Elite Frontier: Fight to the Finish [Old]

Let's have some fun with this thing.

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[Current OST: Green Memories]

A large white boat sails through the ocean at a comfortable speed as flocks of Wingull and Pelipper fly through the clear blue sky. The ship is crowded with people and Pokemon alike taking in the sights as they stare out their windows.

A young woman with long black hair tied into a ponytail wearing a black minidress, blue eyes and purple nails runs out towards the bow of the ship. A cool breeze brushes past her body as she puts her hands on the railguard. Trailing behind her is a purple-colored Braixen wearing a black jacket, sunglasses and a red scarf with trailing ribbons.

"I love going on these cruise lines. Isn't it beautiful, Dan?" - The woman turns around to ask.

"I suppose. I'm not that fond of being surrounded by water." - The Braixen remarks with a disinterested look on his face.

"Oh, don't be like that! You can't fool me. Besides, aren't you excited for the big event?" - Luna questions.

"Well, of course. It's a tournament where the best of the best come to duke it out. Aside from catching up with old friends, who knows what kind of crazy new people we might meet?" - Daniel states with an enthusiastic tone.

"I know, right? When Allen called me and said he was coming in from Sinnoh, I couldn't wait to see him again. Especially seeing that he's been working himself and the guys really hard and all..." - Luna says as her heart starts pounding. She curls a strand of hair with her finger and sighs.

"Yeah, it's gonna be great. By the way, did you remember to bring the camera?" - Daniel asks.

"I'm positive. I let Ronove handle it." - Luna remarks, entranced by the sea.

"Oi, come on. You can't trust that pompous ass to do everything!" - Daniel complains.

"Hehe. You and him butt heads so often, I'd swear you were brothers." - Luna giggles.

"Yeah, yeah... A regular Cain and Abel." - Daniel scoffs as he straightens his sunglasses.

"What are we gonna do with you two?" - Luna says, nearly stifling into laughter.

"I dunno, babe. But hey, it's a beautiful day! If I didn't completely despise the beach, I'd probably take a dip." - Daniel remarks as he looks up towards the sun with his right paw over his eyes.

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[Current OST: Mt. Travail]

A young man with brown hair dyed with orange highlights, dark-colored swimwear and six Pokeballs hanging from his waist comes out of a plane and into a large line of people. He makes his way towards a plaza with people scurrying about getting their luggage. The plaza has dark blue carpet and seats, glass skylights with strong sunlight shining through and some fast food restaurants on the sides.

The man grabs three Pokeballs from his waist and summons a Togekiss, a Lucario wearing a navy blue jacket, and a Roserade with blue eyes. They look around before turning their attention towards the man.

"Yo, are we finally in Kalos?" - The Lucario states, stretching his arms and yawning.

"Yeah, Sigurd. And I gotta say... I'm excited to be here. Not just for the tournament, but because it's vacation time!" - The man states.

"Alright! Can't wait to finally get some rest. Cause Allen, sweetie, we can't put up a good fight if we're exhausted." - The Roserade says as she stretches.

"Well, yeah, that's right. So Luz, what do you think about being here?" - Allen asks.

"I can't wait to go to the beach, for one. Then I'd probably gorge myself on delicious food or just take in the sights. Cause, like you said, it's time to kick back and relax!" - The Togekiss remarks with a smile.

"Hey, don't get too full. You're a big team player, and I don't want you going 'ooh I ate too much' when someone's on the verge of sweeping the whole team." - Allen remarks as he does an impression of her whining. Sigurd and Beatrice chuckle while the Togekiss just rolls her eyes.

"Oh, just trust me, you silly boy. Anyway, where we going first?" - Luzmiel asks, flapping her wings up and down.

"Well, first, we have to go pick up our provisions. Sigurd, Beatrice, help me get them." - Allen states, going towards a nearby baggage claim as the three Pokemon follow him.

Samuel sat at the front of the boat, watching the waves splash by one by one. Macario was shuffling through his bag nearby, probably a bag filled with rocks knowing him. His little Tyrunt was running around on deck, snapping at who knows what. Achilles ran up to Sam with his mouth open wide.

"I'll throw you overboard."

The Tyrunt froze in terror and retreated to his trainer.

"Oh come on Sam, this is going to be fun!" Macario said, scooping the Tyrunt into his arms. Truthfully the rock dino was incredibly heavy, but Macario didn't mind.

"Am I not having fun?"

"Eh..." Well you're sitting on the edge of the boat staring at nothing, Macario thought. But he just accepted that his brother was probably content if he said he was. "Think you'll have a chance to win this competition thing?" he changed the subject.

