Parugi

Because I don't want this to become too complex, I think there just needs to be some sort of a positive relationship between the trainer and the Pokémon for it to Mega Evolve. So no, the 25 EXP don't all have to come from battles involving the same trainer--it just needs the required EXP and a positive connection with whoever is trying to Mega Evolve it.

IC - S.S. Coral: A large shadow passed underneath the boat.

I concur.

IC - S.S. Coral: A bird flew over the boat.

IC - Ethan Worth (Baya)/Gavin Braner (Vel) - Chapel, Arena Dedicated and adorable, Ethan thought, shaking his head to hide his smile. He raised a hand. "Baya, dodge it!" "Vel, help her out with Tailwind!" Gavin added. Although put off by Teddy's expression, Vel managed to pull her attention away from the much-smaller bear for the time being and instead focus on flapping her powerful wings. The ensuing wind current allowed Baya to dart out of the way of Anzu's Confuse Ray, sparing her from the debilitating disorientation that the attack would have inflicted. As good as it would be for Vel to take out Teddy, I don't think she's going to get much in the way of experience from him, Gavin thought. He set his sights on Anzu. Her, on the other hand . . . "Vel, get in close and hit Anzu with Foul Play! From her position on the field, Vel took off, darting forward and taking to the sky. She flew above Anzu before falling into a diving attack, talons raised and engulfed with a dark energy. "Switching things up already, huh, Gavin?" Ethan called. "Fine by me! Baya, use String Shot on Teddy!" Seeing that her initial opponent was occupied, Baya turned to face Teddy. With a huff of air, she began to spit thick strands of sticky strings at the Teddiursa. IC - Kyle Eston/Esen Windred/Cero - Keturi City Airport, Four Island: The plane ride back to Four Island was nothing to speak of. Victoire had accompanied them to the airport, only to take a different plane to another destination--Kyle hadn't caught that information and wasn't sure whether she had even mentioned where she was going. Seated in a row with Cero and Esen, he had tried his best to simply sleep through the trip, but found the venture quite difficult given both the continuous murmurs of his fellow passengers (of which there were surprisingly few, he noticed), the rumbling of the engines, and the constant barrage of Shift-filled memories from his brain. Try as he might to put those events behind him, he found that he couldn't do it--not yet. And with each resurgence, his injuries ached more and more, as tender as if they had just been inflicted. Thus it was with tired eyes and stiff movements that he led the others through the airport. Outside, at least, he figured he could get some fresh air and take a few moments to stretch--anything to help feel better. He paused at the door. If it weren't for the fact that there were so few vehicles and people around, he might not have seen her at all. If he had, he felt he would have had a fairly easy time of simply sneaking by. At this very moment, however, the thin crowds were working against him: Silvermind leaned against a car in the pick-up lane, clearly waiting for them--obvious from her instantly-straightened posture upon seeing him through the window. Kyle wouldn't have been nearly as disconcerted if they hadn't had to change their original flight plan. The wells of knowledge must run very, very deeply with this one, he mused. Granted, I guess she was the head of security for a while . . . He jumped, and then relaxed as Esen put her hand on his shoulder--a reassuring gesture, even as she began to push him forward. Kyle glanced at her face. Esen's expression was surprisingly--chillingly--calm, considering how much rage he could sense behind it. If it weren't for the tightness in her jaw, and the livid flames dancing in her eye sockets, he might have written the sensation off as a trick of the mind. For his part, Cero seemed extra quiet, evidently as aware of the tension around him as Kyle was. They came to a stop in front of Silvermind, the two parties separated by little more than five feet of sidewalk. Team Liberty's Leader took a few moments to survey the trio, barely managing to conceal her surprise at Cero's presence and the injuries that Kyle and Esen still bore. She seemed to write them off after a moment, however, as she merely nodded and straightened up. "Welcome back." Kyle was taken aback by her greeting. He raised an unsteady hand to his head to salute her. "T-Thanks, ma'am." Silvermind gave him an odd look. "You seem very on edge, Eston," she said. "What happened? You were supposed to get back three days ago." "Uh . . . We had . . . issues." Kyle glanced at Esen, and then back at Silvermind. "The first day was fine, but after that . . ." "We had a rather severe run-in with a criminal group called the Signs--mainly Quentin Dallas, one of their leaders," Esen took over. "They kidnapped and drugged Kyle, we rescued him, and they got away. All in all, it was a bit of a distraction from everything else we were there for." She crossed her arms and raised a knowing eyebrow at Silvermind. The Liberty Leader appeared to catch on to Esen's implications. She matched Esen's cold stare. "Yet still you came back." "Not for Team Liberty. And certainly not for you." This prompted Silvermind to fall silent for a few moments. Seeing an opportunity to defuse the situation, Kyle cut in, stepping between the two women. "Esen can still help us out, even if she isn't committing to Team Liberty," he said, looking at her. "She's already done that for me. We don't have to worry about her." Although she made no explicit indication that she agreed, her jaw did seem to relax somewhat. Kyle turned back to Silvermind. "Regardless, I saw one of the Signs' log books. They've been poaching Pokémon for a client here in Keturi--mainly Fairy-Types, although we botched a Dragon-Type shipment for the same person." This seemed to catch Silvermind's attention. "Did you file a report yet?" "No," Kyle said. "Not an official report, at least." He felt as if his appearance alone would indicate why. "Alright . . ." Silvermind closed her eyes, thinking. After a moment, she nodded to the car. "Come on--I'll give you all a lift back to the Alamo. Get some rest, and put together a report as soon as you're feeling up to it. I'll get someone on it as soon as I can." Kyle nodded. "Understood, ma'am." Esen helped Kyle into the back seat of the car before taking a spot herself. As she closed the door, Cero moved toward the passenger door, though Silvermind held up a hand to stop him. "Really quick question," she said, pausing for a moment. A flicker of recognition sparked in her eye, though disappeared a moment later. "Who are you?" "Cero," the bandaged trainer answered. "From Team Magma." Silvermind stared at him for a long time. "You and I are going to need to talk, then," she said at last, though did not elaborate any further. Cero watched as she moved around to the other side of the car and climbed in, before following suit and taking a seat himself. As soon as he was buckled in, the engine rumbled to life and they were off, headed toward the Alamo . . .

