⇨ ALOLA

[ringleaders]

Who: EVERYONE.
When: Day 73 - Day 87
Where: The islands of Alola.
What: The Carnival arrives at its next touring location, a series of tropical islands inhabited by a species of animal called Pokemon and their trainers!
Warnings: Pokemon is pretty PG-rated.

IT'S A POKEMON WORLD↴ Alola is broken up into four different islands, with a number of unique points of interest. Boats can easily be rented in order to get between the islands, or you can just pay for the fair of a scheduled trip. If you can prove you have the skills for it, you can also call on a "Ride Pokemon" - that is, either a Charizard or a Lapras that will fly or swim you between locations. ► POPULATION: Though the islands appear very small as an abstraction in the actual games, that doesn't hold over into the actual reality of it. When interacting with the different locations, imagine that they are about as big and spread out as they would be in real life. It's about on the same scale as Hawaii is on earth. Ignore any wikis that say the population of each island is like 200 people, because that's just adding up all the scripted NPCs, and there are realistically more than six houses per town. ► AMENITIES: Even if they aren't overtly listed on island maps, it can be assumed that all towns and cities will have basic amenities - that is, places to eat, place to go to the washroom, places to buy souvenirs, and the other things one would expect in a tourist heavy area. You can also buy malasadas pretty much anywhere. ► POKECENTERS: You'll be able to find a Pokecenter in pretty much every town - a Pokecenter is a public building in which Pokemon Trainers can rest and get their Pokemon healed. Think of it like free international Pokemon healthcare. You can also buy Pokeballs here, as well as potions and other healing items for later use. ► AETHER FOUNDATION: A peace keeping organization that shelters Pokemon from harm and abuse. If you kill/maim any Pokemon or otherwise act violently in public, they will come to try to take you down with their Pokemon. They also are the main force working against Team Skull. MELEMELE ISLAND↴ [MELEMELE DETAIL MAP] [GUARDIAN DEITY TAPU KOKO] [WIKI LINK] ► TRAINER SCHOOL: A full fledged for young, aspiring Pokemon Trainers! Students go here to learn about Pokemon care and battling before setting out on their own journeys. It would be sort of weird for an adult to show up here, like it would for an adult to try to attend an elementary school, but you can probably learn some of the basics just from touring the facility. ► HAU'OLI SHOPPING DISTRICT: The biggest shopping district on Melemele, you can do a lot here, from eating out to getting your hair dyed. A lot of shops are, unsurprisingly, completely Pokemon focused - but there are some that aren't, too. There are also some very nice beach fronts nearby. ► BERRY FIELDS: Berries come in a lot of different types and have different effects when used. Mostly, Pokemon love to eat them, regardless of what type they are. This is a big field of them, most of which are free to take if you catch them when ripe. ► TEN CARAT HILL: The secluded interior of a small mountain, filled with some rare types of rock Pokemon. You have to be able to bypass the left overs of some recent rockslides to get in. ► TRIAL SITE: There is only one trial on this islands, which is the Normal type trial. All you have to do is fight a bunch of Pokemon ferrets, and then fight an even bigger Pokemon ferret that thirsts for your blood. It's not so bad. AKALA ISLAND↴ [AKALA DETAIL MAP] [GUARDIAN DEITY TAPU LELE] [WIKI LINK] ► TIDE SONG HOTEL: A big ass hotel near the port - if you want to stay on Alola overnight, this is a pretty good place to go. It isn't too expensive, and is also rather nice. ► DIMENSIONAL RESEARCH LAB: Alola, on occasion, has been the site of various dimensional breaks (haha) in which extraplanar creatures called Ultra Beasts have crossed over. There isn't much information about these beasts, but they are something that are being actively studied. Characters who are nerds might find some of this information interesting. ► HANO GRAND RESORT: The inevitably big, fancy resort that tends to take route in touristy places like this. If you actually pay to spend some time there, you can enjoy all the things you'd expect to find in a fancy resort, except with way more Pokemon. There is also a fancy, secluded beach for resort goers only. ► BATTLE ROYALE DOME: A battle area in which 