#still hope and wish the orre region makes a come back | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sage-nebula · 5 years

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Okay, now that I finally have a minute, I can finally talk about the biggest event of the day:

GEN! 8! REVEAL! FAM!!

In a way, this was not surprising at all. The official Pokémon YouTube channel had been posting promotional videos of all the main regions for the week leading up to today (Pokémon Day), and once a Direct was announced we knew that they would not use that Direct for anything less than Gen VIII. Nintendo and Game Freak have made some questionable decisions in the past, but even they would not be so foolish as to dedicate a Direct to anything but a new set of games, particularly since they’d already promised us Gen VIII would be coming out this year. (Which is why those who are angry that this announcement wasn’t for Sinnoh remakes don’t really make a lot of sense. We were promised brand new core titles for a 2019 release. This couldn’t have been anything but that.) Even so, I am still thrilled by what I saw in the trailer, and I still want to talk about it because I’m so excited.

So:

Pros:

The Region: Some leaks that had come out ages ago suggested that the region could be based off the UK, and I’m so happy to see that was true. (Very little else in the leaks came true, but I’m okay with that, too; Sword and Shield are much better version names than Crown and Scepter.) The region itself looks like it’s going to be beautiful, both in terms of its countryside areas and its urban areas. It reminds me a bit of Unova in that way, how there’s a bit of a divide there, and with that divide emphasized in this reveal trailer, I wonder if that’s going to affect the plot. Either way, I’m truly excited about the region itself, particularly with some of the shots of it that we saw (both interior and exterior) in the trailer.

The Graphics: On that note, the graphics are so nice! There’s so much detail everywhere! In particular I can’t help but think of shots like the library the female trainer was standing in near the end, or the various towns the characters ran through . . . I know some people were hoping for hyper realistic graphics, but that’s never been Pokémon’s style. I’m just glad that these games are so, so much prettier than Let’s Go. I’m so glad all the models and the environment was fixed.

Random Battles are Back In: Speaking of things that were fixed, we can actually train our pokémon again! I was very relieved when I saw that, haha.

Gyms: We’re also back to the Gym system, which is also something of a relief. Honestly, I don’t mind the concept of the Island Trials, but I don’t feel that it was implemented well at all. The Trials themselves were basic and empty, and in many ways felt like watered down Gyms. In USUM it was even worse since you weren’t even allowed to explore during them (and instead had the Captain walking you through the Trials, such as in Mallow’s). Since they weren’t going to get creative with the Trials, I’m glad they’ve scrapped them to go back to the Gym system. Hopefully we’ll get a dark-type Gym this time around.

The Starters: The starters are all so cute! My favorite is Scorbunny (whom I keep calling Scorbunny-bun, haha), but I like Sobble and Grookey as well. Which one I pick will depend on the final evolutions (since I can’t just not look, although I will say I do miss the days of my youth when final evolutions were a surprise and you picked your starter based on first impression), just like which version I get will depend on version differences, but at the moment, if I had to just pick today? It would be Scorbunny. Little soccer bunbun is so cute, I love him. (Sobble would be my second choice, and Grookey my third.)

The Trainers: I LOVE BOTH OF THE TRAINER DESIGNS SO MUCH!! I actually feel like trainer customization might not be back in (more on that in the next section) because we didn’t see any customization in the trailer, and both of the designs are more detailed this time around (whereas the boy design at the least is usually generic in customizable games). But even if we don’t, I’m fine with that. I love both of the designs. I do wish the girl was able to wear pants for the snowy areas, but I love her sweater and her haircut, and the boy’s hat is cute. Really, they’re both fashionable and cute kids. I love them.

The Box Mascots: Of course we know nothing of the legendaries (legendary?) yet, but they look very lupine and I’m excited about that. GIVE ME MY SWORD WOLF, GAME FREAK!!

The Cons:

No Trainer Customization?: We might get a surprise here and that might be back in after all, but right now it looks like it might not be, so that’s a potential con for me.

No Following Pokémon?: Most of the shots that we saw of the gameplay looked empty (for instance, no other NPCs in town shots), so maybe we will get following pokémon and they’re just not able to show that yet. Bu tif we don’t, that’s also something that will make me sad, albeit it’s also something I can live with, haha.

No Pokémon in Overworld: While I am THRILLED that wild battles are back because that’s a deal breaker for me, one thing I actually did like about Let’s Go is that you could see pokémon on the overworld, and I do wish they had implemented that here. But again, I can live with it not being implemented, haha. I’m fine with wild battles, too.

The Miscellaneous:

Professor?: The leaks I talked about earlier mentioned that these games have no professor, and that we instead receive our starters from a princess. No idea if that’s true or not yet, obviously, but if it’s not and we do still have a professor, I want them to be either Poké David Attenborough or Poké Jane Goodall. (And on a related note, if the monarchy is in this game, let me throw down with the queen pls.)

Give Us the Great Galaran Bake Off: You know how each gen has a little side gimmick? Like we had Contests in Gen III, Super Contests in IV, PokéStar Studios in V, and so on? Give us Bake Off in Gen VIII. The Great British Bake Off has popularity that transcends its borders and it would be so great to implement that into these games. The bonus is that when the Galar anime starts up, there can be an episode where Ash somehow makes his way into the tent as a baker (and I say somehow, because you have to audition and everything and prove yourself worthy of being there irl and Ash cannot cook or bake for anything) and then is the first person eliminated because his pastries have soggy bottoms and are not crisp, and also his cakes have overbaked sponges and you cannot see the layers in there at all. (I hope the anime gives us that episode even if we don’t have the gimmick in the games. Come on, PokéAni. Show us the forbidden Poké Mary Berry and Poké Paul Hollywood, along with Poké Mel and Sue.)

Anime’s English Dub: On that note, I both am and am not looking forward to TPCi hiring garbage actors who will absolutely brutalize every single British* accent they have in their cast. If it was 4Kids, I would trust them to hire actors who know what they’re doing. But TPCi? I remember what they did to Alan. I’ll never forget nor will I ever forgive what they did to Alan. They hired a no-name rando off the street who had no talent whatsoever to voice Alan. If they do try to make the Galaran characters British, there is no way those accents will be passable. It will be a travesty. That said, if the PokéAni actually had a good job with a talented cast, I would pay them actual money to make Ash’s female companion have a Cockney or south London accent. I LOVE those accents and I would love to have a character with one on the main cast. They could also give Ash’s male companion (should he have one) a Scottish accent to just complete the whole dynamic and it’d be incredible. Like I know they’d probably go for standard pronunciation, but god what I wouldn’t give for regional accents for an English dub of the Galaran anime. It would be incredible. (*I said British instead of English here because not all British accents are English. Scotland is part of Britain, and therefore a Scottish accent is a British accent, for example. So believe me, I wasn’t conflating British and English; I know the difference, and I was incorporating all of them.)

Unova vs. Galar Rivalry: I want to see some (friendly) rivalry between Unova and Galar, just like those posts from Ye Olde Tumblr where Americans and Brits would get into “fights” over things. Obviously Unova is not the only United States region (Alola and Orre also exist), but it’s the one up in New England, and the one most blatantly American, I feel. It’d be neat to see that in the game. (And on an unrelated note, was Galar the region that warred with Kalos 3,000 years ago? Hmm . . .)

All in all, I’m super excited and I just can’t wait for these games. November can’t come fast enough (and neither can more info, haha)!

#pokemon #feel free to send me asks and stuff about this too guys #i love Pokémon so much I could talk about it all day

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jolteonjordansh · 6 years

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Day 1: “Successor”

Synopsis: It’s been five years since Wes and Rui have defeated the criminal syndicate Cipher, and since their disbandment the duo have advanced their travels to a wider scale as they visit multiple regions. Upon making their recent arrival to the tropical region of Alola however, Rui discovers the potential uprising of old adversaries.