Battle more. :] But actually, there's going to be a looooooot of experience to be gained in the future, particularly after Megas officially come in. So I wouldn't worry about it. : p I don't see why not. Although I also don't know what practical use Mega Evolution would have outside of battle, all things considered. One thing that I have been toying around with is that Mega Evolution might largely be triggered/sustained by extreme mental stress, so that's something to keep in mind. Although I wouldn't say that that's an entirely necessary component. I'd say so, but given that time measurement in RPGs is always wonky, I don't have any sort of arbitrary number in mind. It's more along the lines of whatever feels natural--within reason. If it seems like someone is maintaining Mega too long, then I might say something, but by and large I don't anticipate it being a problem. Another thing is that the time limit isn't really anything of concern until it starts to be, like, three or four Pokémon Mega Evolved by the same person. One or two I can see being fairly indefinite, but beyond that, there's a lot of strain being put on the trainer. They would also revert back in that case, yes. I'd say so. Yes, but that's not always the case. Some people will have that experience, others won't. Mental and physical injuries can also play a part in this. Two answers that you can debate with one another and decide which one you prefer: No, they would have to recall all but one of the Megas in that case. Yes, but it would likely cause the de-Mega'd Pokémon to faint. So, here's where the word "synergy" has its shortcomings, and why I had such trouble figuring out whether to use that word or not: Synchronization and synergization are two different things as far as we're concerned. Synchronization is more in line with what the adaptation of the AR system is going to be (which y'all will see later) and with what psychics are capable of with their Pokémon--where trainer and Pokémon are effectively combining their minds and acting in tandem, which does make them feel each others' pain and emotions while increasing strength, etc. Mega Evolution isn't like that. In this case, it's more that there's a one-way channel through which the trainer is feeding the Pokémon energy, which is why it's such a burden on the trainer. For a trainer to Mega Evolve multiple Pokémon at once, they're effectively opening up multiple channels. So if anything, one Mega fainting while another is around would actually allow the trainer to send more of whatever energy they have left toward the remaining Mega, since they wouldn't be splitting or draining their reserves nearly as much. So, in other words, no. =)

I actually have some plans specifically for how Ferrum's synchronization battles work, but overall I think I'd prefer to keep the two separate. That's not to say that the way that Mega Evolutions and Synchronization/AR works are totally unrelated, but I'd say that they're more convergent than anything--similar, but unrelated. As it stands, I've actually been working on writing the Mega Evolution guide today, and while I wasn't going to share it for a while, I think I might as well at this point--so here it is! Do note: Mega Evolutions are still not present as of this post. At the moment, this information is more meant as a side-activity and for planning than anything else. So! If anyone has any questions or concerns, please feel free to let me know--preferably here, but any avenue will do. I'm also going to start allowing proposals to be made starting now, although I'd prefer it if y'all didn't go crazy with this right off the bat. =)

Name: Decaia Gender: Male Element: Water Mask: Kanohi Kamahi, Mask of Sloth (Great Version: Instills slowness and/or apathy in a target.) Weapon: Tomahawk Personality: Very melancholic; clearly an unrepentant pessimist, though he can smile when the situation calls for it.

Hey, y'all. Thought-provoking question: When the time finally comes for Mega Evolution to appear, how purist are you all wanting/expecting it to be, specifically in regards to which Pokémon are capable of Mega Evolving? To be more specific--stick to canon Mega Evolutions, or introduce RotR-exclusive ones on top of those?

IC - Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner - Chapel, Arena: Certainly a dedicated little fellow, Ethan mused, smiling at the spectacle that Teddy was offering. "That's fine by me," he said, unclipping a Poké Ball from his belt. "As it happens, I've got someone on my team who could use some training, too." Ethan held the ball up, releasing the Combee within. Baya materialized on the field, her three faces all smiling as broadly as her trainer. She fluttered in front of Anzu and emitted a deep, rhythmic buzzing that could be interpreted as some sort of greeting. Gavin showed less outward enthusiasm. Instead, much like Dack, he was busy carefully considering his options. With Ethan taking advantage of Teddy's involvement to train his Combee, Gavin figured that he would have to pick up the slack in order to give them a real chance in the fight. Given that Froslass possessed a Type advantage over both Ithes and Evris, that meant he would have to choose between Vel and Irest. Decisions, decisions . . . He picked Vel's Poké Ball from his belt. Might as well make things even . . . With a skyward toss, Gavin released Vel. The Mandibuzz emerged from her container and into the air, suspending herself above the field with careful flaps of her wings. She spent a few moments there before descending and landing in front of Gavin. Gavin replaced Vel's Poké Ball. "Ready when you all are." OOC: Baya and Vel's profiles, for ease of reference: Species: Combee. Nickname: Baya. Trainer: Ethan Worth. Appearance: A typical female Combee. Personality: Baya is a an extremely cheerful and jolly Pokémon--she is always seen buzzing around happily, indoors or out, no matter how serious the situation around her may be. She enjoys the company of those around her, whoever they may be, and appears even more delighted than usual at the prospect of traveling with a human. Ability: Hustle. Specialty: Baya does not have a specialty to speak of, really. Her abilities are all fairly equal to one another. Known Moves: Sweet Scent, Gust, Bug Bite, Swift (MT,) String Shot. Species: Mandibuzz. Nickname: Vel. Trainer: Gavin Braner. Appearance: Standard Mandibuzz. Personality: Vel is, for the most part, a calm Pokémon--unless she is injured or otherwise severely stressed, she is capable of maintaining an impressive cool about herself in the face of troubling circumstances. Noticeably patient and clever, her general personality is one of technician versus performance--she prefers to wait out problems and use situations to her advantage, as opposed to getting directly involved and attempting to speed up the process of whatever is occurring. Perhaps because of the circumstances of her evolution, Vel has become noticeably darker and more willing to utilize force, particularly to protect her teammates. Ability: Overcoat. Specialty: Vel's specialties lie in her defensive abilities. Those, coupled with her support capabilities and fairly impressive speed, generally allow her to outlast her opponents, causing them to wear themselves down with minimal effort on Vel's part. When she gets angry, she is also fully capable of putting all of her power behind an attack, to devastating effect. Known Moves: Flatter, Defog, Tailwind, Foul Play (EM), Air Slash, Mirror Move. IC: ". . ." ". . . um . . ." "Sorry. It's just, I wasn't expecting to see anyone my age here." ". . . I-I'm sorry I surprised you . . ." "N-no, it's alright . . ." ". . . Aren't you scared . . .?" ". . . Yes. But we'll succeed. W-we have to. Otherwise . . ." ". . ." ". . . Um, best not to think about it." ". . . I didn't mean that . . ." ". . . Oh. Scared about what, then?" ". . . McKinley." ". . . Why would I be scared of Tyler?" "He . . . He d-doesn't care . . ." "But . . . if he doesn't care, why would he go to such lengths to recruit us . . .?" ". . . H-He has a mask . . . He s-said so . . ." "A . . . mask? I don't understand . . ." "No one does . . ." ". . . Is it like that mask you're holding? Does everyone here get one?" "D . . . Do you want one . . .?" "N-not really . . . Not if I don't need it. What's it for, anyway . . .?" ". . . He gave it to me so I'd stay . . ." ". . ." "I . . . I'm sorry . . . I-I'm upsetting you, a-aren't I . . .?" "N-no . . . I'm just wondering . . . He gave me this Pokéblock case once . . . Was it so I'd stay as well . . .?" ". . ." ". . . Do you have family waiting for you back home?" "My mom . . ." "Same here. My daddy even came looking for me. My one regret about being here is that I had to leave him behind . . ." ". . . Are you close . . .?" "Y- . . . I . . . I don't know anymore . . ." ". . . You should sleep. That's how I feel better . . ." "Y-yeah . . . That'd probably help . . ." ". . ." ". . . What's wrong . . .?" ". . . I'm tired . . ." "Maybe you should sleep, too. Definitely don't want to be tired when the big day comes . . ." "Yeah . . . I'll try, Miss . . . Um . . ." "Oh, I'm sorry . . . I should have introduced myself. I'm Ellen. Ellen Burks." "I-it's okay. Um . . . I-I'm Levi Alaric . . ." "Well, nice to meet you, Levi. Hopefully your mommy isn't too worried about you being gone . . . But you'll be able to tell her all about it when this is over." "Y-Yeah . . . Y-You, too, Miss Ellen . . ." "You don't have to call me 'Miss' . . . We're pretty much the same age . . ." "Oh . . . S-Sorry . . ." "Don't worry about it . . ."