"Well I didn't enter to lose."

"True..." Macario looked around. Seemed like there were some strong trainers on the boat with them. "Still, even if you lose right away, it's a free vacation! Can't go wrong!"

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Meanwhile, three Team Corona operatives landed on Aurum Island in their own private boat. Each of them was wearing their typical street clothes, so to the average person, there was nothing to suspect. 

"So... what are we doing here?" the teenage boy of the group asked. He had gray hair, light in the front and dark in the back.

"Just act normal and don't do anything suspicious," the oldest of the group answered. She hopped out of the boat and began to tie it to the pier.

The younger girl, Adanna, started giggling. Stupidity was Jack's specialty. He'd find a way to blow their cover, which was something she should be concerned about, but ultimately didn't.

"So... paid vacation?" Jack asked hopefully. Malaika shot him a look that was a clear "no." But hey, he was here on business. Business that involved doing nothing. So, paid vacation.

"Right, we shouldn't be seen much together. Just assume I'm someone who gave you two a ride," Malaika instructed. "Just wait for more orders."

"Roger that!"

Adanna elbowed Jack in the gut. "Less suspicious."

Riven stared out the window. The sea was glistening. Riven sighed in bliss.

"This is so relaxing...." he sighed, leaning back into his seat and letting the gentle rocking of the boat send him into a slumber.

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"I can't friggin' believe it."  Felix snarled into a cell phone, while leaning on the guardrail, "You allowed those three to take a private boat.....and you didn't even ask me? You knew I was going....."

Felix went silent, apparently listening to whoever was on the other end.

"Yes, it would be strange if we were all on the same boat, but seriously...."

More silence as the person on the other end spoke.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I'll talk to you later, then." Felix said, trying to make the phone call sound natural and not at all evil.

She ended the call and sighed.

"Still bullshit..."

(Original poster: Zora - I'm doing this to take less time regarding the copy-pasting)

Elsewhere on the deck, a young woman with copper skin and deep red hair lounged in the arms of a Garchomp. "Maaan, why're you all so impatient? We'll get there when we get there. And I'm not just saying that 'cause I'm comfortable and don't wanna get up." One might pause to wonder who in their right mind would be comfortable lounging around on a pointy, rough-skinned dragon, but then they might realize that this girl in particular was a bit weird. The Garchomp didn't seem to object either, instead nuzzing her like a doting mom. "Hey, Melonfucker, how you holdin' up?"

Nearby her, a silver-haired woman with an eyepatch frowned loudly. "I still don't wanna go."

"But it's like a vacation, man."

"But I should be at home taking care of Isra."

"And dying from the emotion thing. Ms. Isra's gonna be just fine on her own for a few weeks. She has Violet to help her out."

"Violet is in a wheelchair."

"And? It's something. Cool your tits and help me figure out what's with the weird rainbow lady." Zora pointed to the opposite side of the deck where a very, very tall woman whose prismatic hair ran down to the floor stood leaning on the edge of the ship, watching into the distance. Around her waist was an ornate Kalosian broadsword, and on her back was a shield decked in silvers and golds, embossed with a starry pattern, constellations traced carefully on its surface. Both of the other two seemed reasonably surprised when the sword began to speak.

"Milady, have we arrived yet? Surely after such a long travel..."

"No, we're not there yet."

"Drats... then is there any more coffee left-"

"You've had seven cups. I'm cutting you off."

----------------

Elsewhere on the open ocean, a small black boat raced across the waves with expedience. It had come a much longer way than the cruise ship the others were on. On its side was emblazoned a crimson emblem in the shape of an R.

"Boss. We're approachin' the destination." A young man in black uniform approached the lounge room on the yacht, where a woman with azure hair lounged on a luxuriant looking couch. There was a Gardevoir seated in a chair next to her sipping some tea.

"Thank you, Gary. Deploy the cloaks once we're within sight of the shoreline. Let's go catch us some suckers."

(Original poster: Yours Truly)

After another half-hour or so, the boat arrives to a pristine port full of speedboats, fishing boats and other cruise liners. Luna's eyes glitter with excitement as the ship comes into port, followed by Daniel throwing up his arms yelling "Finally!". She grabs her things and joins the cluster of group walking off of the cruise liner.


Her attention is fixated on the incredibly tall woman with rainbow hair equipped with an equally large blade and shield on her back. Luna walks over to the amazonian rainbow with her hand held out but quickly yanks it back and looks forward with a nervous glance.


