Insurgence | Medieval Pokemon RP

[Marlowe]

​

The castle was a beautiful one.

Not many could say they had seen something like it; it was perched upon a hill, overlooking the broad expanse of vibrant-colored land that spread out beneath it. The exterior was a glimmering white so bright that one may even say it was made of smooth ivory stones or scales. Watchtowers rose up around it, stretching towards the skies, their roofs appearing as if it was piercing the sea of azure above them. The interior of the castle was made of the same material as the outside-- curved entrances to rooms added a graceful twist to the stronghold and a variety of plants rested in pots in several corners. One might say that the fort was a bit too pale-colored, if it weren't for the banners that lined the walls.

Russet banners hung from the ceilings and walls, gracefully tumbling down towards the floor. In the middle of some of the silk banners was a golden silhouette of a crested bird Pokemon with its wings spread and talons outstretched. The marble flooring reflected the bright hues of the standards. It was a splash of color, although delicate, that brought the castle to life.

The mess hall, however, was ten times as decorated as the rest of the stronghold. The large room was lined with tables as always, but six large ensigns hung from the ceiling; one was colored white, with a lithe-looking light blue Pokemon sprinting across the field; another's field was silver with a winged, ivory-colored bird Pokemon curling inwards with its wings outstretched; one banner was colored gold, with a red, rearing maned Pokemon silhouette whose mouth was gaping and fangs were exposed; another was like the other banners lining the castle, crimson with the golden shadow of a bird Pokemon; one was pale green, almost mint-colored, and in the middle was the yellow bust of a roaring, long-fanged Pokemon; and the last was a vibrant green with a pale, viridescent circle in the middle.

Many people and their smaller, well-behaved Pokemon were in the mess hall, where the campaign was being held. A great variety of food lined the table-- most of which was based of Phoenician foods. Different types of raw fish, especially sushi and many types of seaweed, rested on several tables. Roasted Octillery and Tentacruel were cut up into pieces of different sizes, their poisons properly removed before they were served. Qwilfish were also presented on shiny, decorated platters. Rice made up a majority of the meals laid out before the volunteers. There were potatoes, radishes, yams, and other foodstuffs that looked absolutely scrumptious, especially to the Argentians and Phoencians. Along with the more oriental food, there was also meals that delighted the others; seared Stunfisk and roasted Slowpoketail, roasted Bouffalant, Miltank and Tauros tails and feet, roasted Grumpig, and more.

Many Pokemon had died just to feed them for one night.

The blonde-haired woman chomped on a rather crunchy sushi roll which was filled with tender Krabby meat before downing it with sake. That had been the best sushi Suzume had ever tasted... which was expected of royal chefs. She had stayed more to the Phoenician side of the mess hall, although several of the soldiers had begun to mingle and mix. Some were rather friendly towards another, mumbling greetings and exchanging smiles. Others simply went over to the other side of the hall to peer at the foreign food, the adventurous ones picking at the meals they had never tasted before. Her earthy brown eyes simply watched them, staying to herself and only offering frowns and wary glances. She didn't trust anyone that wasn't on her side. Even though they were going to work together, they could still turn on each other.

"Bre."

Suzume looked up to see a pair of violet eyes gazing at her expectantly. Her Umbreon, Mauve, had rested his paws on the table to get a better look of his surroundings. And of course... to ask her for food. A crooked smile came onto her lips as she held up another piece of sushi, this one filled with Crawdaunt meat and leeks. The Dark-type quickly devoured it and licked his chops, his tail swaying in a content manner. She quietly waited for the emperor to make his announcement about the plans he had for this "campaign". Honestly, she didn't expect everything to go according to his plans.

A laugh escaped Wyeth's lips as Ciel tore into his plate, scarfing down more than half of a seared Grumpig in less than a moment. The laugh was a weary one; he couldn't really tell his Luxray to stop. Not to mention that he deserved a good meal before they set out on this journey. He wanted the memories in the Phoenician castle to be happy and fond ones, not one full of stress as he tried to control the black-maned beast. The Luxray growled in pleasure as the man stroked his thick fur, his crimson and gold eyes flicking up to him for a moment before his ear twitched and he tucked back into his meal. Wyeth's violet eyes wavered as he looked at the other food that was presented. The thought of eating raw fish made him feel sick to his stomach, but the Argentians and Phoenicians appeared to love it.