This is nothing I would fret over, but unless there's a possibility of Matoran turning into Toa or gaining access to their mask's power some other way, I would simply merge the Kanohi section into the Equipment one. Honestly, I might even do that regardless of the possibility of using those masks in the future, but in the end, that's up to you. =) Wasteland approved x2.

IC: "Hey, you." "Hm?" "Yeah, I'm talking to you. I know you from somewhere?" "I don't know... do you? I don't recognize you." "Nah, you wouldn't. I know you, though." "Hm. What do you want?" "A favor." "What kind of favor?" "Oh, you know . . . the kind only someone of your moral . . . 'ambiguity' would be comfortable with." "Hmm... name the favor, then, and we'll see." "Your little paddleboat's carrying something of high value to me and my buddies. I want you to ensure it stays exactly where it is. Or, alternatively, deliver it to some pals of mine--you might be familiar with them . . ." "Some pals? Do you mean...?" "Déoza hasn't forgotten about you, bud." "I see." "Come on--don't be so frosty. At least I found you before they did, right?" "That's true. . . Favors work both ways, right?" "In this case . . . I'd say no. Unless I like what you're asking for." "Hm. . . fine. I accept. . . . I will also make the delivery trip. I trust they know what they want." "Fabulous! Just keep this trip going a little bit longer--hang out around your next couple of destinations or something, it doesn't matter to us. We'll be in contact soon. And don't worry--I'll make sure they go easy on you for leaving." "Alright. What if there are... issues?" "Oh, don't worry about that. It'll all work out." "Alright. Is that everything?" "I believe so." "Alright then. I'll make sure things work out, then, as best as I can." "Good; I expected nothing less from someone of your reputation. Ciao, for now."

Wem.

Good thing he's only appeared once or twice, then. : p Although, I figure any character is fine for public use after a few years of inactivity. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ As for Reyna, she hasn't appeared at all since you were last here. =)