In the distance, she sees a slender, dark-haired woman wearing a black evening gown accompanied by an incredibly large Pidgeot with a navy-blue crest. Luna runs over to them with a smile on her face and embraces the woman in a tight hug.

"Hello, Luna! How was your trip?" - The dark-haired woman asks.

"It was great, mom! Had the guys take care of me like always. Although Daniel had another fit with Ronove." - Luna remarks.

"Oh, I see. Speaking of which - hello, Daniel." - Mercedes chuckles as she pats the Braixen on the head. 

"Hey, Mercedes. Oh, and hey to you too, big guy." - Daniel blushes as he points toward the Pidgeot.

"... Right. Care to take our leave, milady?" - The Pidgeot says in a gruff tone, glancing away from Daniel and towards Mercedes.

"Yes, Cerveau. Let's go, Luna. Your father's on his way to pick up Allen, so let's hurry home and beat him there!" - Mercedes remarks, with her and Luna jumping onto the back of the Pidgeot.

"Alright, sweet! Let's go, Danny." - Luna says, patting the space behind her.

Daniel refuses to move and looks the other way.

"... Y...You know what, just stuff me into my Pokeball. I don't like flying." - He glances toward Luna with a pout.

"... Awww, ok. You're missing out, though." - Luna states as she pulls a Pokeball from her waist and stuffs him inside.

As the two women perch themselves on Cerveau's back, he extends his wings and rockets into the air. A fierce wind guides their flight, with Luna clinging on to dear life while her mother calmly holds onto the sides.

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Allen and his Pokemon grab the bags from the machine and walk out into a lane filled with cars of different sizes and colors. He looks up and down the lane only to sigh.

"... Aw jeez. He's not here." - Allen states with a dejected tone.

"Maybe we caught George early." - Sigurd remarks, holding luggage over his shoulder.

Allen walks forward and accidentally collides with a man talking over the phone, with both of them losing their balance. The man nearly drops his phone while Allen backs away.

"Oh crap! Sorry about that! Are you alright?!" - Allen apologizes.

"It's fine. It was my fault for not looking where I was going."

[Current OST: Mask Shop]

The man has white hair with a beard, is dressed in a fine brown suit and has a Mightyena and a Manectric following behind him. The two Pokemon growl at Allen and get into aggressive poses, but the man calls them off by petting them on the head.

"Don't mind them, they're very protective of me. My name is Abraham Lazulio." - The man calmly states as he holds out his hand.

Allen shakes his hand in return, but ponders where he heard the name. When he realizes who it is, his eyes widen in disbelief.

"Abraham? Wait, whoa! Like the famous music guy? I would have never thought we'd meet here." - He remarks with a starstruck look in his eyes.

"Hehe, always nice to meet a fan. Are you part of the tournament too?" - Abraham asks with a smile.

"Of course. We trained really hard so we can show everybody our stuff. And well... sorry if I interrupted your phone call." - Allen states, putting his hand behind his head.

"Ah, it's no problem. They call me all the time for everything - I'm not even bothered by it. Well, I really have to go - see you later!" - Abraham says, patting him on the shoulder as he passes.

"Alright, cool. See you later." - Allen remarks as he waves.

The Mightyena and Manectric glare at the people around them with low growls and toothy sneers. As they leave, Allen's Pokemon look at each other with unease.

"Gggh... That was..." - Sigurd states with a cold sweat.

"Yeah. Those two were a bit unpleasant, which is really weird considering their trainer seemed like a nice guy." - Beatrice scowls.

"I sorta want to see how good they are in a fight. Cause they were really itching for one." - Luzmiel grins with a sly expression.

"Alright, that's enough gossiping guys. Jeez. You shouldn't be scared by those two anyway." - Allen says, rolling his eyes.

Allen hears a car horn behind him and jumps out of shock. He turns around to see another man come out a black van. The man has tan skin, a muscled build, dark hair complete with a moustache, a dark red suit and has an eyepatch over his right eye. Allen walks up to him as he drags his bags along.

"Hey, George! I'm glad to see you, man!" - Allen states with an energetic tone.

"Same to you. I assume you're doing well yourself?" - George asks.

"Well, yeah! Me and the guys came to win. All the training we did wasn't for nothing, you know!" - Allen says as he pumps his fist.

"I know you're not just blowing smoke, but I would not say that lightly - especially as we've got some new tricks in the Charnel. Alright, hop in." - George says, going to the driver's side.