Author’s Note: It’s the first day of 2017’s Orre Week! I hope to get everything in on time, but if I don’t I’ll still be sure to post everything I have planned! This may disappoint some people, but this is pretty much the only prompt that will directly connect to the events of Pokémon Colosseum. My focus will be the events after Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. But this is a story I wanted to get out. I should confess though: This is actually my first time drawing Wes and Rui. Okay, maybe not first time ever—I did an old comic back in elementary school regarding origin stories of this duo, but my headcanon has drastically changed since then and I can’t even find the original material. Still, this is my first time actually drawing default Wes and Rui and as much as I wish it was better, I’m mostly happy with how it turned out! Still, I never realized how ridiculous Wes’ hair is… lol

I hope we all have a great Orre Week, and I hope you guys like my contributions! I’ll admit, I’m a bit nervous as this is some of the first writing I’ve posted online in years, so I could be a bit rusty. Proceed under the break to read today’s one-shot!

His black boots trampled against the wooden stairs as Wes trekked up to the next floor, his Espeon and Umbreon trotting adjacent to his left and right. Reaching into a pocket in his blue coat, he pulled out a card as he made his way towards a door. Placing the card up against the knob, it clicked and he opened the door as he and his Pokémon companions passed through the door.

“Oh, you’re back already?”

Wes looked towards one of the beds, where Rui laid back as Espeon stood up to the side of the bed, rubbing his head against her hand with a soft purr. She was one of the few sights that could crack a genuine smile out of Wes, and he nodded as the door shut behind him. “The trainers are still pretty sparse around here, but I’ve noticed they have quite a close connection with their Pokémon, even if they’re not as challenging as some from the other region.”

“Yeah, a lot of them walk around with their Pokémon everywhere. There’s so many cute companions around here!” She giggled, looking down at the pink feline and his approaching ebony ally. “But not as cute as you two, of course.”

“Don’t spoil them Rui. They’ll become too content with all of the attention you give them.”

“Oh, relax. You keep them well-trained as it is. Just because you’re not as affectionate doesn’t mean I can’t be,” She reached her hands as she pet them both, their purrs harmonizing.

“You make it sound like I don’t care for them at all. These guys are the closest thing I have to family,” Wes sat down on the adjacent bed. “And how have you enjoyed your down time?”

“Oh, I just woke up from a nap. I can’t believe how much there is to do on Melemele Island! This place is just so beautiful, and this region still has other islands we can visit. I had to have a day to take it all in!”

“I guess this is our most relaxing visit yet. I guess you made the right decision picking it out.”

“It’s almost like if Agate Village were a whole island. I think I’m ready to pick it out for the both of us to stay here!”

“Come on, cut that out. You’re being silly,” Wes looked down and scratched underneath the chins of his companions, noticing what seemed like a pair of smirks between them. “I still want to be able to go back to Orre too. I’ve got pals to meet up with at the Outskirt Stand when we go back, if hell hasn’t frozen over and Officer Johnson hasn’t caught them.”

“I know, and I want to go see grandma and grandpa when I can too,” Rui looked over towards the TV running in the background as she held the remote out. “I do hope they’re doing alright though. The P*DA’s service doesn’t really work outside of Orre, and you know how my grandparents are with technology…”

“You’re not trying to search for the ONBS through the TV service here again, are you? You’ve done that in every region we’ve visited, and you’re never successful. I get that you’re so blown away by how many channels they all have, but ONBS just has too limited of a broadcast.”

“I just want to try, alright? Is that such a bad thing to do?”

“Well, alright. I’m just saying it’s probably a hopeless cause,” Wes shrugged as he scratched behind Espeon and Umbreon’s ears, listening to their shrills of delight as his two friends turned over towards him instead and leaned into his hands. His ears blocked out the clicking of the TV, staring into the violet and red eyes blinking at him as he gave them a gentle smile.

I do wonder how things are in Orre, His mind wandered, but easily he remembered just how little Orre had changed in his time living there. Even in his life living alongside Team Snagem, his life had been mundane. The places he saw never changed. The people barely changed. Regulations never changed. Even when Cipher had reared their ugly heads into the scene, only a handful of people took action.

The police force was nearly nonexistent after all, as Chief Sherles and Officer Johnson were the only ones who strived for any sort of peace. Only the occasional bystanders like Duking ever bothered to step in. There was the Kids’ Grid, of course, but they were just as their name implied—kids. As skilled as they were with technology, they didn’t have the resources to reach any further than Orre. For all Wes knew, they could have been continuing with their usual work behind the scenes in The Under as he and Rui continued to travel.

But Orre had found peace after he had stepped in, and that was what mattered. The usual petty crimes of bandits and lone wolves would continue throughout the region, but he wasn’t a superhero meant to handle the region’s problems. These were mere misdemeanors that would take care of themselves. The world was built to handle those who could survive in it, and nature would take its course. It was only if humanity strayed nature too far from its course that it required such interference.

Still, I can’t help but wish to see Orre improve for the better. Solving everyone’s problems is a nice thought, just not feasible, He ruffled his hands against Espeon and Umbreon’s heads. I suppose it’s just best to believe Orre is on a road towards improvement.

“Wes!”

He lifted his head up at the sound of her gasp. “What? You didn’t seriously find it, did you?”

“In a way, but… Not in a way I was hoping. Look!”

As Rui sat up and pointed towards the screen, like an excited child pointing out her favorite superhero, what she pointed towards was nothing to be thrilled for. A bold red banner laid at the bottom of the screen, reading its news report.

“Orre News Broadcast Station Attempts ‘Shadow Pokémon’ Hoax”

“What��?” The words squeezed out of Wes’ mouth like a ghastly breath.

“Today on the Pokémon Conspiracy Network, we have probably one of our strangest stories in years,” A red-haired woman appeared on camera as video footage played to the left of her. “From the obscure ‘Orre Region’, we received word of supposed news reports of an entire city being taken over by a criminal organization named Cipher, with weapons the news station— ONBS—has reported as ‘Shadow Pokémon’.”

“Why would ONBS report false news? I know they weren’t the most accurate when I blew Gonzap’s base, but this doesn’t sound right…” Wes mumbled.

“If this story sounds crazy enough to you, don’t take our word for it—Here’s the full footage of ONBS’ supposed news report,” The camera panned away from the woman as the video to her left then filled the screen. It was the usual ONBS set-up, but rather than having the station’s standard broadcast woman reporting the news, a somewhat familiar brown-haired boy sat alongside a monitor playing back footage, with the young narrator beginning his speech.

“Hello, viewers! This is Secc, ONBS’ Director. We bring you a special scoop.”

“No way… That’s Secc? He really grew up!” Rui exclaimed.

“And he’s ONBS’ Director? I guess that was only a natural progression for him in Orre, the kid being so smart…” Wes then rose his hand in a gentle hushing manner, as Rui’s voice calmed to whispers of disbelief.

“The courageous actions of a young boy thwarted a group of Cipher operatives who had infiltrated Phenac City,” The monitor’s camera then panned towards a young boy with long red hair clad in yellow, a strange mechanical arm adorning the left half of his body. “This footage shows the boy and his Pokémon driving off a top Cipher Admin from the city’s Stadium.”

Wait, that machine… That can’t be…! Wes’ eyes widened as the robotic arm caught his attention, subconsciously glancing towards his own left arm to the machine that he wore as rusty armor, his voice reduced to a raspy whisper. “That’s Phenac City, no doubt about it…”

“I don’t think we ever saw that guy from Cipher though. He… kind of looks like Ein had a little too much fun at a costume party,” Rui said.

“He’s got a weird get-up, I’ll give you that,” Wes added.

“Cipher had been trying to take over the entire city by replacing its citizens with the syndicate’s members,” Secc continued. “ONBS was also targeted for takeover by Cipher. Despite this setback, Cipher appears to be growing more active.”

“Wait, they tried to take over ONBS too!?” Rui piped up.

“So did Venus try that nonsense again? At least it sounds like Orre’s smartened up to know not to let them influence them… I bet the whole Kids’ Gridd works for ONBS now. That’s why they managed to actually capture good coverage of Cipher… if this is real.”