IC - Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner - Chapel, Arenas: "Whatever works for you two," Ethan said. "Granted, I think I speak for both Gavin and myself when I say that we might need to see your Pokémon before deciding on our own." He nodded at Madison. "Not to stereotype or anything, but if you've only got one, then it seems like a safe thing to assume that our teams may be more experienced--and I don't want to send out my strongest, if that's the case." "Unless you'd prefer that," Gavin added. "It's up to you." IC - Kyle Eston/Esen Windred/Victoire Coleman/Cero - Anistar City, Preparing to Leave: "Don't worry--she's friendly." To demonstrate the point, Esen stepped forward, gently resting a hand against the Noivern's snout while she ran the other through its mane. If the Sound Wave Pokémon could purr, she likely would've, although she nevertheless contented herself by tilting her head, eyes half-closed. As if jealous of the attention that his mother was receiving, the Noibat on her back climbed up to Esen, chirping at her until she relented and picked him up. Kyle held back, gripping the strap of his bag tightly against his chest. Four days ago, he had been unconscious in a hospital bed, stuck in his head as he recovered from his encounter with the Signs. Three days ago, he had finally woken up. Two days ago, he had remained bedridden, until finally--just yesterday--he had been discharged from Morningside Hospital. Over the course of that time, Esen, Cero, and Victoire had made a point of filling him in on the finer details of what all had happened, including those involving Noivern. Esen, in particular, was excited for him to meet the pair of Pokémon. He had been dreading it. It wasn't that he couldn't appreciate them--their sheer majesty and the impressive power evident in their builds, nor the role that they had played in helping rescue him. Far from it. He owed them--at least Noivern--his life, and he wouldn't soon forget that. But he also couldn't forget the circumstances under which he had been captured. He didn't like it, but a natural association had been born. And because of that, Kyle wasn't sure when--or if--he would be able to go near a Noivern or Noibat again without remembering, with too much clarity, the pain and terror that Shift had wrought upon him. To his relief, Esen appeared to sense his discomfort. To his surprise, she rectified the situation by pulling out a pair of Poké Balls, which she used to recall the two Sound Wave Pokémon, after giving each of them a loving pat on their muzzles. "You got a Noivern after all, huh?" Kyle asked. Esen nodded. "I would've preferred to leave them to help protect the others from Shift," she said. "But they wanted to come with me. I'm guessing it has to do with the increased police activity in the area, now that they know what's going on there." She shrugged. "Too many people and loud noises for their comfort." Kyle managed only a weak smile in response. "I doubt they'll be any more free of that with us." "Maybe with you," Esen corrected. "But I'm generally pretty good at avoiding big conflicts--at least, when I'm not being dragged into them." She playfully nudged his arm. "That does remind me, though . . ." She opened her backpack, producing a black egg tipped with orange, and bearing four white marks around its mid-body. Esen held it out to Kyle. He stared at it, and then looked at her. "Where did this come from?" "It was my prize for winning in the Battle Expo," Esen said. "I don't want to sound callous, but . . . it's not the type of Pokémon that I'm comfortably with, so I was wondering if you would want to take it." Kyle considered the offer for several moments. Finally, he reached forward, resting his hands on the egg's surface. He had a fairly solid idea of what it would eventually hatch into--particularly since the egg was much, much warmer than Suicune's, suggesting it was, in fact, a Fire-Type Pokémon. Gently, he lifted it from Esen's hands, before carefully placing it in his own bag. He and Esen watched each other for a moment in silence, before Kyle moved forward to give her a hug--much to her surprise. Before long, he pulled back, smiling. "Thanks for everything, Esen." Esen fell silent, watching him. She placed her hands on his shoulders, offering her own, smaller smile. "Hey." Cero's voice caught both by surprise, causing them to jump. He didn't appear to react to their response, instead only nodding his head in the direction of the road. "Time to go." OOC: Kyle: Species: Spritzee. Nickname: Taia. Trainer: Kyle Eston. Appearance: Taia looks like a fairly standard Spritzee. Personality: As befitting her role as a healer, Taia is a very gentle soul. While still young, she is nonetheless a motherly figure to both her new trainer and to her fellow teammates, and acts in whatever ways she can to keep them well--sometimes to stifling levels. Ability: Healer. Specialty: Taia specializes in support moves, with a slight emphasis on defense over offense. Known Moves: Aromatherapy, Misty Terrain, Sweet Scent, Sweet Kiss. +Unknown Egg Esen:-Noivern--(Telepathy): Boomburst, Roost, Dragon Pulse, Hurricane, Agility. -Noibat--(Infiltrator): Gust, Agility, Supersonic, Roost. IC: Smile. Smile. That word--smile. Amazing how a word can look the way it sounds! How it can sound just the way the action looks! Ehe he he heee heee hee . . . Frown. Frown. That word--frown. What a sad word, that frown. If it didn't look just like it sounds and sound just like it looks, I'd just have to chop it up and gobble it down. Ehe he he heee heee hee . . . Frown. Down. Crown. Clown. Gown. Drown. How can things so bad rhyme with things so good? So bright and positive? So sunny? Ehe he he heee heee hee . . . Clown. Clown. Ehe he he heee heee hee . . . What makes a clown so scary, huh? Gives us a chance, won't ya? I promise it's just our make-up. I promise it's just our masks. We're just people like you, after all. Gimme a hug. Ehe he he heee heee hee . . . chomp. Ehe he he heee heee hee . . .

So, I'm a bit busy at the moment (and I have a headache), so I can't cover everything that has happened, but as far as the biggest, main plot points go--as well as what's been going on with your characters--here's what's up: As you know, the Ancient Darkrai were a thing, and they managed to cover Hoenn and Sinnoh in darknessSoil Colossus, Inc. was completely destroyed by Team Rocket during the Ancients' takeover, along with Team Aqua (by Feral Tierra, Evan Tierra's Dark Side), and then after the Ancients' defeat, Team Galactic (by Envy), Team Energon (by Ford), and Team Magma (by Ford).A large group of trainers who had gone to Unova for various reasons ended up inadvertently damaging a large section of Unova (specifically Evan Tierra and Zach (now Chloe) Hikari).Said group of trainers nonetheless managed to (somewhat) thwart two bigger schemes that were occurring in Unova, one by Ford/Madison Hayes and one by Chloe's father and brother.Said group later assisted the Creation Heroes in defeating the Ancients, alongside the combined forces of Teams Liberty and Rocket.Six-month timeskip during which a ceasefire--although essentially a cessation of war at this point--is established between TL and TR, and relations with Unova are somewhat improvedSoon after, selected trainers are targeted by shadow-powered entities based around the Seven Deadly Sins. Six have been defeated and died after their losses; one has yet to appear.Wrath - Ryan HikariEnvy - Mars, then Van HarrisonLust - Meghan VertGreed - James ArthurGluttony - Ryan SandersPride - Hannah Wright/Dack Majors/Aspen SeatonSloth - TBDFord has been on the move and recruiting followers faster than ever. Out of the 9 "Children" that he needs, he has collected 8, with the remaining 1 already in on the fold but not yet taken back to base, for unknown reasons. James Pierce, Madison Hayes, Quincy Adams, and Tyler McKinley are the first four Children, as well as Ford's main operatives. On Scott: Largely inactive on-screen since you leftFollowing the timeskip, his cousin, Kai Stone, was murdered (to the point of his body being nigh-unrecognizable) by an assassin named Alma Mason. Scott knows about this, but not about the culprit. However, Drake Masters--Alma's most recent victim--did manage to record part of a conversation between himself and Alma before his death, and his Pokétch was found by Scott and two others. On Silvermind: I've taken over for her since you left. Since you've been gone for so long, unfortunately I'm keeping her. =)She's back in Team Liberty's hands after the entire incident with Soil Colossus and Team Magma.She was involved in planning the retaliation against the Ancients.She assisted, with help from Cyan Vero, in containing the rampant Surge, Koga, and Sabrina after they started attacking people in Cianwood--a result of their brainwashing by Team Rocket. During this, she came into contact with Esen Windred, Ace's daughter, who she has been attempting to recruit to Team Liberty.She's currently assisting in planning a political movement/judicial case of sorts against President James Pierce, who TL now knows is definitively one of Ford's operatives. On Carl Sandrock/Soil Colossus While the Darkrai were taking over, Soil Colossus was taking calculated strikes against TR.Sleight, fed up with this, led an assault against them, which resulted in Soil Colossus's destruction and, essentially, the deaths of all involved with SCI, including Sandrock.The Alpha Manaphy was returned to Unova after the incident.