"I'm ready for whatever you have to throw at me. Oh yeah, we're also here to relax... but that goes without saying." - Allen remarks, with him and the Pokemon stuffing his bags into the trunk. 

Allen slams the trunk, puts the other three back into their Pokeballs and jumps into the van. George starts up the van and drives out of the airport, with Allen staring out of the glass windows in an absent-minded manner. 

"So how is Luna these days?"

"She's fine - getting in some practice with her guys and all. You know, she's been itching to see you ever since you left..." - George remarks as they drive off into the distance.

(Original poster: Nyx)

When the cruise came to dock, Samuel grabbed his bag and began to exit the ship. Macario followed but stopped short when he spotted a peculiar woman not too far away. Well, he didn't notice her specifically, though she certainly qualified as peculiar for her hair color and height, but Macario was more interested in the Aegislash worn on her back. That style of shield had to be 100, maybe 200 years old. He bounced on the balls of his feet, trying to decide just how weird it would be to run up to a random stranger and start talking old weaponry styles.

"Hey, you coming?" Sam asked him.

"Y-yeah, I'm coming." Darn, he didn't have the guts to go up and be a bother. Maybe he'd get the opportunity to ask about it later. Then again, Aurum Island was huge. Hopefully she was here for the tournament as well.

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The three split up. After aimlessly walking around a bit, Jack decided the coast was clear and let out one of his Pokemon. A Sableye materialized in front of him and stretched.

"About time! That took forever."

"Dude check it, easiest job ever!" Jack waved his arms out around him. "Guess what we have to do? Nothing!"

Denzia tilted his head. "Nothing? ...Alright!" He flashed a thumbs up and scurried onto Jack's shoulder. "Let's get something to eat, I'm hungry!"

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Meanwhile, Adanna let out her Swellow.

"Hey Rand, didn't want to get too lonely."

The Swellow perched on her arm and rubbed his head against her's, causing her to giggle a bit.

"Aw, you're so sweet. I was hoping to stick around Jack at least, but we should probably stay separated. Would be nice to meet some other people though... I'm not even sure what I'm doing here."

"Would you like me to survey the area?" Rand asked.

"Might be a good idea. Stay close by though."

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And lastly, Malaika had no inclination to bond with her Pokemon. Instead, she spotted Felix on the phone. Probably with one of her superiors. She walked by silently, but close enough that Felix would know that she knew that Felix was there. Why? She was a bit jealous of her rank, sure. But not jealous enough to start something in the middle of a job.

(Original poster: Flareth)

Riven awoke as the ship reached the port. Stretching a bit, he got up from his chair and exited the boat.

"There has to be some space out here...." he muttered.

After a few minutes of searching, he finally found some space to let out his Pokemon. Artemis, his Glameow, immediately attempted to slink off.

"No, no hunting." Riven said firmly. "What if you captured a trainer's Rattata?"

Artemis pouted slightly, but inwardly, she agreed. No need to get her trainer in trouble.

Riven sat down on a bench, deep in thought. What should he do first? Obviously, he'd need to find the place he was staying. They should have maps som-

'Ey, look at this woman, Riv!

An Irish accent suddenly filled his head. That accent belonged to Colin, his trustful Whimsicott. Colin was waving his paw, motioning at a rainbow-haired women with an ornate Aegislash.

"Colin, don't. She might see us." Riven sighed. "You know pointing out people isn't polite."

I wasn't pointing her out to make fun of her. I was pointing her out because she looked interesting....

"Still. She could see you and get offended." Riven stated.

You're too nice for your own good.

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Meanwhile, Felix was in a panic. She had got off the boat with no problems, but was shocked when she saw the rainbow-haired woman in the crowd.

"Shit shit shit shit shit...." she muttered under her breath. "Why is she here why?"

She practically ran into the first place she could see. She could only hope that Astra wouldn't find her.

(Original poster: Zora)

If notice were dollar bills, Astra might perhaps be a millionaire after so long. She seemed to attract it, she knew. She strode gracefully off the boat, having an odd, floating aire to her. She scanned around cautiously, frowning. Such attention often attracted those less than ideal, as well, and less than ideal sorts frequently found themselves faced with the blade of her Aegislash, who continued to complain about coffee at her hip.

"Okay, okay, we'll get you another cup. Let us settle first and we'll find a cafe."

"...Promise?"