"I guess that's why they smell so bad," he whispered to Ciel, who simply lashed his yellow-tufted tail. Wyeth was never one to insult or be rude, but he felt like a dark joke or two at times would lighten the Fulmi's mood. He wasn't sure what the relationship was between Fulmion and Phoenicis, but judging from the looks he got, he didn't think that they were on good terms. Jeez... I wouldn't have come if I had known that the others would have daggers for eyes.

Wyeth sighed, already exasperated with the situation. He wouldn't be surprised if a fight broke out before the end of the meal. His long fingered plucked a leg from the seared corpse of a Combusken. As he sank his teeth into it, he realized that the meat had been cooked to perfection. He expected the Pokemon to be tough and wiry due to being a Fighting-type, and in his farm, the meat was always dry and flavorless. But this was different. What he wouldn't give to live in a castle like this...
​

 

[Crow]

The Ronin Tachibana used his chopsticks to elegantly consume the various food available. He could eat fast but who does that? No one. A meal was meant to be enjoyed like it was the last, which it hopefully wouldn't be. As he puts a sliced Skrelp sashimi in his mouth, he looks around.

The Ronin, a volunteer in the campaign, was a lone ranger. Simply put it - he was not accompanied by any Pokemon. The only Pokemon present where he lived were Eevee and its evolutionary line, and he did not want to bring the young quadrapeds to battle to die for him, so he settled for solo Ronin.

As he looks around, he decides to try something different. He helped himself to a few scoops of what appeared to be ground Vanilluxe mixed with yams and berries, with a side serving of steamed Eelektross dipped in soy sauce. As he was ready for his next bite, someone appeared to be ready to initiate a conversation with him...

 

[Mu]

She had never been in a city so large before. Thea had spent most of her life living in the forests of Verdante along with her two partners, Jiba and Stargrove. The only settlement she had ever visited was her hometown near the outskirts of the greenery where her new home was. Even then, the townspeople avoided her, they thought she was a witchdoctor, a woman who practised magic. Jiba's frightful appearance had gotten her into trouble many times. Thankfully, the people weren't too keen on attacking and provoking her, believing they would be cursed by the short-statured woman. Thea may not be a witch, but she was still a doctor. Learning of the far nation of Phoenicis asking for volunteers to find the cause of the strangeness in the Pokemon of the country, Thea did not hesitate to mount Stargrove and head towards a country so different from theirs.

In the corner of the mess hall, the blonde-haired girl couldn't help but look about in wonder and awe. Beside her, Stargrove was kneeling on the floor, her brown eyes blinking at the gathering of people and the dishes lined across the table. The smell was intoxicating. Thea had never seen so much food before, lined up on a table. She gritted her teeth at the sight of dead Pokemon being the dishes for the evening but said nothing at the people who devoured them hungrily. They might not have come from a city as grand as this. She could see roasted Pokemon, a Grumpig and a Combusken, as well as dishes native to the nation. 'Sushi', they called it, consisting of raw flesh of Pokemon placed over some rice. The Sawsbuck looked disturbed as she took notice of the raw dishes for the first time. Wanting to comfort the nervous Pokemon, she placed a hand on her back, brushing the fur gently with her palm, running it down the warm, brown fur."I'll get some berries for you, if you're hungry." Quietly, she stood up and moved closer towards the long table of foods, looking for some greens and fruits she could recognize like the flavorful Oran berries and the sweet Pecha berries.


She felt incredibly out of place in the mess hall. With her baggy clothing and the sticks and flowers she used to decorate her hair, compared to the others she just looked wild. The others looked decent, snacking on the dishes laid before them or caring for their Pokemon. Just by glancing at the variety of Pokemon, there were some she didn't recognise at all. There were a few Noiverns perched around the room, however. Slung over her shoulder was her special leather bag pouch, holding onto the silent and unmoving Odd Keystone of her second partner, Jiba. The poor Spiritomb also seemed nervous in the presence of so many people. Otherwise, he would be out and jumping about, pulling pranks on the others.


Thea knew she would never have the stomach to try out the sushi. Eating Pokemon wasn't something she could do. The most she could eat was a grilled Magikarp or two over her years living in the forest, preferring to live off the plentiful fruits in the Verdante forests. Spotting a bowl of berries sitting in the middle of the table, she grumbled at her short height."Can't reach..." She clambered onto a chair before trying to reach for what she wanted in the middle.