OOC: Wow. This is Ney-unbelievable. : o Welp, welcome back! : p You're asking for quite a recap, but I think by and large we can fill you in. Until we can compile more recent story info, I'd suggest looking through the Discussion Topic for any information that might be there. =)

IC - Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner - Chapel, Arenas: "I wanna say we met on a train," Ethan said. "But, if I'm being completely honest, it's all a bit of a blur to me, so . . ." He shrugged, smiling. "All I can say for certain is that we've been working together consistently for a year now. And it has been one crazy year."

IC - Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner - Chapel, Walking: Gavin held a more cynical view of the situation, which he offered after several moments of silence: "Unfortunately, as long as people exist in positions of power, we're going to have to continue doing our job. If not us, then Team Rocket as a whole, even after we're all dead." "Or retired," Ethan said. "I think I'd like to settle down at some point in the future. Set up a farm or a big garden or something." He smiled at the thought. "Who knows? Maybe in ten years or so, I'll be in charge of the Celadon Gym." He rustled Gavin's hair. "What about you, Mr. Braner? Let's just assume we're not all going to die horribly painful deaths in the near future. What would you like to do with your life?" As much as he tried to fight Ethan's infectious enthusiasm, Gavin couldn't help but crack a small smile. "Dunno," he said. "Never really thought about it. I've always assumed I would just end up being dragged along everywhere you go." Ethan smirked. "You're not wrong."

IC: . . . You're the new girl, huh? . . . Not much of a talker, are you? . . . Not really . . . Join the club . . . . . . What are you looking at? Sorry . . . It's just . . . . . .? . . . We've met before . . . . . . Right. Havoc. Yeah . . . Not a good first impression, was it? No . . . You're . . . What? A monster? . . . . . . You aren't wrong . . . . . . You think of yourself that way . . .? Doesn't everybody? About you, or about themselves . . .? . . . I'm sorry . . . What do you have to be sorry for? All you did was ask a question . . . I know, but . . . I didn't mean to make you sad . . . . . . You didn't . . . . . . Okay . . . . . . . . . What am I doing here . . .? . . . I've been asking myself that question for years, kid . . . I'm . . . sorry to hear that. You have nothing to be sorry for . . . It's just . . . so confusing . . . You think so? I do . . . It shouldn't be . . . . . . Why not? It should be black and white . . . What's coming . . . What we need to do . . . I guess . . . . . . . . . By the way . . . . . .? I was going to say . . . different . . . . . . . . .? Not that you're a monster. You're just . . . different from what I expected . . . . . . Okay . . .? . . . It's Quincy, right? Yeah . . . Is that your real name? . . . No. Do you mind me asking . . .? . . . . . . I'm sorry . . . . . . It was Tiana . . . . . . That's a beautiful name . . . . . . . . . I'm Skye, by the way . . . . . . Thanks, Skye. . . . This may not mean much from me, but . . . you don't need to wear a mask to earn respect . . . . . . I thought that once, too . . . . . .? Take care, Skye. IC - Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner - Chapel, Walking: "I'm sure they'd stay about as faithful to the actual story in Celadon as they did with Ash Ketchum's exploits," Gavin said. "Which is to say, not at all." "Gavin, are you implying that you don't believe that Ash Ketchum flew across the sea's surface all anime-like at the behest of an ocean crown?" Ethan asked. "The nerve." "I think a healthy amount of skepticism is very justified," Gavin replied with a smirk. He looked at Dack. "But no, we weren't fighting for Hannah--very much the opposite, although we only ended up actually battling one small group from her army. As it happens, we were more concerned with finding out what was going on in Central Park." He turned back around, hiding his troubled expression from the others. "Not that that happened . . ." Though concerned about this sudden, dour shift, Ethan maintained a smile on his face. "In any case, it's all good," he said. "We're all here, Hannah's taken care of, and pretty soon, we're gonna get a chance to finally put everything to rest--Ford, these Sins, the conflicts between Team Liberty, Team Rocket, and the Hojohsin League . . ." He cracked his knuckles, grinning. "Oh, yeah. There's a finale coming--I can feel it." He glanced over his shoulder at the other three. "And in the meantime, we have this fight to look forward to."

IC - Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner - Chapel, Lounge Area: "You know, I was going to say that this might be a good opportunity to actually get to know each other . . ." Gavin muttered. After a moment, he shook his head and stood up. "I'm game if you are, Ethan." "I'm always game," Ethan replied. "Follow me--training arenas are that way." He turned and pointed toward a door to the left, leading them through it. He grinned at Madison and Dack over his shoulder. "Just so you're aware, Gavin and I have seen a lot of action at this point--more than most other Rocket field agents can claim to their names--so don't expect us to go easy on you." "Don't underestimate them, Ethan," Gavin said. "You don't want a repeat of Windy." Ethan looked at Gavin. "Just playing around, buddy." He turned on his heel so that he was facing Luke, Madison, and Dack, all the while continuing to walk backwards. "In all seriousness, you said you were in Celadon during the big attack that was going on there?" He gestured to himself and Gavin. "I don't think we've mentioned it, but we were there, too. Can you believe that kind of coincidence?"

Sorry for the delay in responding to this. My main concern is an offshoot of the point that Adders is making: Reading through the submission, I don't see any sort of real starting point for the players coming into this game. Unless I'm missing something, it seems as if they're simply being dumped into this constructed settlement and... left to their own devices. I don't doubt that the Game Masters have ideas for things to keep the story running once it gets off of the ground, but there is the matter of getting it up and running to begin with, and I worry that starting the game without a real, driving goal of any kind--even a temporary one that can be dropped later on to make room for the sandbox-style play--will result in the game dying before it can get to a place where the GM's can do anything with it. That being said, I also recognize that that sort of free-flow interaction is what ultimately makes up the foundation of a sandbox RPG, so it's not a very sound reason for rejecting this particular idea. I would, however, caution Grav and Silvan: Be very careful about how you go about running this. Too loosely-plotted and it's going to fall apart at the seams; too tightly-plotted and its sandbox foundations aren't going to be able to support what you're trying to do with it. Flawed Approved x3