"You are an addict and you have a problem. That said, yes. Promise. And afterward, after we've sated your craving and dropped our things where we'll be staying, I'll be investigating the history of this place." She thought she caught a glimpse of similar rainbow hair dart into a nearby shop. Maybe it was just someone's hat, but... it was quite odd. Hmmm. Maybe if she saw it again, she would pursue it. After all, what were the odds her daughters, any of them, were here yet? Boats were still coming in, and she would have to be blind to miss hair like hers. Everyone else sure noticed. She saw the stares. She was used to it.

Meanwhile, Zora had her Garchomp carry her off the boat... and had to nudge her a bit when the dragon started staring at the behind of another trainer's dragon that had just walked past.

"No. No, bad. Don't touch the butt."

"But I wanna touch the butt."

"You're more like Ma than I think you realize. Have to wonder why you and her get into so many fights."

The Garchomp didn't reply, instead striding forward. Shortly behind the two was the eye-patched mechanic, who was marvelling at the surroundings.

"Dayum, this place is gorgeous."

"Well, you sure changed your tune."

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As the black yacht pulled around to a quieter stretch of shoreline, a panel closed over the crimson 'R' on the side, making it look like a normal, if dark, ship. It slowed to a stop near the shore, and the ramp slipped down onto the sands. Azurra stepped off, her loyal Gardevoir in tow.

"Well, what do you make of this, Hera? Pretty little place, isn't it? Good place to find some rich fuckers hanging around."

"I concur."

Azurra turned on her heel around to the ship. "Gary! Pull the boat in at the docks and have the crew disembark like a bunch of bourgeoisie. We'll meet you around by the docks."

"You got it, boss." The ramp shooped back up, and the boat sailed off again.

As the pair walked along, discussing how lovely the island actually was and their cash grab plan, they spotted a young woman sitting on the beach, cross-legged, in a meditative stance. And my oh my, was that some strange-looking hair. The young woman was rather muscular in build, and looked fairly calm in her stance.

"Who the hell is that, and what's she doing out here?"

"...I can hear you, you know." The woman didn't move from her spot or even look over as she spoke.

(Original poster: Yours Truly)

The Pidgeot flies at an incredible speed over dozens of buildings, only to swerve towards a large ornate mansion atop a hill. He descends immediately, with Luna and Mercedes hopping off of his back. The front yard has an immaculate garden with bushes of blue roses, a fountain with a Spiritomb statue spewing water from its mouth and a circular road that leads out through a black metal gate.

Luna trembles and lets out a nervous sigh whereas Mercedes straightens her hair.

"I'll never get over that." - Luna whispers as she rubs her face.

The door leading into the mansion is a dark red gate twice the size of Luna and Mercedes with unlit lanterns hanging on the sides.

"Thank you, Cerveau. I may require your help later on." - Mercedes states with a Pokeball in her hand.

"It was nothing, milady." - He bows as she stuffs him back inside.

"Well, Luna. Let's get you and the others comfortable. You haven't been back in the lap of luxury for a some time now."

"Yeah, mom. The hotels I go to are nowhere near as fancy as our house, by the way. Even the ship was kind of crowded..." - Luna giggles as the two ladies walk up the steps.  

Mercedes grabs a metal hoop on the door and knocks with a loud banging noise. The door creaks open, with a Golurk wearing a black mantle on the other side. The two girls walk into the house as the Golurk closes the doors behind them.

[Current OST: Scary-Go-Round]

The mansion's lobby is lined with dark brown walls, red carpet floors, a hanging chandelier with purple flames in the shape of a Chandelure, and two staircases at the end of the room leading upstairs. The interior is dimly lit with a purplish glow on the walls and floors.

"Why hello, Sentinel! George left you behind to supervise the estate, I see." - Mercedes says, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yes, milady. My fists have never failed us yet." - The Golurk states.

"Hi, Sentinel! How's the house been since I was gone?" - Luna smiles, looking up at him.

"In pristine condition. Juno's made sure that everything is nice and tidy. In fact, she should be making lunch for you right now." - Sentinel says as he waves his hand toward the room on the left.

"Alright, sweet. I didn't actually eat anything before I came, so... yeah. Nice to see you again!" - Luna states with a smile.

She walks over to the room and peeks inside. In front of her are glass windows that bring in sunlight, along with a large rectangular table in the middle of the room. On her right is a large kitchen area complete with pots, a closet full of supplies, a colander and a Banette hovering over the food.

The Banette has blue tips at the ends of her body, is wearing a white apron that says “Deadly and Tasty” and has a white collar with Banettite attached to it. The pot in front of her is full of noodles boiling over a stove.

"Oh, hello, sweetie! I was making spaghetti for when you came back!" - Juno smiles, grabbing a colander off the counter. 