“Wes, you don’t really think Secc would fake thi—“

“Hang on, let it finish Rui.”

“The authorities have issued a caution to all citizens and organizations to be alert to the possibility of further attacks,” Secc said. “As you have seen, Cipher has returned with a vengeance. The entire Orre Region is endangered again. ONBS promises to doggedly pursue this story and provide you with the most accurate information on Cipher’s actions,” A look of determination flashed into Secc’s eyes, one Wes recognized from nearly half a decade ago. “We must not allow Cipher to carry out its conspiracy of fear. Let us all protect the peace of Orre with courage!”

And with a final outcry, the video faded to black, returning to the red-haired woman at the center stage of the TV recording. “The ONBS report was sent to multiple news stations from Kanto to Hoenn. However, most officials have dictated the footage to be false and controversial at best. The so-called ‘Shadow Pokémon’ that were reported could not be seen in the footage, as the battle seemed no different than any other Pokémon battle,” The woman explained. “The obvious bias towards the Orre Region and justice for it also leads officials to believe that the report was put together to gather attention towards a region even I have never heard of before.”

“Of course that battle seemed regular to you guys!” Rui’s face turned red with anger as she found herself getting up out of bed. “Normal humans can’t see Shadow Pokémon! You wouldn’t know the difference unless you watched the battle closer!”

“Rui…” Wes murmured.

“While the report talks as if these attacks have happened before, we could not find any evidence of such incidents between several news stations through multiple regions. It seems the whole ‘issue’ is a self-contained show with over the top acting, particularly with the ridiculous cloaked man. For now, the ‘Cipher’ reports are being dismissed. We’ll show you what other locals had to say after seeing this stage sho—“

The TV blinked off as Rui held out the remote, slamming it down next to the TV as she turned around to Wes. “I can’t believe these people! The ONBS is actually reaching out to other places in the world and they won’t listen because Cipher’s work has always been so under-handed and secretive! How was any of that fake!? Secc and the other kids would never lie and spread it around like that!”

“Rui, you need to calm down. You’re hardly rational right now,” Wes hushed.

“I’m not rational!? Wes, you should be mad too! That’s our home these conspiracy jerks are talking down about, and our friends too! They’re hardly being reasonable about this to! And everyone could all be in grave danger but no one else is bothering to get involved!”

“Rui,” Wes stood up as he placed a finger on her lips, immediately silencing her ranting. “Let’s think through this, alright?”

Her shoulders slouching, Rui sighed as she looked up at Wes with her blue eyes crying of despair. “Wes, I just… I can’t believe this is happening again, and we weren’t there for it… What if this has been going on since we left?”

“I can’t imagine it’s been going on for that long. I know our connection with Orre has been limited in the last five years, but we’ve found ways to send e-mails at some places with wired connections. I would have gotten an urgent message back when we visited the PokéCom Center in Johto last year. It must have been within the last few months at most.”

“I guess… But do you really think this was faked?”

“No, I think there’s some legitimate news here. Sure, Secc was pretty vocal about justice for Orre, but… He’s not wrong. And I wouldn’t put it past Cipher to take over a city. Evice posed as mayor for Phenac City all while we remained unaware, and they built a whole tower for themselves. They have resources and connections, without a doubt.”

“Yeah, this has to be legit… But it doesn’t look like Orre is completely vulnerable.”

“You’re right. They had a boy fighting that Cipher Admin, not to mention that mechanical arm…”

Rui nearly felt her soul leap right out of her skin as she recalled the machine Wes had just pointed out to her. “Wait, you don’t think that was a…!?”

Wes nodded. “It’s got all the parts. That kid had a Snag Machine on him, no doubt about it.”

“Do you think maybe Team Snagem is working with Cipher again, and that boy got his hands on their Snag Machine?”

Wes snickered. “That thing looked way too fancy to be Snagem’s handiwork. Besides, they’d practically fallen apart by the time we left, but the Old Man insisted he’d bring Team Snagem back. Besides, after Cipher made a fool of themselves, he’s got bad blood with them. He told me all about it before we left.”

“So you went to see Gonzap even after everything that happened? Wouldn’t he have bad blood towards you?”

Wes shrugged. “It is what it is. I figured I’d at least try to set things straight with him. Either way, that kid doesn’t really look like Snagem material. Gonzap was barely willing to take me in at my age as it was. That Snag Machine was probably reverse engineered somehow, I’m sure. And if the boy fought off a Cipher Admin, sounds like he’s doing a lot of the dirty work.”

“I guess so… But I can’t believe Cipher would return, and with more Shadow Pokémon too…”

“Were you able to tell if that crony was using a Shadow Pokémon? Or maybe that kid?”

“I don’t know, I couldn’t really tell but the battle was pretty violent… Maybe since the footage is recorded and I’m not seeing the Pokémon directly, I couldn’t see the black aura around it.”

“I see… I guess that only makes sense,” Wes looked out towards the window, his yellow eyes gazing out away from Rui. “ It’s in their hands then.”

“In their hands!? That’s all you have to say!? Wes, we need to go back there and help! We can’t just leave Orre’s people and our friends and family out there to just deal with it!”

“What do you propose we do then?” Wes gave her a sharp glare. “You know as well as I do that finding a ferry that takes us back to Orre only comes once in a blue moon in regions like this. And there’s certainly no airports nearby. We couldn’t afford a private jet even if we wanted to.”

“What about your Skarmory? She can fly us there, can’t she?”

“She couldn’t fly two people to a far off region efficiently, that’s for sure. I can’t put that kind of stress on her.”

“But Wes, if we just try—“

“Rui,” All Wes needed to do was firmly say her name for her to realize she needed to calm down. There was a stiff silence between them, Rui’s heart dropping to the pit of her stomach as she began to understand Wes’ logic was sound—far more than her rampant emotions.

The silence held as if the legendary Celebi had entered the room, with time itself frozen to a halt. Umbreon and Espeon stared up towards the argument of their two human friends, but remained neutral with their own sense of tact. Only the soft sound of Wes’ feet shuffling and turning towards the door could be heard among them.

“Wes, I’m sorry. I just…” Rui broke the silence as Wes had turned away from her. “I want to help everyone back home. I can’t stand the thought of thinking they might be in trouble. I don’t know what I’d do if Cipher took over Agate Village and did something to grandma and grandpa.”

“I know it’s frustrating,” He extended his right arm out, as if signaling her to hush, but now with a sense of understanding. “I want safety for Orre too. There’s a reason I left Team Snagem so many years ago—I understood how important its people and Pokémon were. But we’re not in a position right now.”

Rui had no response. She didn’t have to remind him that he was right. He already knew, and she did too.

“But you have to remember too, just because we’re not there doesn’t mean Orre is helpless. I think it’s fair we give the rookie a chance.”

“Oh, the kid? You really think he can handle it though?” Rui asked.

“The footage spoke for itself, don’t you think?” Wes grinned. “He fought pretty well with his Pokémon, and defeated a Cipher Admin. It seems like he has the tools, especially if the Kids’ Grid have made connections with him.”

“You’re right… You always seem to figure things out quick, don’t you Wes?”

“I’ve got street smarts. That’s about as well as I can put it,” Wes turned back to her as he placed one of his hands over her shoulders, then gently bringing her into a supportive embrace. “I’m sorry if I came off as cruel. Why don’t we try to find a place like the PokéCom Center and connect my P*DA so we can communicate with the others? If we can do that, we can at least see if we need to make drastic measures to intervene and make sure everyone else is okay.”

“Yeah… That sounds good. Maybe we should go start asking around?”

“Sounds good to me,” Wes released Rui from her grasp, though reaching and holding her hand in support. “It’ll all be okay. I’m sure of it. And if worst comes to worst, we’ll make sure to fix everything.”

Rui nodded, as her eyes suddenly lit up. “Hey, maybe we can even spread awareness outside to the other regions so people believe that it’s true! We can tell them it’s no hoax!”