IC: . . . You're still here. I told you I wouldn't leave. I know you did, but . . . . . . Did you want me to leave? I think . . . I just didn't believe you . . . You didn't want to believe me. No. I really didn't. That makes two of us. Is this what you wanted, then? It's . . . not what I expected . . . It never is. I can believe it . . . . . . Is something bothering you? That's a silly question . . . It's a valid one. I know . . . . . . It's a lot to take in . . . I know . . . . . . Do you understand now? Truth be told . . . no. Not as I would like to . . . I'd be surprised if you did. What I've learned . . . It puts a lot into perspective . . . . . . It's just . . . Is it really that close . . .? I'm afraid so . . . . . . . . .? . . . Sophia? Sonja . . .? . . . I'm scared . . . . . . I am, too . . . IC - Scott Stone/Jordan Robins/Robert Hill - Lavender Town, House of Memories: "This is . . . really gnarly." "Understatement of the century, pal." An understatement, it was. Neither Liberty Agent Jordan Robins nor Robert Hill had seen anything quite as gruesome as what currently lay before them. Nor had Executive Scott Stone, although he at least had had the benefit of hearing about a similar scene not terribly long ago. Given that the last incident had involved his cousin, however . . . "I might throw up," Jordan said, clutching his mouth with his hand. "Keep it together, guys," Scott said, barely suppressing a shudder himself as he took a step across the bloody, water-damaged floor. The remains of Drake Masters rested before them. An especially generous individual would call it a body, but none of the three Liberty Agents could quite conjure up the word. Whoever--or whatever--had killed Drake had done so with a monstrous ferocity, tearing muscle and bone from one another until the only reliably recognizable piece left of him was his face. Face. Not head. Needless to say, it was only because of his ties to Team Liberty that the Lavender Town police had called in for a group to help them identify the corpse, which they quickly accomplished. At their confirmation, the accompanying officer nodded, filling out a note on his clipboard before departing to his compatriots outside. There was not much else to be done aside from clean-up duties; Scott pitied the individuals who would end up responsible for that particular task. "What're we going to do with him?" Robert asked. "Can we do anything with him . . .?" Jordan said. "Just . . . geez, look at him. We can't bring him back to Four Island like this." For several moments, Scott didn't answer. His gaze fell upon a tombstone across from Drake's body, upon which the name "Ema Black" had been inscribed. "Drake's partner is buried here," he said. "I didn't know either of them that well, to be honest . . . but I get the feeling they would want to be together. We can at least give them that . . ." The group fell silent. "Alright. If we're done here, then let's get going," Jordan said at last. "I feel more and more like I'm going to get mauled by a Mightyena or something the longer I stay here." "Really?" Robert asked, though only shook his head as he began to follow Jordan out of the House of Memories. Scott, too, began to follow them, though could not help but bring his eyes back to the grisly sight one last time. A moment later, he was thankful that he did. "Hold up." He ignored the groans of protest from Jordan and Robert as he moved again towards the corpse, though this time stepped past it in order to approach the decorative indent that lined the bottom of the wall. Stooping down as low as he dared--and doing what he could to avoid touching the dried blood on the floor--the Liberty Executive reached down into the dark. When he retracted his arm a moment later, Jordan and Robert saw what Scott's changed vantage point had allowed him to see. "A . . . Poké Gear?" Robert said. Scott nodded, flipping it over in his hand. Engraved on the back was their fallen ally's name. "Geez . . . You think the police would've found that . . ." "Not if they assumed this was done by an animal," Scott pointed out. "Which, if this wasn't the second Liberty member in the past week to have died like this, I might've thought the same." The Executive stepped away, turning the device on. Its battery was low, and its casing bore clear signs of damage--as if it had been caught in a powerful electrical attack. It was a miracle that it was still working. Scott hooked it up to his own Pokétch. "Right . . ." Robert averted his gaze. He had heard rumors about the last time this had happened--inklings of Scott Stone's ties to that particular incident. Uncomfortable with the ensuing silence, he cleared his throat. "So . . . Assuming this wasn't just some--" Scott held up a hand, eyes widening as he listened to the playback of the Poké Gear's last recording. It was garbled, which appeared to confirm his suspicions about the damage. Even so, there was no mistaking what he was hearing from it. "What is it?" Jordan asked. Scott moved back to them, increasing the volume. All three fell dead silent as they heard first murmurs, electrical scratches--and then bits of a conversation. The recording ended with screaming. Screaming, and the sound of childish laughter. IC - Fallon Coleman/Adam Miller/Sabrina/Lt. Surge/Koga - Johto, Abyss: Abyss's medical wings were not typically subject to very heavy security protocols. Unless the base came under attack, standard defenses defaulted to those meant to protect the facility as a whole. There were guards posted nearby in any event, certainly, but usually no more than five, patrolling the general hospital district and on on call to respond to situations in nearby areas. For all intents and purposes, specifically protecting those who were already injured in Abyss was considered a secondary objective to ensuring that the base itself was protected. Typically. This was not a typical situation. Dr. Fallon Coleman had to remind herself of this fact every time she looked at the doors to the room, where three additional guards had been stationed--each. The reason was simple: The three patients in this room had all recently come under the effects of some sort of aggression-enhancing mental virus. Reports accompanying them indicated that it had taken three Team Liberty Agents--including one of their leaders--and another trainer to stop their rampage in Cianwood City, and transferring them from the Alamo to Abyss had required just as many guards in order to keep them under control. These patients also just so happened to be Gym Leaders and Elite Four members, on top of being Agents for Team Rocket. The only reason they had not completely destroyed the medical wing yet (although they had certainly tried) was a combination of very efficient guards, a strong sedative, and systematic nullification of her telepathic abilities, in Sabrina's case. All of this was well and good, and certainly had helped the situation, but it had not fixed it. And that was what Fallon intended to do in the end--regardless of whether her expertise was not in the field of medicine, as most tended to assume upon hearing the title of 'Doctor,' but rather in the field of technological development as it pertained to the war front, as she felt the need to remind her superiors during each of their visits. Such was the case now. As Fallon checked the progress of her three patients' mental scans, Executive Adam Miller entered, prompting an orderly salute from the six guards in the