"Aww, thanks Juno. I'm glad you did, cause I didn't know what I wanted to eat." - Luna states as she pulls up a chair.

"So, how were the boys and Scarlet? Did they make a fuss?" - Juno asks as she grabs a bottle of spaghetti sauce.

"Scarlet was fine, but Dan and Ronove were the same as always. I don't know why they have to prove anything to me - I love both of them no matter what."- Luna questions, pulling three Pokeballs from her waist.

"It gives them a reason to compete, Luna. And to them, that's a good thing." - Juno chuckles.

"You're right, but I still hate it when they cause a scene. With that said..."

Luna picks up the three Pokeballs from the table and releases Daniel, a Noivern and a shiny Aegislash with a blue ribbon attached to her handle. The Aegislash stares at Juno's cooking while Daniel glances away from the Noivern. 

"Hey, we're finally home. Oh, and Juno's making food. If I hadn't filled myself with the berries Luna bought, I'd be game to some spaghetti." - Daniel asks.

"It would have been a better idea to save them..." - Ronove says as he paces around the table, with Daniel crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

"Ooh, that looks good. By the way, where's miss Eliza and Victoria?" Scarlet says as she peeks at the pot of spaghetti.

"They're in the other room doing that weird 'royal treatment' roleplay again. It's cute and all, but... I dunno." - Juno sighs.

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[Current OST: Route 228]

Allen and George drive onto a road with seemingly infinite grasslands on both sides. Cars drive past them in a blur, accompanied by trainers flying across the sky on their Pokemon. Allen gazes out the window and sighs, with thoughts of a pink-haired girl on his mind.

"Hey, Allen." - George asks, which makes Allen jump a bit.

"Y-yeah, what is it?" - Allen states in a surprised tone.

"When we were back at the airport, I saw you bump into a fellow accompanied by a nasty-looking Mightyena and Manectric. What was that all about?"

"Oh. You're probably not gonna believe this, but that was Abraham Lazulio. You know, the music guy everybody's talking about lately?' - Allen says, his attention fixated on a man riding a Dodrio on the grasslands.

"Really? Well, I'm not that surprised. It's a big event, after all."

"It's very possible he's here to participate in the tournament. He might wind up challenging you and Mercedes, you know." - Allen states with a sly grin.

"If so, then I'll give him a gentleman's duel. One-on-one." - George says with a confident tone.

"It'd be cool if we fought a famous guy anyway. It'd definitely be something out of the ordinary, you know?" - Allen remarks, putting his hands behind his head. He leans back in the chair while George glares at a lane leading to Route 24.

"I agree, but... Allen. Don't forget that even though it's fun to be with a 'famous' guy, at the end of the day we're all normal people. He worked hard to get where he is, but so have you. With that said, I'm pretty sure that the girls already beat us home. Call it a hunch." - George remarks with a stern expression.

"Of course! And yeah, they probably did..." - Allen yawns, stretching his arms.

"You know, I'm glad that things don't start today, cause we'd probably have people flooding into the Charnel and neither of us are there, so... You got off lucky." - George says as he gives a small chuckle.

"Yeah, I'm not mentally ready for fighting just yet, so... that's actually a good thing." - Allen remarks with a nervous grin.

"Then be glad we're almost there."

They drive into a large district with stores, hotels and other buildings scattered about on the sides. Allen stares at the surroundings until he notices a bulky man walking on the sidewalk guarded by two large, brusque Pokemon and three more petite Pokemon. Allen puts his face against the window as the car drives past them.

"What in the world?"

"What's the matter, champ?" - George asks, keeping his attention on the road.

"... That guy had a shiny Gardevoir all dressed up and stuff. I really hope that was a participant for the tournament." - Allen states, looking back to George.

"Really, now? I see. Did you want to take a picture with his girls?" - George remarks as he cracks a smile.

"Sorta, yeah. After this I might not see that guy again, so..." - Allen states as he leans back into the chair.

(Original poster: Nyx)

"What was that about?" Sam asked his brother. The two had walked into Town Square in order to figure out their bearings, as well as find a place to relax a bit while the sun was still overhead.

"That woman had a really old sword," Macario replied. "I mean, her Aegislash. It doesn't look like modern ones."

"You're such a nerd."

A scent wafted by as a boy and his Sableye passed, both carrying large steak sandwiches. Achilles lifted his nose to the air, and then took off in a sprint to intercept the Sableye, leaving his master very bewildered. The Sableye, having spotted the charging dino, quickly spawned a Reflect in front of him.