“I’m not sure how much they’ll believe us. To the rest of the world, we’re nobodies. But I suppose it couldn’t hurt.”

“Come on then, we shouldn’t waste time! Let’s get going!” Rui grasped Wes’ hand as she charged towards the door, Wes feeling his body being thrown forward along with her. Standing back up, Umbreon and Espeon yipped and skipped along as they followed after their master and his companion. The discovery of such a dire situation was disheartening to be sure, and perhaps now their master had more work to do.

But a new hero had stepped forward now, one they had now decided to place their trust into for the sake of the Orre Region.

#OrreWeek2k17 #JJ Writes #JJ Doodles #Pokémon Colosseum #Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness #Pokémon #fanfiction #fanart #Wes #Rui

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guildwarsstartrekskyrim · 7 years

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Gonna take a lot to drag me away from you

Previously

The two asura, Midas and Hinty, found the main market of Amnoon rather relaxing. It wasn’t at all like the reports and rumours that had cropped up and travelled into Ebonhawke. The great doors of Ebonhawke were still closed after all, and no one was allowed through. The only way to reach the Crystal Desert and the northern regions of Elona was by boat through treacherous waters that sailed past Orr.

But all of that seemed to slip away as the two asura talked with the shop keepers, the merchants, gamblers, bouncers, nobles and citizens of Amnoon. And while the information was good to gather, they still required lodging for their equipment.

“Do any of these people look like they know where an inn would be located,” Midas said as she searched the crowd.

“It would appear that there has been some damage due ta a recent sand storm,” Hinty replied. “I’m not feeling that we’ll get any assistance with that.”

“Even if we could purchase a tent and possible rent a plot of land, that would work wonders,” Midas suggested and then pointed toward a figure standing by what appeared to be a bounty board. “Maybe that woman would have some ideas for us.”

“How do you know that’s a woman?” Hinty said as he followed Midas. “She’s covered head to toe.”

“She has the shape of a human female.”

Hinty sighed as he looked toward the figure. “You have more experience with this.” Midas merely nodded as the pair of asura approached the woman dressed in the dark garb. There seemed to be flashes of red among the clothing, and it reminded Midas of the uniform of the Order of Whispers.

“Excelsior!” Midas said with exuberance as she approached the figure. “I am Reseacher Midas and this is my colleague, Entomologist Hinty. We are part of a krew that has travelled from Ebonhawke and we were wondering if there might be a location where we could set up our equipment. Perhaps some lodging or storage areas.”

The woman perked an eyebrow as the two asura waited for a response. Slowly, she stepped forward and leaned over to speak in hushed tones to the pair. “Lodging is at a premium here. As you are aware, the recent sand storm has displaced many. However, I believe the Council can provide you with a plot and some equipment to set up your research. If I may inquire, what is your research about?”

Hinty and Midas shared a look. It was often seen as bad manners to ask asuran krews what their research was (even if many asuran krews loved talking about their research). “We’ve been studying the effects of the Branded, making our way from regions just south of Grothmar Wardowns and eventually to Ebonhawke. As passage has been recently opened into the Crystal Desert, we wished to continue our research here.”

The woman looked back and forth between the two for a moment, finally saying with a smile, “I’ve heard of your krew. Yes, gossip and rumours do make their way from beyond the gates that Ebonhawke has closed off to the Crystal Desert. Your krew has a benefactor, does it not? The daughter of the Alow Shipping Company?”

Midas looked to Hinty for a brief moment. Maybe this would get them an in and some decent information. “That is exactly correct. Lady Pania Alow has been very interested in our work...”

“...and as she is also a Durmand Priory Magister, she felt it best that any knowledge found out regarding an elder dragon is more than worth the gold,” Hinty continued, then lowered her voice to more conspiratorial levels. “We have noticed that the further south we go, the stronger the corrupted. We’re hoping our research can provide some information on how to best deal with the situation.” Both Midas and Hinty nodded firmly with this last bit of information.

The woman nodded in reply and took out a piece of parchment and began writing. “Go see this man. He has influence with the Council. He can provide you with whatever you need.” She handed the parchment to Midas who took it and studied it before slipping it into her pocket.

“Thank you very much,” she said as both she and Hinty bowed. With that, the pair of asura went on their way.

The woman returned to her spot by the message board and seemed to turn to look toward a shadowed area. “I believe the Grey Kestrel will have some assistance in the coming days,” she said in a whisper.

A man stepped out of the shadows, one who had been helping the aforementioned Grey Kestrel many times before. He nodded and moved past quickly and into the crowds of the merchant quarter.

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#Guild Wars 2 #GW2 #writing #The Grey Kestrel #The Silver Fox

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gibsongirlselections · 4 years

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Pelosi Cancels History By Removing Her Predecessors

On June 18, the portraits of four former Speakers of the House, all connected to the Confederate States of America and the Civil War, were removed from the walls of the Capitol. In the words of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, “There is no room in the hallowed halls of Congress or in any place of honor for memorializing men who embody the violent bigotry and grotesque racism of the Confederacy.” And so down went Robert Hunter of Virginia, James Orr of South Carolina, and Howell Cobb and Charles Crisp, both of Georgia.

Of course, this removal comes at a time when statues and monuments are being vandalized, toppled, and removed all over the country, leading Rep. Tom Massie (R-Ky.), to exclaim, “Where does all this end? Renaming ‘Washington’ DC?”

As Douglas Bradburn, president of George Washington’s Mount Vernon, said to Just the News, “If we fail to honor George Washington, because we understand him only as a slave owner, we will lose the story of the United States, for it will have no beginning and very little direction.” Or as Cicero, the ancient Roman, put it, “Not to know what happened before one was born is always to be a child.”

Massie, Bradburn, and Cicero all make good points, and yet for the moment, we might confine ourselves just to those four Speakers who have been “canceled”—that is, sent down the Orwellian memory hole. All were interesting figures, and so as they go off to historical exile, even if we don’t like them, they can still offer us something to remember.

For instance, consider Orr, one of the disappeared. He was without doubt a Confederate, and yet as the South Carolina Encyclopedia details, after a lifetime as a Democrat and then as a Secessionist, in 1870, “Orr joined the Republican Party in the hope of effecting reforms.” That is, he switched from the Party of Jefferson Davis to the Party of Abraham Lincoln. Indeed, “As a delegate to the 1872 Republican national convention, he praised President Ulysses Grant’s [anti] Ku Klux Klan policy in South Carolina.”

Was Orr sincere in his change of heart? Or was he just an opportunistic “scalawag”? That’s for historians to sort out, and yet President Grant appointed him to be ambassador to Russia, as the Encyclopedia tells us, “a gesture of reconciliation.” Isn’t that exactly what we should want? A coming together and a healing of national wounds? And so shouldn’t we be learning about past positive precedents?

Then there’s Charles Crisp, who in some ways is the most interesting of the quartet; he had the most extensive career after the Civil War, rising near to the pinnacle of American political life. As such, his career offers lessons to anyone wishing to learn about practical politics; indeed, his story illustrates a key lesson of life itself: Those who are at the bottom can sometimes rise to the top, and those who are on top can sometimes fall to the bottom. So with that in mind, who knows who will be canceling whom a century from now?

Born in 1845, Crisp served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War; in 1864, he was captured at Spotsylvania, spending the rest of the war as a POW. Released back to Georgia, he became a lawyer, a judge, and a state legislator. Then in 1882, he was elected to the U.S. House.

In 1890, the Democrats won a national majority in the House, and the following year, Crisp was elected Speaker of the 52nd Congress—putting him third in line for the presidency.

As one historian observed, Crisp was “a skillful debater and an expert parliamentarian,” adding, “He was a man of marked judicial temperament—calm and deliberate with the ability to maintain his own dignity and the dignity of his position.” Now, of course, such a description can be applied to just about every Speaker; the nature of the post is that it goes to a savvy insider who can gain the confidence of fellow insiders, each of them jockeying on behalf of themselves, their committees, and their districts. To put the job description another way, the Speaker is the ultimate deal-maker.