room. The doctor, being too busy to actually notice Miller's presence, did no such thing, earning her veiled looks of contempt from two of the more 'disciplined' guards. "Dr. Coleman," Executive Miller said. "Ignoring protocol yet again, I see." Fallon turned to the Executive in surprise, instantly losing whatever nerve she had managed to build up in order to speak to her superior. "I, er, I would hope that protocol, sir, would be the least of your concerns right now . . ." she said, gesturing with her electronic pad. "I mean, with all due respect, sir, these three have been OOC--out of commission--for at least a week and a half, maybe longer, and MIA--missing-in-action--for even longer than that, so, uh, so you'll have to excuse me if I'm a little preoccupied with, you know, diagnosing their condition . . ." "Point conceded," Miller said. He was a tall, thin man of a dark complexion, with eyes green enough to betray the conflicting expectations that he regularly displayed towards others. His gaze swept over the three beds, the sight a reminder of why he had come in the first place. "How is your progress here, Doctor?" "T-Truthfully, sir? Not very progressive," Fallon said, adjusting her glasses and following Miller's gaze. "I've, uh, I've still been unable to discern the exact source of the issue, sir, although scans and tests so far indicate that the, uh, what's essentially a virus is mental in nature and--and stimulated by psychic activity, so, Sabrina--we've managed to cut off her mental link to Koga and Surge and, uh, that seems, at least for now, to have helped the situation, since they've been calmer, but there's no telling--I don't know when they'll be completely cured, uh . . ." "Is something wrong?" Miller asked. Fallon clutched her pad to her chest. "Well, uh, sir, there . . . I mean, there is," she said. "Not with the patients, to clarify, but, uh, rather, with the accommodations--the assignment itself, I mean--I'm sorry, I mean no disrespect and I don't mean to, uh, to question anyone's orders, but I--you know I'm not a medical doctor, so I'm just still not clear, exactly, on why I'm in charge of treating these three and not, perhaps, Doctor Milan?" It took a moment for Miller to fully process Fallon's issue. "Are you telling me you haven't received any of the research files from Elton?" he asked. Fallon shook her head. "The reason Koga, Surge, and Sabrina were missing for so long was because of an indoctrination attempt by Executive Elton in Chapel--an attempt to create super soldiers for use in a coup. Ash Ketchum and the Gym Leaders Tate and Liza were subjected to the same or even worse experiments, though were, unfortunately, unable to be saved." "Oh . . ." Fallon said quietly. "S-So, then . . . I'm in charge because, because these experiments weren't . . . normal, in nature?" Miller nodded. "I-I see . . . I'm sorry--I should've realized--" "You have my apologies for this oversight," Miller said. "We trust you to sort this out because we know how effectively you work--eccentricities aside. I have no doubt that your lack of access to this information was an error on our end." He pulled out his Poké Gear, turning to leave. "I'll correct it immediately and get those files to you. Once you have them, you should have a slightly easier time to figuring out how to fix our friends here . . ." "Y-Yes, sir, thank you," Fallon said, watching Miller go. As the doors closed behind him, she let out a deep breath. Why do Executives always make me so nervous . . . She shook her head, turning back to her work. She did not get a chance to, however, as he Poké Gear suddenly began to ring. Somewhat annoyed now, she picked it up and answered it. "H-Hello?" "Hey, Fallon." Fallon gave a sigh of relief upon realizing that it was her sister. "I need a couple of favors." Fallon tensed up upon realizing that this was, in fact, her sister. "Good to talk to you, too, Vicky," she said, switching the device to its video mode and putting on her best 'enthused' look. "What do you need? Earpiece tune-up? Poké Gear fix? New sunglasses?" "Oh, are you offering to buy me a new pair?" Victoire asked, smiling broadly. Fallon immediately regretted mentioning it. "I might have to take you up on that--my favorite pair just got broken." "How did that happen?" Fallon asked. Victoire froze. "What have you been doing in Kalos, Vic?" Victoire waved her hand dismissively. "I'll tell you about it later--don't worry about it," Victoire said, immediately changing the subject. "So, hey, what I need from you--got a pen and paper?" "Go ahead--I'll remember," Fallon said. She didn't want to stop pressing Victoire about what had happened, but she knew better than to try and continue. "Two things," Victoire said. "First off, I need plane tickets from Anistar City to Four Island and Johto--three and one, kay? Can you get them for three days from now?" "That's easy enough," Fallon said, choosing not to voice her confusion over the number of tickets. "What's the second thing?" "Can you do a bit of . . . 'digging' for me on Ace?" Fallon frowned. "What for?" "Everything. Anything you can find about her and what kinds of projects she ran as Shadow Admin." Now Victoire was frowning. "Please don't ask why--I just need to know." Although it went against every fiber of her being, Fallon finally agreed. "I'll get it to you soon." Victoire smiled. "Thanks, sister. I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't important to me and if I could do it myself." "I get it." Fallon paused. "I won't ask, but I will request--please, keep safe with whatever it is you're doing. Between this Kalos business, and now this . . . I'm not the only one who would be worried if something happened to you, Vic." "I'll be careful." Victoire waved, offering a quick, "Love you!" before hanging up. Fallon sighed as she closed her own Poké Gear. Well, she thought. At the very least, this'll get me some time away from this job . . . IC - Ethan Worth/Gavin Braner - Chapel, Lounge Area: "I have information!" The declaration came from Ethan. After finding a place in Chapel to rest up after the confrontation in Celadon and the follow-up with Bounty (and Miriam Shields and General Coleman), the Rocket Elite (as he had begun referring to himself, having discovered a message in his inbox indicating that Joker had put in his name for an official promotion) had temporarily departed to find out what he could regarding Joker's current situation, leaving Gavin, Madison, Dack, and Luke to their own devices--which had consisted, at least on Gavin's end, of wondering whether he would actually be able to find out anything. Evidently . . . "I've found out," Ethan said. "That Joker's location is currently classified, which means that we can't actually go see her." "That's . . . not useful in the slightest," Gavin said. "That's also not everything," Ethan said. "Luckily, I'm charming enough that I was able to get the scoop anyway and find out that she'll be taking up temporary residence in Abyss starting tomorrow, along with her children." He held up his Poké Gear, smiling. "And by 'charming enough,' I mean that Joker told me. Apparently, I'm trustworthy enough for her to answer my calls." "That's . . . Never mind," Gavin said. "That does give us an entire day of nothing, then. Which means that we have a perfect opportunity to--" "Have a battle?" Ethan asked. "I'm always down for that." He looked at Madison, Luke, and Dack. "Any takers? I'm sure Gavin would be