptionist looked through and nodded. "The doctor should be ready in just a little while, if you could have a seat, that would be great." The receptionist kindly said, watching the happy girl go off to sit down. Olivia turned to the receptionist with a grateful expression and thanked her, going to sit down besides Chloe afterwards. "This day only gets better, doesn't if?" she asked happily. Chloe nodded. She wasn't able to keep still, but giggled like a schoolgirl, the nervousness seeming to be replaced by sheer excitement. "You silly dummy. The doctor's not even here yet and you act like you've eaten a hundred candies." Olivia teased Chloe, hugging her tight afterwards. "I don't say it enough, but I love you. I'm proud of how far you've come..." she said honestly, smiling contentedly as she wrapped her arms around her best friend in the entire world. Chloe smiled more, and hugged her back. Her attention was drawn away a little while after, however, as she heard the door to the inner office open, and looked over to see a woman in a white coat, holding a clipboard. "Chloe?" The woman asked, as the girl in question stood up with a smile. "Right this way, please." The doctor smiled, and began to lead the way to the office, after the two caught up. Olivia nodded, and stood close by to Chloe, smiling widely at the possibilities that were opening to her. The eldest Seaton was grateful moreso than ever to be at her side. An hour after, the two girls walked out of the clinic. Chloe was beaming even more, as she held a prescription bag in her hand. She had no real words to say anything at that moment, but was just plain happy. Everything about Unova and her father, at least for the moment, had been forgotten. "Well then, it's official." Olivia said, smiling proudly at Chloe. "It's your new start, after every thing that's happened. How's it feel?" the red-haired trainer asked as they walked down the street once more. "I'm excited..." Chloe giggled, as she looked up at the sky. "The pace's admittedly a bit startling, but... it's nice. I like that everything's finally going well..." She breathed in the air, and giggled. "Yeah, though for a second you looked like you were gonna faint." Olivia pointed out with a grin. "Before the doctor gave you the injection, you had an expression of just pure fear and horror. Funny how you made it through this last week and the thing that still horrifies you the most is a needle." she teased with a giggle. Chloe giggled awkwardly with an awkward smile. "I wanted to go that route, though; just to show I could even get through that, if it mean things would work." "Someone's brave... Though, you now kinda have to conquer your phobia of needles every week from now on." the red-haired trainer pointed out, shrugging. "So uh, good luck with that. Maybe it'll be not so bad after all?" Chloe nodded, but giggled. "I hope so. Besides, I can do it!" She paused, however, as she looked around. "... I think I left my bag at the office." She said with a sheepish smile. Olivia blinked, and shook her head. "Some things just never change..." she said with an amused grin. The couple proceeded to turn around and walk back to the clinic, with Olivia hugging Chloe's arm tight. Chloe smiled, as they walked back to the clinic. Before she could open the door, however, her Pokegear started to beep. "Oh, it's Ryan; maybe he's calling to say how Shannon is, or something." The girl giggled. "Knowing my brother, he'll take like half an hour to talk my ear off, you go ahead." Olivia rolled her eyes at that, chuckling. "Yeah, of course Ryan would call in to let you know how his girlfriend's doing... I'll go get your bag for you then." she said, opening the door to the clinic. Fortunately, Chloe's bag was right where she had last seen it, and so the red-haired trainer lifted it up over her shoulder, heading back to the front to meet up with Chloe again.

Galactic Admin Pahrak, Cyrus made me shiver as a seven year old with how unnerving and emotionless he was.

QUICKLY, WHILE NO ONE IS ON THE LAWN STORM THE YARD AND THROW THE BIGGEST PARTY IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE ACT FAST, BEFORE TEKULO REANIMATES AS A WALKING CORPSE

Chandelure is probably one of the wonkiest roster choices they could have made, but from what footage I've seen, it's incredibly fun and full of personality just like the other fighters. I'll probably not succeed with it thanks to the gameplan being more about walling out opponents with projectiles and stuff, but I can see it being a formidable opponent! Pokken Tournament seems like a pretty simple game to get into, but the subtle interactions between each mechanic seem to be where it's depth comes from. I mean, the attacks never get more complicated than a directional input plus an attack button like Smash, or just tapping both shoulder buttons together for a Burst Attack. I've never been a great fighting game afficianado either, but I hear the game eases you in, so that's promising! (And yes, Diamond is forever the greatest, even though it's not)

iirc, there's a Xenoblade Chronicles mod where you get to play as Shulk, maybe that would help your frustrations a bit? Probably not but thought I'd throw that out there anyways. =P

I saw on Amazon that preordering the game would discount the price from 60 dollars to 48, so I took it! I know this game's not perfect by any means, but it's the Pokemon game I've wanted for a long time, you know? I'm honestly not the hugest fan of turn-based role-playing games, even though I can enjoy a good one and highly respect the genre. But like, I never really got into competitive Pokemon battling against my friends, due to the setup needed to make viable teams. The breeding, the EVs, the movesets, all takes a huge timesink and one I don't feel is super worth it, no matter how much I love the Pokemon themselves. I like games that are easier to jump into and just bash out a few matches, like Smash Bros. over the 3DS, now that's great. I also like games that are more moment-to-moment play, cause I'm not really enough a tactical genius with team composition and the I-know-you-know trickery that goes on in Pokemon matches. Pokken really scratches that itch of a game that's easy to setup, features characters I adore, and has dynamic and fluid gameplay that's a blast to watch. That alone had me super excited for the game, but a preorder discount finally convinced me to pick it up. So... Which Pokemon will I use? Honestly, going by what my 7-year old self would want, it's in all honesty probably going to be Lucario. Yeah I know, it's probably the easiest and simplest character to go pick up what with having the most balanced stats and all, probably making it the Ryu of Pokken Tournament. I started out with Pokemon Diamond however, and Lucario was just my favorite Pokemon and the one I look back on the fondest, I've forgotten exactly why, but still, Lucario has been my favorite Pokemon for a long time, and my inner child tells me to main the heck outta the Aura Pokemon. But hmm, if I had to choose alternate ones... Blaziken is the Ken of the game from the looks of it, and it's one of my favorite starters as well. I also like the Bruce Lee noises during some attacks cause it's just sorta funny. xP Pikachu surprisingly enough looks very fun to play, and Mewtwo is pretty much superior to its Smash incarnation in every way... Oooh, and Weavile too. I should probably stop now, before I get to the point I sit in front of the TV screen on launch day for an hour, just deciding who to play. xP So... Thoughts on the game itself? Any ideas of who you'd like to main? I wanna hear what you guys have to say, cause me personally, I am super pumped for this game and can't wait 'till the 18th! =D