Indeed, the Democratic Party itself was a web of deals in those days; it consisted mostly of Southern white Protestants and Northern Catholics. The two factions had been on opposite sides of religious disputes tracing back to the Reformation; in America in particular, the split came over temperance, the Southerners being “dry” and the Northerners “wet.” In fact, the two blocs didn’t have much in common at all—except for a shared hostility to Northern Protestants, who were overwhelmingly Republican.

The Democratic Party consisted, then, of groups that felt victimized by Yankee power, both economic and cultural; the great tycoons and robber barons of the day, running the railroads, Wall Street, and the “trusts,” were almost all Republicans, as were the culture-producers of Boston and New York City. (And yes, the political map of the late 19th century was mostly the inverse of the red-blue map of today—that which was then-Republican being now Democratic, and that which was then-Democratic being now Republican.)

This was the political world of Charles Crisp. His region, the South, still bore the stain of rebellion and slavery, and yet white Southerners were nonetheless able to form a coalition with enough Northerners to make “Democracy,” as it was often called then, competitive in national elections; in fact, as soon as 1876—barely more than a decade after the end of the Civil War—the Democrats won a clear popular-vote majority in the presidential election, although the GOP candidate, Rutherford B. Hayes, prevailed in the electoral college.

So when Crisp took the Speaker’s gavel in 1891—the first Deep Southerner to do so since 1859—it represented a huge victory, not only for the man himself, but also for his region. One could even say that Dixie proved better at politicking, inside the system, than at rebelling, outside the system.

Now, of course, the victory of white Southerners in those days came at the expense of black Southerners, who were almost all Lincoln Republicans. In fact, Southern Democrats had used their political skills, working with Northern Democrats, to discredit and dislodge the Republican policy of Reconstruction. And then, once the U.S. Army was out of the way, Southern whites—not to put too fine a point on it—used their martial skills to disenfranchise, and otherwise subjugate, blacks.

It’s this racial history, of course, that dominates popular understanding today, and so Crisp and others are now in political limbo—or worse.

And yet there was another side to the 19th-century Southern Democrats: economic populism. In 1890, Congressman Crisp had supported the Sherman Anti-Trust Act—anti-trust, of course, being a progressive governmental remedy that it has gone in and out of fashion many times over the last 130 years—and in these days of Big Tech, it has been making a comeback.

Then, in 1894, when he was Speaker, Crisp help shepherd the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act into law. That bill provided for a modest reduction in trade duties, and also, remarkably, it included a federal income tax. To be sure, the rate was low, just two percent on incomes over $4,000 (adjusted for inflation, that would be almost $100,000 today), and yet nonetheless, the enactment of any income tax was a watershed. (The Supreme Court threw out the tax as unconstitutional in 1895, and so an amendment to the Constitution, permitting an income tax, was a great Democratic cause for the next two decades; it was finally put in place by a Southern-born Democrat, Woodrow Wilson.)

Of course, the popularity of the income tax has waxed and waned over the years, and rates have risen and fallen, and yet it has never been in jeopardy of being abolished; the exigencies of financing a modern government require such taxation. Indeed, it seems likely that rates will be increased in the next few years.

So we can see: Even if Crisp himself has been de-platformed, some of the economic ideas he championed seem poised for a comeback.

Crisp died in 1896; his admiring constituents elected his son to succeed him in the House. Indeed, there’s a Crisp County, Georgia, named in his honor.

Of course, the life of Charles Crisp is of no interest to those who simply want to erase history. For them, he and his kind are gone with the wind—and good riddance.

Yet Crisp’s political career is a reminder that even the defeated can yet be the victorious, provided they possess the necessary resolve and resilience. Indeed, not that she would ever admit it, but Nancy Pelosi, Crisp’s fellow Democrat, might feel a kinship to his ability to count votes and wrangle coalitions, especially on behalf of progressive economic policies.

So when America gets done with this spasm of iconoclasm, the thoughtful will realize that the secrets of effective politics have not been destroyed—and are still extant, in fact, in the biographies of the dead. So even if every statue or place honoring Crisp is pulled down or renamed, the ambitious, or merely curious, will still be able to learn about him; if they do, they’ll understand something about coalitions and comebacks.

After all, as another Southern Democrat, Thomas Jefferson, wrote in 1817, “A morsel of genuine history [is] a thing so rare as to be always valuable.” Yes, Jefferson, too, is now on the PC chopping block, and yet he was wise enough to know that the judgments of history are never permanent.

Indeed, the actual events of history are, of course, permanent, and those “morsels,” when gleaned, are always valuable. As a result, Hunter, Orr, Cobb, and Crisp will always abide with us, even if we dare not speak their name.

The post Pelosi Cancels History By Removing Her Predecessors appeared first on The American Conservative.

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jolteonjordansh · 6 years

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Day 2: “Wanderer”

Synopsis: It has been well over a year since the second Shadow Pokémon incident in the Orre Region was put to a stop. The region’s second hero, Michael, has spent his time opening the hearts of Shadow Pokémon he has snagged as well as returning them to their original owners. After having returned the final Pokémon, Michael finds himself lost in what to do with himself in a region as barren as Orre. Yet he finds his mind being drawn to the ecosystems and cultures of the world around him…

Author’s Note: Day two! Thus begins my original work of where I feel the Orre Region would go after the events of Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. If you’re wondering where the legendaries Michael snagged are—Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres and Lugia—my headcanon is that he released them after being purified since as legendaries they have a sort of god-like nature, so he wouldn’t feel right having them in his possession. That’s just my headcanon though. Feel free to have your own! I hope you all look forward to Michael’s story that I have to tell!

Today’s sketch is pretty simple—probably the most simple of them all. I got a little carried away with most of the others. But I still like its simplicity, and I hope maybe you guys like Michael’s design here!

As like before, click under the break to read the one-shot of today!

Michael heard the low whimpers beside him, then stroking the dragon’s blue scales as he looked up to the seemingly fearsome creature that now wore anxiety over its once intimidating visage. Michael quietly clicked his tongue at the crying dragoness, her whines softening as he gave her a smile.

“It’s alright Salamence, your trainer will be here soon. We confirmed the arrangements and everything,” Michael said. “I know it’s been a few years since you’ve seen your trainer, but I don’t think she’ll reject you, or she wouldn’t be coming here. You’re still you, no matter what Cipher did to you in the past.”

Salamence let out a lower, calmer roar as Michael quelled her, her tensed muscles easing with her wings and stance relaxing. Though Salamence had been among the most difficult Shadow Pokémon to purify, once her heart had been opened her emotions had been hard to keep in check. Despite being a Dragon-type, she was easy to scare and anxious around strangers. It may have been through the purification process itself that she was so calm around Michael.

It was generally quiet at the Pokémon HQ Lab—its staff was hard at work in the labs, including Michael’s mother Lily and Professor Krane. Jovi had kept herself occupied with Pluplu and Mimi or Adon when he wasn’t busy, but that was business as usual. And yet despite her repetitive lifestyle, she found herself entertained nonetheless. Every moment of his life he had found himself busy with one objective or another ever since the day Professor Krane had been kidnapped by Cipher. He couldn’t imagine a moment without something to do on his list. But was a time like that really coming?

A nervous growl halted Michael’s train of thought as he looked forward, seeing a girl nervously walking up the brick road leading up to the lab. She had short auburn hair with a blue shirt and white skirt, glancing around the area before looking forward, waving meekly.

“E-Excuse me?” She called out, cautiously walking up the steps. “Is this the Pokémon HQ Lab?”

“Yes, it is,” Michael replied. “Are you Jeri?”

“Yes, so you must be Michael,” Jeri walked up to the boy in yellow as she looked up to the once whining Salamence that now had a bright gaze with her wings lifted up high, almost as if the dragon were to soar into the air any moment. But rather than running in fear as most girls might at the sight of such a powerful dragon, Jeri’s brown eyes lit up to a raw umber as she looked up to her. “Then, you must really be…!”