"Hands off the food Sharptooth!" he taunted when Achilles bounced off the Reflect.

Macario ran up to the scene. "Ah... I'm so sorry, he's still in training..."

Jack continued to eat his sandwich, and was completely unphased. "He's got good tastes, it's a really good sandwich," he said.

------------

Adanna sat by the side of the docks, looking out to the ocean. There really wasn't much to do until the tournament started, and even then, she didn't even know what to do after that. Whatever it was about this trip, her superiors were keeping tight lipped on the specifics.

Rand flew down and landed next to her. "Interesting sight further down the docks," he said. "Might want to go check it out."

Adanna didn't question it, not like she didn't have anything else to do. She got up and noticed on the other side of the docks was a large, dark boat, with its crew pouring out. It was a bit intimidating.

"Wonder what that's about...?"

(Original poster: Flareth)

Felix rushed out of the shop again. Man, that was a close shave. Glancing towards the docks again, she noticed the strange black boat on the beach.

"...What the hell?" Felix muttered. "...That's one weird fucking yacht."

She decided to walk down to the beach to see what the hell that yacht was. She noticed someone familiar on the beach.

Goddamnit, is my whole family here?

She sighed.

I can't just go around avoiding them all day. It's not like they even know what I do for a living....

And with that, she approached her sister.

"Eyyyyy, Arty!" Felix greeted. "Long time, no see? You here for the tournament too?"

She sideways glanced to Azurra.

"....Eh, were you speaking with her?" Felix asked. "Sorry if I interrupted."

---------

Riven had walked into Town Square as well. Not even two steps in, and Artemis took off towards a boy with a sandwich. She trotted next to the boy and mewled loudly. Riven caught up with her.

"I'm so sorry...Artemis must be pretty hungry I bet...."  Riven apologized. "So...uh...where did you get those sandwiches? I better get Artemis and the others some food..."

Riven chuckled nervously.

(Original poster: Yours Truly)

George swerves through a lane leading up a hill with thick trees on the sides. Ahead of the car is a large mansion, with black metal gates that slowly open up as they approach. Allen's eyes are fixated on the surroundings as George parks behind the Spiritomb fountain. Allen goes to the back of the car and opens up the trunk, only to be distracted by the bushes covered with blue roses.

"Whoa. Fancy as ever, huh?"

"But of course. We put the same amount of love and care into our home as we do with battling." - George remarks, shutting the door behind him.

Allen brings out the three Pokemon, with Sigurd and Beatrice gazing upon the mansion with warm smiles. The group walks up the steps to the door, with the Pokemon carrying the majority of Allen's luggage.

"It may not be home, but it's beautiful all the same!" - Beatrice remarks with glee.

"A bit too dreary for my tastes, but far more preferable to some filthy hotel room." - Luzmiel grunts as she carries a bag on her back.

"... Given how it's usually either paradise or bust for you, I'm actually surprised you're compromising." - Sigurd states with a grin.

"I'll let that slide for today." - Luzmiel scowls.

As George knocks on the door, Sentinel opens it without hesitation. Cold air scrapes against Allen and his Pokemon as they enter, accompanied by the scent of pasta.

"Hey, they're having food already." - Sigurd states as he smells the air.

"Hello, boys. How are you today?" - Mercedes asks as she walks over to them.

"I'm just fine, Mercedes. I'm kinda super nervous for the tournament, but it's probably nothing I can't handle." - Allen remarks, putting his bags down.

"Dear, based on what you've told us, you'll be fine. Although it's not a smart thing to say to the Frontier Brains you'll be fighting. As for you, George... you lost the bet. You know what that means..." - She purrs as she puts her hands on George's shoulders.

"I know, I know. Uh... Allen, you go meet Luna. We'll be back in a few." - George groans, with him and Mercedes going upstairs.

"... Sure. I won't even ask." - Allen remarks, giving a thumbs-up as he and the Pokemon walk into the kitchen.

Inside of the kitchen, Juno hands out a plate of steaming hot spaghetti to Luna, who has her hands clasped together with an eager look on her face.

"Here you go, sweetie!" - The Banette says in a warm tone.

As Luna puts her fork into the food, she notices Allen and his three Pokemon walk in. He raises his hand up and gives an awkward smile.

"Hey, how's it going?" - Allen states.

Luna jumps out of her chair and caresses Allen in a tight hug, to the point where he nearly falls over backward.

"It's good to see you, buddy!" - Luna says with a smile.

"Yeah, you too." - Allen says with a strained voice as he's crushed by her embrace.