4 trainers fight each other all at once, with teams of there Pokemon. The trainers here are mostly quite expert, and you need a team of three Pokemon to play, so player characters probably won't be able to participate. However, you can still come to watch, if you like seeing a bunch of colourful monsters slapping each other around. ► PANIOLA RANCH: A large ranch that keeps a lot of Pokemon that resemble earth farm animals. You can leave Pokemon here to stay for a while if you need a break from the strains of trainer life. Quite often, however, your Pokemon will end up getting knocked up and leave you with another egg to care for. ► TRIAL SITES: Brooklet Hill is a lake filled area that contains the Water Trial. You have to fight a bunch of schooling Wishiwashi, and then an even bigger schooling Wishiwashi to win. Wela Volcano Park contains the Fire Trial, where you must climb to the top of the dormant volcano, and spot the difference between a series of ceremonial island dances. Then you gotta fight a team of Marrowaks and a giant Salazzle. The Lush Jungle contains the Grass challenge, in which you have to find a series of rare organic ingredients in order to brew something that will lure out a giant Lurantis. ULA'ULA ISLAND↴ [ULA'ULA DETAIL MAP] [GUARDIAN DEITY TAPU BULU] [WIKI LINK] ► MALIE GARDEN: A nice big garden to hang out in and chill. Also, there are Pokemon there... and also, Pokemon battles? There's really no end to it. ► MOUNT HOKULANI OBSERVATORY: Up at the top of the local mountain, you can go see a space observatory. Like most things in Alola, it's like a regular observatory, except with more Pokemon, since some Pokemon just straight up come from space. You can take a bus up here, but you can also hike if you want. ► HAINA DESERT: A shitty desert in the middle of the island. Mostly only good for if you want the kinds of Pokemon that live in shitty deserts. ► ABANDONED THRIFTY MEGAMART: A Megamart, but haunted. Extremely haunted, filled with the kind of ghost Pokemon that would actually kill you. You have to take a bunch of pictures of ghosts on your way through here if you want to beat the Ghost Trial. ► PO TOWN: The ramshackle remains of the town that Team Skull have taken over. It's completely walled off from the rest of the world, and is pretty terrible. No point in going in there unless you're fighting crime, in which case you can expect to get challenged to Pokemon battles by a lot of Team Skull knuckleheads. ► LAKE OF THE MOON: A huge, round temple thing in the middle of nowhere. It's used to praise a legendary Pokemon that existed years ago, but there presently doesn't seem to be anything around except cool architecture. ► TRIAL SITES: The Observatory contains the Electric Challenge, during which you have to fend off various kinds of electric grubs, before eventually taking on a giant Vikavolt. The Abandoned Megamart must first be cleared before challenging the Ghost Trial officially, at which point you will have to defeat a powerful Mimikyu. PONI ISLAND↴ [PONI DETAIL MAP] [GUARDIAN DEITY TAPU FINI] [WIKI LINK] ► SEAFOLK VILLAGE: A village made of nothing but houseboats and other water fairing homes. It's the only major town on Poni Island. ► ANCIENT RUINS: Most of Poni Island has been reduced to ruins, over time. Not many people live here, relative to the other islands, but there are a lot of abandoned buildings from when they apparently used to. ► VAST PONI CANYONS: Most of the island is comprised of canyons, caves, and valleys filled with particularly strong Pokemon, and also a lot of fight-hungry Pokemon trainers. Most of them will want to fight you as soon as they see you, since they are there mostly to train, but they will back down if you tell them you're not a trainer. Though, at that point they will strongly urge you to go home, because it's too danger for anything other than the strongest trainers. ► ALTAR OF THE SUN: A matching altar to the one found on Ula'ula, except this time dedicated to a legendary Pokemon of the sun. If you play some magic flutes here at the right time then apparently a giant lion might show up, but there's no way to be sure. ► TRIAL SITES: The only Trial here is the Grand Trial, which is a fight against the leader's ground type Pokemon. You may also get lucky and have the Fairy Trial's kahuna deign to fight you, with her fairy types, if she randomly wanders into your path. Both of them are very strong, and are not advised to challenge for new trainers.