With a cry of overwhelming joy, Salamence pranced into Jeri like a young Growlithe pup, even licking Jeri’s face with her large tongue and long tail even wagging, nearly knocking Michael off of his feet as it slammed into him. He stared in shock, not once ever seeing Salamence so enthusiastic to even himself, yet here she was being so openly affectionate, as Jeri giggled with delight despite the pair of tears that squeezed from her eyes, as she lightly pushed at Salamence’s neck.

“Drayla, stop! I’m happy to see you too, but I’ll fall over if you don’t stop!” Jeri laughed, affectionately scratching underneath Salamence’s neck as the Pokémon eventually calmed herself but moved to affectionately nudging Jeri’s shoulders, making jubilant growls that Michael had not ever heard from such a beast. “There, there, girl, I’m happy to see you too… I’m so happy that you’re okay…” Jeri’s laughter broke into a few broken sobs she couldn’t contain.

Michael had seen so many of these reunions in the past couple of years, yet never did each one cease to warm his heart and even make his own eyes water. But he held a huge smile to maintain his feelings, keeping his head up. “So your Salamence’s name is Drayla?”

“Yes, well, she was technically my father’s Pokémon… He found her as a Bagon around the time I was born. She was always part of the family and sort of grew up with me,” Jeri explained. “She evolved over time protecting our family and wishing to fly. Though, when we moved to Agate Village and Drayla was brought over through the S.S. Libra, we were so worried, and we never thought we’d see her again…” Jeri felt a few more tears cloud her eyes. “I began to think us moving to Orre was a bad omen and worried every day what had happened to her… But I’m so glad to see you took good care of her… Even despite being a Dragon-type, she has always been such a delicate creature.”

“I see, I could tell as I helped her through the purification process. I’m so sorry this happened to your family and Drayla…” Michael’s remorseful voice conflicted with his smile as he continued to try to maintain a positive demeanor. “But more than anything, I’m happy I could bring you back together. I’ve been working to bring people back with their Pokémon, and you two happened to be the last ones.”

As Jeri hugged Drayla’s head, she looked towards Michael as her Pokémon continued to coo with joy. “You’ve done so many great things for us… You stopped those Cipher people that took over Orre, and you helped so many Pokémon and their trainers and families. You’ve done more than all the people of Orre could ever repay you for.”

“Oh, gosh, no… I just did what I felt was right. Someone needed to stop those guys, and all of those Pokémon, like Drayla, deserved to go home,” Michael scratched the back of his head and brushed through his hair.

“Well, sometimes doing the right thing is much harder than people realize,” Jeri bowed her head. “Thank you Michael, so much.”

“Of course, I’m just happy to see the best for you two, really.”

“This is the best I could have ever asked for,” Jeri then looked up towards her Salamence. “Why don’t we try flying home, Drayla? I was lucky to get a ride here from a cyclist. I’d love for you to see Orre.”

Drayla roared with delight as she lowered her wings and head alongside Jeri, signaling her trainer onto her back. Jeri pat her Salamence’s head, looking back towards Michael with a face of reluctance. “Are you really sure you don’t want anything in return? I don’t mind giving you reward money, or perhaps I can offer you—“

Michael rose his hand as he shook his head with a smile. “It’s alright, really. I already said in the P*DA e-mail that I don’t need anything. Just reuniting you with Drayla is enough to me.”

With a smile, Jeri nodded and turned her head forward as she pointed ahead. Roaring triumphantly, Drayla flapped her broad red wings and lifted her body into the air, flying ahead as she and Jeri took flight away from the Pokémon HQ Lab. Jeri turned back and waved, cupping her other hand over her mouth. “I hope to see you around Michael! Thank you for everything!”

“Take care! Best of luck to you and Drayla!” Michael yelled with his hands cupped over his mouth, then waving as the Salamence disappeared from sight. For a while, Michael stared at the amber-shaded sky with its setting sun, dusk settling in as the realization of his complete work settling into his mind. For several minutes, he stared off before finally turning back into the lab, entering the front lobby as he saw Professor Krane, his mother Lily, and even his little sister Jovi standing together as they looked over at the boy.

“Well? How did it go?” Professor Krane asked. “Did the reunion with Salamence and its trainer go well?”

Michael nodded. “Yes, perfectly. That was the last of Cipher’s Shadow Pokémon… Finally back where they all belong.”

“You really are amazing, big brother!” Jovi cheered, her Plusle and Minun jumping alongside her. “You worked so hard every day, but I know you couldn’t have done it without me!”

“Of course, I know Jovi,” Michael walked over to her and ruffled his hand through her hair. “You were a big help along the way.”

“I couldn’t be more proud of you two,” Lily said, Michael easily spotting some of the tears behind her smile. “I’m truly fortunate to have such hard-working kids. Michael, you’ve really set an example for all of us here.”

“Ah, shucks mom…” Michael could feel his cheeks glow warm and red with the widespread praise.

“I’d say all of these accomplishments require a celebration, don’t you think?” Professor Krane suggested.

“Yeah! We should throw a big party!” Jovi exclaimed. “With balloons and cake and tons of food and everything! We could even have a dance party! Pluplu and Mimi would be the best out of everyone though!”

“Come on now, we don’t need anything so superfluous. Now I know you’ve started to spoil them with praise, Krane,” Lily said.

“Relax Lily, this is such an accomplishment that I would think it deserves such a celebration. Don’t you think Michael? I think you could help measure just how much work this was for you,” Professor Krane verified.

“I don’t mind, I’d just… like to hold it off, for a couple of days maybe?” Just as Lily showed a look of worry, Michael raised his hand and shook his head. “Don’t worry mom, I’m fine. I’m just… tired. I think I’m gonna turn in early for tonight.”

“Sleeping already? You’re no fun big bro!” Jovi yelled as she stuck her tongue out at him.

Chuckling, Michael walked over to Jovi and scratched her head once again. “Oh, hush Jovi. We’ll party a bunch later, I promise. Just give me a bit of space.”

And just like that, Krane and Lily scattered through the lab, returning to their work, and Pluplu and Mimi ran ahead throughout the lab, Jovi chasing ahead. Michael watched with a light sense of laughter, looking towards one of the doors ahead of him. As he walked towards it, the door opened automatically and promptly shut after he walked through. There was a sense of stillness in the air, yet also a sense of reminiscence as Michael felt memories flood his mind.

This was the room where Professor Krane had given him the Snag Machine that both his father and the professor worked on, mere moments before Krane’s kidnapping. It was from this room that Michael’s life changed forever.

He sat down at the table in the corner, looking towards the tube in the center of the room as he remembered putting the Snag Machine on for the first time. He remembered gathering around the very table he sat at with his mother and Jovi as they grieved Krane’s kidnapping. He remembered seeing the determination that flared in his mother’s eyes when she decided to continue finishing the Purification Chamber despite Krane’s absence. He even remembered, just faintly, playing around the lab with his Eevee as a small child and running into the very room he sat in, seeing his father and Krane working on the Snag Machine he wore now. And he could remember his father’s smile in this very room.

So much had happened in the span of many years in a single room, and even more throughout the entire Orre region. But at last the region had found peace. In Eldes words that Michael had remembered—Cipher was finished. The Shadow Pokémon had been snagged and purified. They had been returned to their original owners. The Orre Region, while not all of its problems fixed, was in its best state in years.

“It’s all over, at last…” Michael looked over at his left arm, where the Snag Machine was still slipped onto his arm. A machine that was once considered a criminal weapon had been rebuilt by his father and passed onto him to stop a greater evil. And after years of development, it had served its purpose. “I suppose… I won’t be needing this anymore, will I?”

His large green eyes stared off at it for a while longer, in a sort of trance as he thought of the many times he used the Snag Machine to rescue other people’s Pokémon. It was a chaotic hell of a situation that he never thought he would get out of. But he was. Everything was over. There was no need to keep the machine any longer.