---

Quinn stood silently by the table, eyeing the strange food silently. Raising an eyebrow at the ravenous volunteers, he reached out for one of the raw dishes, picking one up with a slice of Tynamo, decorated with the fins of a Finneon, the light reflecting off the sky blue and deep violet colours of the fins. Compared to his own kingdom, the palace of Phoenicis didn't look too different, though the power colours here were obviously red and not the yellow symbolising the bolts of Fulmion and Raikou. His Gabite and his Luxray stood on each side of him, the former devouring nearby dishes of sushi while the Luxray seemed to be occupied with smelling the Magikarp soup sitting nearby, steam curling from the soup bowl.


It wasn't his first time here in Phoenicis, having been here on missions before the request of volunteers. This was a country very different from his own. It worked differently, had their own culture and their beliefs. Their god seemed to be a phoenix of many colours, a Pokemon named Ho-oh. The soldier fondly remembered his first time here, blinking down at the dish of sushi. He had been hesitant to try it, but he had found it quite delicious. The quality of the meats was also beautiful as well, much different from the more tougher variety at home. It seemed like his Pokemon was enjoying their meals as well. His own Gabite raised its head, licking its lips after eating with relish. Luxray seemed to be looking across the table, cocking his head at the other Luxray he had spotted, who was also indulging in the food.


Helping his Luxray scoop out a bowl of the Magikarp soup, he handed it over, where the lion-like Pokemon began to lap it up carefully, not wanting to get any on his large mane. Quinn had never been the one to talk much, he preferred to stay silent and watch his surroundings. There was plenty of chatter in the hall, however, the room bustling with activity and filled with all sorts of Pokemon. Flying types, dragon types, dark types... they were different types of Pokemon all over the room. Quinn couldn't help but smile at the presence of several Electric-types, there was another Luxray sitting not far from their spot. But his small smile turned into a frown as his eyes spotted a few fire types, memories of an old past emerging into his mind again.

 

[Crescent]

The castle of Phoenicis; it was as grande as the tales had painted it as. With its blindingly white walls and arching entrances, it could easily have passed for a replica of the Argentian Palace. But of course, replicas rarely outshone their original and that certainly rang true in this case. Russet-colored banners were draped across each wall and spilled down freely towards the floor in every hallway. Heisuke's mouth formed a thin line as he set his forest-green eyes on the golden and crested bird. The dark shade gave the ivory walls a soiled appearance, like dried blood against pale skin. In the Argentian Palace, the banners would have been a pure silver-- a stark contrast to what was so openly displayed in this country. He was fairly sure that the walls were whiter as well.

When the Argentian man first arrived, the guards outside the castle had at first refused him entry. According to them, it was too large of a risk that Yang would cause an accidental fire with all the banners on the inside. Their reasoning wasn't the slightest wrong, and he would likely have agreed with them if he hadn't been exhausted from his journey across the border. So Heisuke had stayed with the two men, calmly explaining to them that the angrily buzzing Volcarona on his head was in fact not so angry, and if they laid aside all their prejudice and reached out to pet his smooth head, the Fire-type would be purring and rolling like a harmless little Espurr. The guards, of course, hadn't dared to even touch the Pokemon, and thus, he and his partners had finally been allowed in.

The mess hall spread out in front of him, littered with decorations, long tables, and crowds of people from foreign lands. A soft click was heard from his hand, and Heisuke fanned himself absentmindedly as he allowed himself to survey the large room. He could recognize a few Argentians mingled in the midst of the mass. Beside him, his Ampharos clung to his leg like a frightened child as she shyly peeked out from behind it. A smile slowly curled up on his face as his gaze fell on one of the tables. Sake. A content hum escaped from the long-haired man as he abandoned the doorway and set out towards it. "...Let's see if what they're offering is up to par with our own, shall we?"

~​

Laughter and chatter surrounded him as he kept to himself by one of the tables. Haku had never been in a castle before and especially not one so large. The bright, ivory walls were almost painful to look at and the ceilings rose up so high, they loomed above him like something large and threatening. He had wished that they were a bit lower, like in the soldier barracks he had stayed in for the past four years. In here, they made him feel small, insignificant even. It was a strange feeling, and not one he enjoyed. Biting down on a sushi roll, the strong, salty taste spread across his taste buds as he felt himself calm down. While he hadn't convinced himself to try out the less familiar foods, the kinds he knew were more than enough to distract his mind while he waited for the announcement. Slight, crunching sounds came from his shoulder as his Crobat munched on an especially crispy Tentacool.