Comments

CARLY | OTA

[insidescoop]

[A Tale of Woe]

[Carly has thus far done her job fairly well. Day one of scouting and she had a pokedex, some information on basic medical care for pokemon, basic information on...Pokemon in general...one would think she's currently a good image for the Nightrunners!]

AAahh...aAUUAaaAAAAAHHHHHHHHH-

[Except right now.

Carly looks to her current travel companion with absolute rivers of tears running from her eyes, pointing toward the cubone some distance away in the volcanic brush. It doesn't seem to be minding anything aside from its own business, but Carly had taken the opportunity to take a scan with the pokedex and...well...]

L...LAMBERT, IT HAS NO PARENTS..!! It's a defenseless little baby that's so sad..!!

[This is what he has to put up with.]

[A 'REFRESHING' INTERMISSION]

Hmmm-hmm-hmmm~ [Well, now that this Cubone-currently called 'Nuna'-has been safely caught in a brilliant black and gold 'luxury ball'-Carly is taking every chance she gets to make good use of a little bag that's been steadily gaining weight each time they stop at a Pokemon Center. The thing about Pokemon Centers here is that they have cafes. Which means Coffee. And, since she brings little Nuna everywhere now...]

'Ohh! What a cute pokemon-here, have some Poke-beans.'

Hahhh, thank you~

[She's got a lot of these weird beans. And Nuna likes eating them, so that's even better! The little one gets to eat them whenever they can, and whenever they come out of a battle the first thing that happens is pets and a wipe down with a towel and-

Come to think, watching Carly pull out a portable hair dryer is probably making it Pretty Clear that Nuna is...Spoiled rotten to put it gently.] Hmnnn, I wonder if you'd look good with ribbons...

[Absolutely Rotten.]

[A Tale of WOW]

'Vikavolt', the 'Stag Beetle' pokemon... Hmnn! Okay, Nuna! Let's go!

[This trial hasn't been so bad. The idea had been that they were just going to summon what was called a 'Totem Pokemon' right to them so they didn't have to find it, of course, but a black-out wasn't too hard for her these days. She could TAKE IT. And so could Nuna! Against electric attacks, she'd be fine, and so far all these bugs were going down easy under her bone club!] It's still electric type, so don't worry!

[...There's just one problem, now that they're fighting the Totem.]

...Nuna?

Nuu! Nnnnn-U!

[Vikavolt's ability is 'Levitate'. Now that the bone attack-or 'ground' attack can't hit, it doesn't matter that Nuna's immune to the electric attacks. Now that bug can just start chipping away with other moves, and nothing Nuna's throwing can hit-leaving Carly frantic as she shouts to the poor thing.] N-Nuna..! Nuna, you can do it..! Use a headbutt..!! You can still headbutt..!

[She can, but it still misses. And the bug gets faster, and faster, and faster...

Until finally at the brink of the battle, something miraculous happens.

Nuna 'glows'. Before Carly's very eyes the pokemon changes form, brown hide going black and grey, their helm seeming to fuse with their face.]

MMMARROWWWWW..!

[And suddenly, after one slight hit, the Vikavolt can't use that bug move any more.] H...HAHHHHHH-!

[Of course, it also means they just lost the electric immunity, but...] Q-Quickly, Nuna..! While you can..!

[It seems Nuna at least has something of an advantage now that they've evolved-

And with a flame wheel, that bug goes DOWN.] H-

Hhahahhaaaaa... You did it..!~ Nunaaaa, you did it~~

[They are So Celebrating now-and to that end, everyone can find these two at the nearest Malasada shop, both seated and eating some deep-fried pastries.]

INTERMISSION

[dorkypantsuit]

[Of course Psi's grubbin is getting equally spoiled rotten. The troll in question walks up, his Grubbin resting on his shoulder, both of them sporting the same equally dope shades.]

Or how about some killer shades?

[fortuneglass]

[Holy shit.

Those...Are some DOPE-SHADES...] HEHHHH!?

[Carly needs to give those a second look.] Oh!! They even have little trees on them! Where did you get these?!