Finally reaching to his left arm, Michael clicked off the latch of the Snag Machine open and removed its pauldron from his shoulder. He slipped his left hand out of the Snag Machine’s glove, laying it on the table. He then reached up to his headband, pulling off the Aura Reader and setting it down alongside the Snag Machine. These were the tools that had helped him along the way, and Michael was finally laying them to rest.

Standing back up, Michael walked towards the door as it automatically opened to his presence, yet found himself stopping to look back at his old tools. The last three years surged through his mind for just a moment—but it ended well. With a smile of reassurance on his face, Michael turned around, and walked forward as the door shut behind him. That was the only direction he could move towards.

***

Green. A lush green filled Michael’s eyes with the forestry that surrounded him. It was such a vivid green that it might even make the Agate Villagers jealous. The wind blew gently and softly with a slight sense of coolness, and it whistled like an ocarina. And along with the wind’s melody, Michael could hear the cries of multiple Pokémon all around him—the chirps of Bug-types, the barks of mammalian Normal-types, and the flapping of wings from Flying-types.

The world was filled with people and Pokémon all around, with trainers walking by with their Pokémon along paths. In the distance, he could even hear trainers commanding their companions. The strong aroma of flowers and leaves filled Michael’s senses along with the rushing water of nearby rivers splashing and clicking into his ears. The world was filled with life, and it stretched for miles and miles, far beyond Michael’s comprehension.

And in an instant, the many sounds of the natural world disappeared and were replaced by a soft hissing engine of a metallic air conditioner. Michael lazily opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling of his room as he laid in the messy covers of his bed. It happened again. He had been dreaming of places in the world he had never seen in his life—only seen in nature documentaries of the world and the occasional television drama. But it wasn’t the life he lived—he lived in the occasional patches of land and urban areas within a vast desert.

“Again, huh?” Michael sat up and yawned, fixing up his messy hair to a decently styled set of spikes. Eventually dressing into his usual clothes, he walked out of his room and up the elevator of the second floor of the HQ Lab. What he was going to do today… he didn’t know. He hadn’t known for the last two weeks. After the Pokémon HQ Lab’s celebration of his efforts, he found himself completely lost in what to do. He had explored most of the Orre Region. He had challenged its many Colosseums and had even competed in the Mt. Battle challenge over a year ago. His mind simply wandered and meandered each day.

Sitting in the second floor’s recreational lobby, he stared blankly at the television. The ONBS ran with news reports and occasional performances, and sometimes the channel was flipped to fictional shows instead, but nothing was all that new or interesting. Even when television shows tried to display other places, it was never like actually being in the places it displayed. Kanto, Unova, Sinnoh, Fiorre, Kalos, Almia… These were just few of the many regions Michael had heard of.

“Big brother!” A cheery face suddenly thrust itself in front of Michael’s dull face, only mildly capturing his distant attention as he rose his eye brows at the girl’s face.

“What is it Jovi?” He asked.

“Why have you been sitting here all day?” Jovi piped up.

“I dunno, you tell me.”

Jovi’s brows furrowed before her face easily lighting up again. “You seem sad. Maybe you should come play hide and seek with me, Pluplu and Mimi!”

“Jovi, I’m almost fourteen. I’m not going to use my time playing hide and seek.”

“Well, why don’t you do something?”

“I guess I’m watching TV, but it’s the same old stuff from other regions other than the ONBS, or a sitcom or some adventure show every once in a while.”

“Oh! So like that show with that boy and his Pikachu?”

“Meh, that show? I completely gave up on it by the fifth season,” Michael grumbled as he rolled his eyes. “There wasn’t any character development and they either kept recycling plots or just got outright nonsensical. I don’t even know how it’s still running.”

“Well…” Jovi placed her finger on her chin, deep in thought. “What do you wanna do?”

“Something at least, but I don’t know what else I can do in Orre…” Michael sighed. “I can’t help but feel jealous that there’s so many more bountiful regions out there. They have so much more to do, so much to see…”

“You make it sound so dreamy…”

“It sure feels that way, considering I actually have dreamed about it before…”

Jovi giggled to Michael’s murmurs. “Well, you know what they say about following your dreams~!” Jovi skipped out of the room with a tune to her voice.

“Yeah, yeah, follow your dreams…” Michael mundanely repeated the statement as he stared off towards the wall. He heard the words repeat in his mind over and over again, like a broken record… until the meaning of such a statement began to sink into his mind.

“Follow my dreams… Is that something I could really do?” Michael stood up as he found himself now seriously considering the theory. Following such a dream would be traveling the world, studying the many locations of it, its people, its Pokémon… The very thought sounded as if it were filled with endless possibilities. There was so much he could find, so much he could try, so many different people to talk to and about so many things… The world was a vast playing field for him to explore, far beyond Orre’s walls.

Not only did it make his heart pound with excitement at the idea of such first-hand discoveries each and every day, there was so much for him to find. He wanted to discover. He wanted to know if his dreams were true to the reality.

“Perhaps… Maybe… Maybe I could search out there!” Michael’s face lit up brighter than it had in weeks, filled with enthusiasm, wonder and passion. And he needed the world to know. He ran out of the recreational lobby, across to the right wing of the lab towards the main office, often where Professor Krane and other laboratory members such as his mother spent their time putting together research. As he rushed through the automatic door, he caught the attention of Professor Krane, his mother, some of their co-workers and even Jovi who had just come in after talking to her brother.

“Mom… Jovi… Professor Krane… Everyone…” Michael had become short of breath with the excitement of a new goal in mind. “I’m… I’m going to travel the world! I want to go see its people and the places they live in! I want to learn it all first-hand!”

“Michael, what in the world…?” Lily stared in surprise by her son’s sudden outburst.

“Travel the world, you say? Where did you get such an idea Michael?” Professor Krane inquired.

“I just… I’ve been thinking a lot about what other regions are like lately, ever since I’ve accomplished what I had set out to do. I want to see what those places are like myself, and I want to bring my discoveries back to Orre,” Michael explained, the enthusiasm brimming his voice. “I don’t know what I’ll do with those discoveries, but… I feel like Orre is so closed off. I want to change that, even if it’s just bringing my experiences to tell you guys… everyone… I need to go see them with my own eyes.”

“Wow, big bro wants to go see the world! Cool! Does that mean you’ll bring souvenirs for me and Pluplu and Mimi?” Jovi begged, with her two Pokémon jumping onto her shoulders.

“Hold on just a moment!” Lily hollered, hushing the excited group. “Michael, I understand your enthusiasm, but traveling the world is a huge undertaking and even more dangerous if you don’t know the places you’ll visit.”

“But that’s the whole point mom—I don’t know! And I want to know! Think of all of the trainers that do the same thing,” Michael explained. “I know I’m not the best trainer out there myself, but I’ve still accomplished a lot and I traveled through Orre just fine. I can take care of myself, you know I’d be fine.”

“I know you can take care of yourself Michael, but the idea of you being so far away worries me regardless...”

“Oh, Lily, your son saved the entire Orre Region,” Professor Krane reminded. “He can’t stay locked here forever if he doesn’t want to. If he wants to see the world and he can handle the responsibility, let him.”

“It’s not that I don’t think he’s capable Krane, but you can’t expect me not to worry about my son,” Lily replied.

“Of course, but think about how much your little boy has grown. Before Cipher returned, Michael wasn’t interested in exploring outside. He wasn’t even interested in having any other Pokémon besides his Eevee. Yet look at him now! He’s raised and helped several Pokémon owned by other people—legendary Pokémon even! Michael has become an extraordinary young man.”

“Professor…” Michael gave a small smile. Professor Krane had sung of praise of him in the past for sure, but never to such an extent.

Right beside her, many of Lily’s other co-workers looked at her with reassurance, nodding supportively. She looked towards her son, seeing Krane indeed had his point. Michael stood far taller, with his head up higher, with confidence and resolve shining in his eyes—far more than he ever did just a few years ago. Taking in a deep breath, she spoke:

“You don’t plan on just getting up and leaving today, do you?”