With his ever so watching eye glued on the crowds, Gardi floated beside him in absolute silence. Haku hadn't trusted the Phoenicians to treat him with care and respect, and so, he had no other choice but to bring the Ghost-type inside. The Pokemon attracted all kinds of glares; some were suspicious and judging and others were outright hostile, hands clenching around weapons as if itching to draw them out. He could only imagine the utter hell the Aegislash would have experienced if he had been left behind with Ryou. A frayed, ribbon-like arm stretched towards the table before it had wrapped around a smaller piece of roasted Miltank beef. Ceasing her munching, Nene watched in mild fascination as the meat was brought up to the Aegislash's shield, and vanishing behind it.

"Haku..."​

Not hearing his name being called out, Haku lifted a cup to wash down the food with sake. But before the dark-haired man had a chance to taste it, the liquid splashed out of the cup as an arm sloppily wrapped itself around his shoulders. "Hakuuuu...share a drink with me!"

Haku's pale eyes were wide in disbelief before they narrowed into knife-sharp slits. Taking hold of the man and shoving him behind one of the tall pillars in the room, more sake sploshed out onto the polished floor from the other's cup. A man with an Emolga gave them a frigid look as the wet rodent clambered up on him. "You idiot!" he hissed in a hushed voice as he let go of Heisuke. Blood boiling, it took everything he had not to throttle the man until that grin on his face was gone. "Do you even know why we're here?"

"Of course Haku, of course I do," Heisuke nonchalantly said as he steadied himself with a hand against the pillar. "We are here for Atlas-- to prevent those crazy Pokemon from striking darkness into our hearts and to spread the valiance and purity of Argent!" The brown-haired Argentian was leaning heavily, and to Haku's utter dismay, he lifted his arm as the near-empty cup was sent upwards. "For Argen--ngfh!"

Having not given the lunatic a chance to finish the shout, Haku kept his hand clamped over his mouth as the man struggled clumsily in his hold. Heart banging against his ribcage, his gaze swept over the mess hall, from person to person before they stopped on a rather concerned-looking Ampharos by the table. Even though a fair part of the floor was covered with wasted sake, it didn't appear as if the maniac had attracted too much attention to himself. Haku released a shaky breath through his gritted teeth. For the love of Lugia... this man deserved to be shot.

 

[Chexmix]

Clink. Clink. Clink.

Scizor followed Gentry, steel feet clamoring, through the mess hall like a body guard, close behind and assessing any threats. The people here were from all other countries after all, countries that had been at war with Leonias in the past. Countries that Gentry and Scizor fought against together side by side. Scizor was going to have a hard time trusting any of these people, and Gentry was the same.

"Easy, scizor." He reassured his companion, though Gentry was a bit on edge. He wasn't used to only having one of his pokemon at his side, but Salamence was much to large to be indoors, and Absol stayed out so that Salamence would have some company (and probably also so avoid the big crowd). The two of them were probably curled up in the courtyard soaking in the sun. Upon examining the large mess hall, Gentry decided Salamence would have fit if the doors were large enough. The Leoniite had been inside a castle before during his travels, but not one of this size. He wasn't one for the amenities of royal life. It didn't seem fair to him for some people to have to much while others had nothing. Entei surely wouldn't have allowed it.

He scanned the room as they approached the table of food but was not impressed. There were a few among them who looked like warriors, and a few who looked like children. As he filled his plate with potatoes and bouffalant, the food that most reminded him of home, he noticed a very small girl standing on a chair and reaching for some food in the middle of the table. Gentry stepped over, grabbed the bowl from the middle of the table and sat it on the edge.

"Here." he said before quickly turning to walk away. Helping people was the reason he was there anyway, but he hadn't expected to be helping the other volunteers. The summons called for the strong warriors, and a warrior the girl may be, but there certainly couldn't have been much strength in her tiny frame. It was dawning on Gentry that he really didn't know what to expect at all from this journey. Surely there would be fighting since the king called for warriors, but against whom? Only time would tell. Gentry stepped to look out one of the huge windows as Scizor entertained himself with his reflection in the floor.

 

[Crow]

@Chexmix @Sen

The Ronin Tachibana consumed his ground Vanilluxe with Eelektross as he sat close to another set of individuals. Being a loner, he travelled... well... alone. However, he felt that it would be logical to get to know the comrades-to-be he will cooperate with eventually. Don't want to be thrown in with total strangers while knowing nothing about them.

He was socially awkward, but this will do.

"Greetings," he attempts to strike a conversation with the petite lady and the guy who just helped her, "my name is Tachibana, from Phoenicis. I believe we will be working together."