up for one, too." IC - Meghan Vert - The Alamo, Cell Block: Activity within the Alamo had certainly increased over the past few weeks. Vert was not exactly surprised by this: Given the attack on R&D, it was only logical that more urgent summons had been sent out, and thus more Liberty Agents drawn back to work from their needlessly-prolonged vacations. Though she largely didn't care, a part of her couldn't help but wonder, as she observed a group of loitering teenage agents, whether her former leaders cared enough to take disciplinary action towards those who had essentially abandoned the organization at the first sign of a ceasefire. Such activity was, after all, more traitorous than her own. At least she had been acting in Team Liberty's interests . . . Well, she silently corrected. By extension . . . A sudden jab in her back prompted her to glare over her shoulder, gesturing to the bandages that were visible under her shirt. "Ow." "You're lagging," her escort said, twirling his guard baton between his fingers. "Stop doing that, and I won't have to poke you." "No respect . . ." Vert huffed, turning around and shaking her head, though picking up her pace nonetheless. "You'll have to excuse me, Officer," she said. "You see, I happen to be very aware of Team Liberty's predilection towards incarcerating their enemies and leaving them forgotten in the basement." She adjusted her glasses as best as she could given the limited movement provided by her handcuffs. "I expect this to be the last time I see the surface, at least for the foreseeable future." "You're funny." The guard pressed the elevator call button. A moment later, the doors opened, and he and Vert entered. The two remained largely silent as the machine brought them down to the prison block. Vert took advantage of this to peer sideways at the guard, searching the depths of her memory to see if she recognized him. After a moment, she smirked. "Andrian Night," she said. "Or is it Winter?" He looked at her uncomfortably. "I guess it doesn't matter . . . What made you drop out of R.A.L.L.Y., I wonder?" He did not respond to this. "I suppose a better question is, what interested you about it to begin with? I never could stand the thought of going out in the field, myself--too much risk for too little reward, if you ask me . . ." She rattled the chains of her handcuffs. "Then again . . . We both know how my alternative worked out for me . . ." The elevator doors opened. As they made to leave, Andrian stepped in front of Vert, blocking the exit. He glared at her. "I don't know what kind of mind games you're trying to pull here," he said. "But they aren't going to work. So do me a favor and shut up until we get to your cell. Okay?" Vert adjusted her glasses again. "Of course, Officer." She walked past Andrian. The two made their way through the block. They passed by numerous prisoners--Vert recognized several of them by face, though none by name. For each occupied cell that they went by, they continued past two more empty ones--a fact that perplexed Vert, given that it seemed to prolong their walk. After a while, she realized where they were going. Tucked away within the jail level was a block comprised of "priority cells," reserved for prisoners and captives considered to be of strategic importance. Unlike typical holding rooms, these functioned more as small apartments than anything--indeed, were it not for the bars blocking the entrance, they might as well have simply been apartments. Each was composed of two rooms--one a combined living and sleeping room, containing a bed, a desk, and a dresser, as well as room for other accommodations (such as a television set, as Vert had heard about in one instance), and the second a simple bathroom. Each room was also equipped with a computer terminal that the occupants could use of their own accord in order to file work-orders, as well as maintain limited contact with the outside world--primarily allowing them to keep up on current events outside of their cells. The arrangements had always seemed frivolous to Vert in the past, given that a prisoner was a prisoner regardless of their credentials, but now that she was the one faced with an indefinite prison sentence, she was willing to reconsider her opinion. Her suspicions about their destination were proven correct as they emerged onto this section of the prison, prompting a small smile to appear on her lips. They passed by two cells, alternating positions on opposite walls, before coming to a stop in front of a third. From one, Vert could hear a news broadcast, though she could not make out what was being discussed. This cell she knew to be occupied by Searcher S Commander Kayne Boden. The second cell was silent, offering no clues to its inhabitant nor, really, any sign that it was inhabited at all. She found this to be rather curious. Her distractions ended as Andrian opened her cell door, accompanying her inside. Vert surveyed the room as he undid her handcuffs. Numerous sets of clothes and hygienic supplies had been stored already, and the bed prepared for her arrival--she recognized most, if not all of these as her own belongings, evidently taken from her former room higher up in the base. This did not surprise her as much as the computer set-up on her desk. "Not gonna lie, Winter," she said, crossing her arms as Andrian left the cell, closing the door behind him. "I didn't expect such home-like accommodations." "We were instructed to ensure your comfort," Andrian said. "Traitor or not, you were a Liberty Executive. My guess is that they still have some respect left for you." "I'm flattered," Vert said. She nodded toward the computer. "And what about that?" "Part of our instructions," Andrian said. "That's all I know." He began to walk away. "You need help with anything, or if you want to check the food schedule, then check the terminal. Otherwise, make yourself comfortable--you're gonna be in there for a while." Vert watched Andrian disappear, leaving only the muffled sounds of Boden's television to fill the empty space of the cell block. Adjusting her glasses again, Vert moved to the computer, examining it closer. Immediately, she recognized it not only as having come from R&D, but also as her own personal research computer. She frowned, wondering what this could mean. Only one way to find out . . . she figured. She turned it on. As she waited for the systems to load, Vert set about searching the desk's drawers. She did not have to look very far. Tucked away within the keyboard drawer were three items: A Poké Gear--her Poké Gear--a PC-Poké Gear connection cable, and an earpiece with a microphone. Nested within her Poké Gear's inbox was an unread message, addressed from an unknown number. She opened it. Vert's frown transformed into a broad smile, which only grew wider as she began to check what lay within the computer. The files were all there. Project HARMONY, Project WEAVER, Project QUELL--everything. Whoever had set up her accommodations had clearly gone out of their way to ensure that she could pick up exactly where she had left off, directing workers on the outside from down here, unsupervised and left to the shadows of her cell, set back only by the unforeseen attacks by Greed and Lust. Someone, somewhere--likely within Team Liberty's very own leadership, to Vert's delightfully ironic realization--still had a vested interest in her research. Ad libitum, 'Zero-Four.'

thank you blade here have another teaser: linky link