“No, of course not! I’m going to make all of the proper preparations. I know I want to learn things myself, but I’m also going to make sure I know what I’m getting into.”

A few moments of silence hung before Lily let out a sigh and looked down at her son. “Would a week be enough time for you to prepare?”

“Mom! Thank you!” Michael jumped and wrapped his arms around Lily, tightly hugging his mother. “Yeah, I’ll be ready by then for sure! You won’t have to worry about anything!” He eagerly let go of her, already heading back out the door he ran in from. “I’ll get started right away and be on schedule!”

“Oh, let me help you big brother!” Jovi cried with her Plusle and Minun squeaking along with her as they chased after him. Already, Lily found herself wanting to chase after her son and opening her mouth to call to him, but Krane rested a comforting hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.

“Come on now Lily, you’ll have to find time to help him make his preparations yourself. Besides, he’s old enough to make some of his own plans.”

***

“Just gotta put this on, and… Geez, how much did mom get me?” Michael reached into a paper bag on his desk as he pulled a new pair of fingerless gloves over his hands, clenching his fists and confirming their nice fit on him. Reaching over on the desk, he grabbed a shining red cap, placing it over his head as he adjusted it over his spikey red hair, pushing many of his natural spikes down.

“I think I’ll just pull this down and…” Grabbing the pair of black goggles wrapped around the cap, Michael lowered it down around his neck and gripped the lip of his cap, making its final adjustments. “And… perfect! All set!” Michael looked at the shining windows of his room, able to use it as a mirror with his reflection as he glanced over his new clothes.

He had a basic gray shirt, but a fancy leather crimson coat with black and white patterns. His pants were primarily red, but covered primarily in black in the front with a band of silver as well. His new sneakers were white with red soles, matching with his new red cap and red and black fanny pack he clicked over his waist. He couldn’t help but grin at his reflection, pumping his fist in a pose at himself only to start chuckling nervously.

“Oh, what’s the use… I may have neat clothes, but that doesn’t make me a cool guy,” Michael shrugged casually. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not ready for a new start today.”

Michael walked out the door, his bedroom closing behind him for potentially the last time in a while. He held his head up high, walking outside to the center of the Pokémon HQ Lab. There, he saw his mother, Jovi, Professor Krane, and many of the lab’s other co-workers he had come to know over the years. They all stared at Michael, not one face with a single trace of disdain or worry, but of joy and pride.

“Whoa, big brother!” Jovi shouted. “You’re looking spiffy! Mom got you some really cool clothes!”

“Yeah, she sure did,” Michael smiled as he looked over to Lily. “Thanks mom, you really didn’t have to do that. I was fine with what I had, but these are really nice. They feel and look great.”

“Oh, Michael…” Lily couldn’t stop herself from bringing her son into a tight embrace. “I’m your mother. The least I could do was give you a nice parting gift.”

“Of course… Thanks mom,” He gave his mother one last tight hug, as she was finally able to release him from her motherly grasp. “I’ll be careful, okay? You don’t need to tell me to be safe or anything. I’ve already mapped out a few things for my first destination.”

“Your mother wasn’t the only one to get together a parting gift,” Krane spoke up as Lily gave her son a nod. The professor approached him, reaching into his coat pocket. “Could you take out your P*DA for me?”

“Oh, of course,” Michael reached back into his new fanny pack and took out his P*DA, watching the professor take out a small chip as he handed it towards Michael, picking up the small chip with his fingers. “Is this an upgrade? What does it do?”

“It’s a rather minor one, but it will be helpful to us. It’s an International Service feature,” Krane answered. “I’m sure you understand that since P*DA’s are a local piece of technology from here, they don’t normally have service available in other regions. But with this chip, the P*DA will pick up on other local service networks in different regions that other devices use, like the PokéNav, the PokéGear, the Pokétch…”

“Wow, I didn’t know a chip like that existed, but it certainly helps us!”

“Oh yes, it does… Though at a bit of an extra cost for such a flexible service. But your mother was more than willing to pay it.”

“Oh, mom…” Michael smiled, seeing the care in Lily’s eyes after her placed the chip inside the P*DA, the device responding with a few brief beeps. “I promise I’ll keep in touch with you guys. I heard they have these neat video phones in other regions, so maybe you guys can get something like that for us to use later.”

“I’ll look into it, for sure. Let us know what you find,” Lily said.

“Of course mom,” Michael checked at the Poké Balls fastened on his new belt as he placed his P*DA back in his pack, looking up at everyone. “I’ll be safe. Jolteon and my other Pokémon will take care of me and make sure nothing happens to me, just like they always have.”

“And if something goes wrong, Pluplu and Mimi will rush over and save you big bro!” Jovi suggested adamantly.

“Oh, I know I can count on them too,” Michael scratched behind the ears of the Electric-type duo and pat their heads. “You two take care of Jovi while I’m gone too, alright?”

The two Pokémon squeaked in agreement as they nodded to him. Saying his goodbyes, Michael could feel his heart tightening at the idea of leaving so far from home and away from the family he had known. But he knew what he had to do, clenching his fists with steadfast determination as he paced down the stairs, looking back towards everyone.

“I promise, I won’t come back empty-handed. Something will come out of my journey, I’m certain. Thanks everyone… for believing in me!” Michael took a deep breath, forcing the biggest smile the muscles in his face could muster. “I may not know when I’ll be back, but I’ll see you guys… I promise!”

“Take care Michael, I’m sure you’ll bring us great things,” Professor Krane reassured as he began to wave to Michael, the others of the Pokémon HQ Lab following suit.

“Take care big bro! Don’t make me have to come down there and dry all your tears for you!” Jovi teased, waving her arms with enthusiasm.

Lily chuckled as she tried to swallow her own tears, opening her mouth with her choked voice. “Send those e-mails regularly, alright!? Krane meant it when he said I’m paying extra for that feature!”

“Don’t worry mom, I will!” Reaching his hover scooter, Michael sat onto it, starting and revving its engine as he began to drive it forward, looking back as he waved to the place he called home the community he knew as his family. “Bye everyone! I’ll see you soon! Take care of Orre for me!”

Hearing the many farewells, Michael finally felt absolute confidence in his leave, turning back to the road as he felt Orre’s winds blow through his hair, the smells of the small amount of forestry surrounding the lab filling his nose. A small heat wave hit him as he drove towards Gateon Port, seeing the deserts of the region from a distance, but he kept his course until he felt the humid air of the region’s coastline before him as Gateon Port finally came within his line of sight.

Entering the port, Michael reached a lot for his hover scooter, locking it into place as he put its keys into his bag. He breathed in deeply, taking in the last breaths of Orre he might have for a long time before reaching the port, where the Robo Kyogre his colleagues Dr. Kaminko and Chobin had built in order for him to reach Citadark Isle and finish Cipher for good. He opened its hatch, then untying the line from the Robo Kyogre and quickly hopping inside the sea craft as it began to drift slightly from the ocean’s waves.

“This is it Michael,” He said aloud to himself. “No turning back. There’s a whole world waiting to be seen… and I want to see it with my own eyes.”

Securing himself inside the Robo Kyogre, Michael reached up and closed the hatch, then starting up the craft as its engines roared like the very beast it was based off of and began to propel forward. While steady in speed at first, once Michael had made a great enough distance away from the port he knew so well, he deployed the Robo Kyogre’s fins, extending its reach and its speed rapidly increasing with its extra mechanisms further propelling it forward.

Turning his head back, Michael took in his last look of Orre for what could be weeks, months, perhaps even years. The region was rugged to be sure, but it was home nonetheless. He simply sought to wander further out.

“I’ll be back soon enough, but right now, my next destination is… Vermillion City,” Michael pressed a few buttons on the Robo Kyogre’s interface, displaying a map as he glanced back once more. “Until we meet again, Orre.”

#OrreWeek2k17 #JJ Writes #JJ Doodles #Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness #Orre #Pokémon #Michael #fanfiction #fanart

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