Sigurd goes over to Daniel and shakes paws with him.

"Hey, Danny! Glad to see you."

"Same. I assume you're pumped for the big event?"

"Well, yeah. That and I'm really in the mood for what Juno made." - Sigurd remarks, smacking his lips.

"Make yourselves at home, cause tomorrow's gonna get really hectic. I'm just sayin'." - Daniel states as he straightens his coat.

Allen and Luna sit down on the chairs. The Banette brings Allen a plate of spaghetti while Luna digs into her own plate at a blinding speed.

"So how's it going?" - Luna asks as she swallows some strands.

"I gotta tell you, Luna... I've been looking forward to this tournament for a long time now. Oh, and I'm also glad I brought the camera because I'm half expecting people with crazy costumes and Pokemon to be here. Like when me and George were driving downtown, I saw this big guy accompanied by a shiny Gardevoir dressed up with a fancy hat and a black feather boa. I was like 'I gotta meet this guy and take pictures', but he wasn't where we were going..." - Allen sighs.

"Oooooh. Funny thing is, I saw this giant lady with rainbow hair down at the docks. She had an Aegislash on her back, but it was too crowded to take a picture. Maybe we'll see them again when we go over to the Frontier." - Luna smiles, only to stuff more spaghetti in her mouth.

"Whoa, really? Well... that's something. By the way, where's Eliza and Victoria? They're like the only ones that aren't here." - Allen questions as he looks around.

"Juno said they're playing a game. I dunno where they are, but you'd better start eating your food before I decide to snatch it." - Luna states with a coy smile.

"Ha! Like I'd let you." - Allen remarks as he digs into his plate.

(Original poster: Zora)

"No, no, just sort of wondering why she's sittin' here." Azurra stretched out. "Lovely day, isn't it?"

"Yes... quite." Artemis gave a look to Felix. "Fancy meeting you here. Y'know, after you were so eager to get away from home before. Are you here for the tournament?" Deep down, Artemis wasn't too keen on having to fight her younger sister in any context. But at least this would presumably be friendly.

"Do you two know each other?"

"Yes. We're siblings, you see. I didn't exactly expect to see either of my little sisters here. Isn't she just the most precious?" Artemis stood, dusting the sand off of her pants. One thing was clear, she had gotten her height from her mother, as she stood a good head taller than Felix and had the brawn to back it up, as may have been evident when she pulled her into a tight side hug.

"Aaaah. I see. Yeah I've got a little sister. She's... around." Azurra shrugged. "...Well, I mean... technically she's older. But I think of her as little sister."

"Mmm... Who are you again?"

"Oh, right! Sorry. Name's Azurra."

"Artemis. And this is Felix."

(Original poster: Nyx)

"Guess we're all hungry..." Macario sighed. "Um, if you wouldn't mind showing us where you got those..."

Jack glanced to Denzia. They both shrugged. "Sure. Sandwich party." He smiled and waved to the group to follow him. A short distance away they arrived at a line to a sandwich stand. Jack figured he'd stick around with the group.

"So, you three here for the tournament?" he asked through a bit of roast beef.

Macario nodded. "Well, Sam is. I'm just tagging along." Samuel didn't add to the statement. "He's a great trainer. I don't know... I don't think being a super powerful trainer is really my thing."

Jack shrugged. "I'm not really a great trainer either. Most of my Pokemon were just strays on the street."

"Hey! Keep some things to yourself man," Denzia yelled up at him.

"What about you?" Macario asked Riven. "Not into hardcore Pokemon training, or top percentage Glameow?"

(Original poster: Flareth)

"I guess you could say that..... I'll be sure to get a few battles in, but I'm mostly just watching....and enjoying the sights." Felix explained.

No way she could explain her true motives.

Felix grunted as Artemis pulled her into an embrace.

"Yeah...precious." she muttered, sarcastically. "Nice to meet ya, though, Azurra."

--------

Riven turned to Jack.

"You've taken in stray Pokemon? That's really kind of you." Riven said. "I've heard many trainers won't take in strays....and, it's kinda....saddening."

Riven then turned to Macario.

"Yeah, I'm not hardcore. I just came to watch, really." Riven said. "Not that my Pokemon aren't battle-ready, but you know, I came here as more as a relaxing thing. Watch a few battles, explore...."

Riven obtained four sandwiches from the stand. One for each of his Pokemon.

"Uh, yeah, we'll need to find some room to let out Kenta." Riven muttered. "See any good areas where you could let out a Tauros?"