[dorkypantsuit]

I got it from that city with all the shops! Um... Howly?

[Something like that, fuck if he knows.]

Aren't they amazing?

[insidescoop]

How...You mean 'Hau'oli'? [Yes that's what he said weren't you listening.] They look so cool..~

...Definitely tourist shades though...how come they get the cool stuff!!

[dorkypantsuit]

[He shrugs, grabbing Grubbin of his shoulder and holding him to his chest like you would a small child. The larva snuggles in close, clicking it's pincers happily.]

Because tourists aren't afraid to try something new! They don't have to worry about their image when they're around strangers.

[insidescoop]

[OH!!! That's so cute she's going to die! (Ok maybe not die but-] Hmm!! I didn't think of it that way, but...

That explains why they look so tacky, doesn't it!!

[..............carly................that hurts...]

[dorkypantsuit]

Excuse you.

[He says, before striking a pose. It's slightly ruined by the fact that he's cradling a larva to his chest.]

I make this look good.

[fortuneglass]

Hmnnn~ Tourist good at least~

[HEY-] You're really getting into this though! Are you keeping some of this to wear again?

[dorkypantsuit]

Obviously! Why would I but something if I wasn't going to wear it!

[insidescoop]

I don't know! [Carly shakes her head, but she continues explaining at the least.] I do it a lot of the time for the sake of scouting after all..! You have to blend in, and look normal, so you have to wear things that look normal... ...Even if they're not really things you would normally wear... [she sighs, half huffing about the matter.]

And with the Carnival weather, a lot of what I need where we go isn't really something that I'll need after we leave too...

[dorkypantsuit]

Clothes aren't about the weather, they're about the style!

[insidescoop]

[NO! You are WRONG, Psii!!] I like to feel nice and warm when it's cold, and nice and cool when it's hot, you know..!

Those things are important for my health!

WOE, NELLY

[whattaprick]

[ So far, Lambert has put up fairly well with the whole 'dragged into a world of magical fighting monsters' thing. He's even gotten used to riding the weird donkey thing -- which he's already nicknamed 'Pig' and won't call anything else -- because it's convenient, even if it makes him feel ridiculous.

He's also gotten pretty used to tuning Carly out, but the blubbering is finally enough to pierce his indifference as he takes in their surroundings, a pretty new setting for him. It's interesting, and he'd probably be ditching Carly right now to explore if she wasn't suddenly making all that noise. ]

Hm? [ He glances over. It ... doesn't obviously seem to be any more or less weird than anything else they've seen here so far. Definitely not something that should be making her cry on sight. What the fuck, Carly. ] How can you even tell?

[ Someone still hasn't gotten the hang of their Pokedex. Though that might at least be because it's coated in mud and jammed into the bottom of his bag. Even dressed in shorts and tank top, it's warm enough here to make Lambert sweat. ]

[insidescoop]

[Carly is shaking as she cries, and she just holds up her pokedex, a tiny pinky finger tapping the button that says 'AUDIO'.] J-Just listen Lambert i-

When it thinks of its deceased mother, it weeps loudly. Mandibuzz that hear its cries will attack it from the air.

IT COULD EVEN GET ATTACKED BY VULTURES LAMBERT, AAAAAAUUUHHHHH!!! [She's taking this pretty seriously considering the cubone is standing there quite peacefully right now.]

[whattaprick]

If you keep crying like that, something is going to hear us. [ Lambert says, without much real worry, but you know. Just pointing out that what she's doing is kind of counterintuitive if she wants to avoid a massacre of tiny... creatures... whatever the hell it is. ]

You don't think it's weird this thing knows its mom is dead?

[ All this crying is making him intensely uncomfortable. Given his emotional spectrum is limited to 'snark,' 'anger,' and 'trolling,' that's probably not a surprise. ]

It looks like it's doing fine, come on. Let's go.

[insidescoop]

I'm not the one that's in trouble though, it is!! It's not weird at all, these people did plenty of research, and compiled lots and lots of information for these devices, and-

[And as Lambert suggests leaving, Carly grows even more desperate, immediately stiffening and running toward the cubone-which, predictably, takes on a rather defensive position.] If you think I'm leaving it alone in the wild you're completely wrong!! I'm not cruel!

[whattaprick]

[ After giving him all that shit about not scaring Pokemon and not yelling at them, honestly, she can't even take her own advice?! ]

Hey, don't-- [ It's a lost cause. She's off and running, and Lambert's just sort of here to watch things play out with a shrug. Some people may make it their business to stage interventions, but not the witcher. Besides, he feels like Carly would just argue with him even more about it even if he tried ... might as well let her figure out the lesson the hard way?

Although they are fairly exposed up here. With all this ruckus, who knows that they're going to attract... ]

[insidescoop]

[Well, fortunately, they seem to still be facing exactly One Cubone. And as soon as she's a few paces away, Carly's digging in her purse again for the one thing she needs. A big, white and red ball, which she throws and-

....

Nope.] Ahhhhh...! It's okay, really, it's fine..!

[For a brief moment, cubone seemed to have gone into the ball. A brief moment. Immediately after, it broke out.]

[whattaprick]

[ Lambert doesn't bother to hide his snicker. ]

Doesn't seem all that eager to tag along with us, is it?

[ The cute little Cubone doesn't seem so entertained by the proceedings, particularly being zapped into a ball and released only a minute later. Its stubby little tail waves back and forth, bone club shaking. ]

Cubone! BONE!!!

[ Not so peaceful, now. Not particularly threatening to Lambert, since it's reminiscent more of a child throwing a tantrum, but ... ]

What the hell did you just throw at it anyway?

[insidescoop]

I'm going to keep trying though, for their sake..! [she insists, throwing another. As for the ball...she holds the third one up before there's any need to throw it.] It's a pokeball! They're used to make the capture official, and the bond too~ ...You didn't use the one I told you to use for 'Pig', did you...

[DAMMIT LAMBERT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SEAL THE BOND.</small.]

[whattaprick]

Uh ...

[ That have been part of her lecture that Lambert had initially ignored. Oops? If it's any consolation, he did at least put it in his pocket, . He glances over at Pig, who seems unconcerned by the proceedings, even as Cubone doesn't even wait to be hit by the Pokeball this time, it just swats it away with its bone club. In another life, Cubone should have tried out for Little League. ]

... Maybe you ought to try knocking it out, first. [ Knocking things out is not the solution to everything, Lambert, so he'll cough into his hand and try again. ] Or feeding it. Seems friendlier than throwing things at it.

[insidescoop]

This is different from before! And it won't work if they're knocked out, either, [she responds with a huff, digging through her bag continuously.] Trainers throw these to get their pokemon...when we got Pig it was different! I need to do it the right way..! [she insists, throwing again. She's got like. TWENTY of these, it has to work right???

RIGHT???] I-If I don't do it the right way, it won't feel right!!

let me ... know if this works LMFAO

[whattaprick]

Suit yourself.

[ Hey, he was just trying to be helpful. However, since she isn't giving in, Lambert's just going to ... go find a non-on-fire rock to sit down on while she exhausts her throwing arm, offering useless side-commentary like 'raise your elbow higher' and 'try aiming for its blind spot.' In the meantime, Cubone either keeps batting away or popping out of each successive ball Carly throws, the alarm and irritation turning into... amusement, somehow? Lambert can't really tell, but the Cubone's chatter seems to have become happier, somehow, like frustrating Carly's efforts has just become another game to play. ]

It's perfect!

[insidescoop]

[While cubone is amused, Carly is growing more and more desperate. And as such...more weepy. She's on her last three pokeballs at this point-throwing 'three' has her arm shaking. Throwing 'two'...] Th...S...

[She curls up where she's already been brought to her knees, staring at the last pokeball. A shiny black and gold, a very costly 'souvenir'. And now it's...her last hope.

She does the only thing that makes sense.] Aaaauhhh...wuaaaaaahhhhhhh...

[She cries.] N...Not all of them...all of them failed, and now it's just this one leeeeeeefffftt...snfffgh...AAAAAAAUUUUUHHHHH....!!

[DESPAIR HAS STRUCK.]