He then inserts a Malamar tentacle into his mouth.

 

[Mu]

"Oh..." Thea watched an arm reach for the bowl, moving it from the center of the table to the side where she could easily grab it. Blinking at the Oran berries below her, she looked up to see a blond man dressed in clothing that was the opposite of hers. Tight fitting, less baggy and just... more colour. The young girl tilted her head upwards to study the man who had helped her, staring at this strange man. He clearly wasn't from Verdante, not everyone here was. There were people from all over the country here, gathered in order to wait for their mission. Again, she frowned at the difference in their height. The top of her head reached right under his chin, but she was standing on a chair. She opened her mouth to thank him, but he had already turned around and began to leave. "Thank you?" Behind him, she spotted a scarlet red Scizor, looking down on the marble floor, it's own reflection staring back at it. Thea couldn't help but smile to herself. Seeing a bug type was soothing. The forest that was her home housed plenty of Scythers, territorial and loyal to each other. In her own opinion, the Scizor was rather handsome, befitting of the tall man who had helped her.

Stargrove had clopped her way towards the small girl, watching the blond man leave with wary eyes. Still standing on the chair, she patted the patch of fur in between the Sawsbuck's two antlers. Her companion had always been very protective of her, like the mother she never had. Not only was Stargrove kind and gentle, she was always keeping an eye out for her as if she were one of her Deerlings. Despite how tiresome or annoying it could get sometimes, Thea appreciated it. There were many nights spent where her only comforts were Stargrove curled up around her and surprisingly, Jiba and his antics.

Thea picked up a ripe Pecha berry from the bowl and held it in her palm, watching as Stargrove munched on it, savouring the sweetness of the fruit. Stargrove loved sweet flavoured berries, they were her favourite. Jiba, on the other hand, preferred the sour ones, amusing Thea by making funny faces at her whenever he snacked on the sour berries in the forest. To her, her Pokemon was her family. They were the most important in her otherwise lonely life in the Verdante forest.

She turned around at the voice of a man, her gaze followed by one of Stargrove's, who regarded the stranger with curiousity and wariness. She never took too kindly to strangers unless Thea seemed to be friendly with them or told the Sawsbuck to calm down. It was another tall man with long hair, tied up neatly in a ponytail. He was clearly a citizen of Argent or Phoenicis, with the style of clothing that he wore. At his words, one of her eyebrows shot up. A Phoenicis man? She had never met any of them before. People from other nations have journeyed into her forest before, but definitely not one of the two Eastern countries. Popping a small Oran berry into her mouth, she smiled politely at the man. "Greetings! I'm Thea. Nice to meet you, Tachibana. I hail from Verdante."

@Crow @Chexmix

 

[Justin]

Kiyoshi
|The Graceful One|​

The beautiful man was a top of his Togekiss, Toshi riding to the castle. He didn't have a long trip, he was a native of Phoenicis. Him and his Gallade, Ying and his Meowstic, Neno rode on Toshi. The wind was blowing through his hair, it was an amazing day. "Today, is such a grand one. Isn't it?" Toshi started to shake up and down, saying yes in his usual mannerism. The movement made Neno shake a little, which in turn made Ying smirk. "Hold on Neno, we are almost there." Neno just looked ahead, ready to get off of Toshi. "Ahh, here we are." The man, Kiyoshi motioned for Toshi to land.

Once Toshi landed, Neno jumped off the pokemon as soon as he could've. Kiyoshi knew that Toshi wouldn't fit into the building, the doors were to small. "Toshi, I will bring you some food in a bit." He patted the Togekiss on the head, smiling at him. "Ying, can you keep Toshi company? I know you hate crowds, since you can't stay alert." Kiyoshi smirked at Ying, who just waved him off. "Come on Ne..." Neno had already walked into the building.

After bringing Toshi and Ying some food, Kiyoshi sat down at one of the tables in the hall, with Neno right next to him. Kiyoshi grew up on Phoenicis food, he always ate the best of the best. Right now he was eating some of his Seaking Seafood Platter. "Delicious, isn't it Neno?" Neno didn't pay any attention, going back to his own plate of food. Kiyoshi loved seeing different individuals from every country all together, it was a fun time. "If I keep eating like this, I'll be as big as a Snorlax..Ha!" Neno looked at Kiyoshi and just shook his head. "I wonder who else is here." Kiyoshi stood up, with Neno looking in the same direction. "Suzume!"

Kiyoshi saw Suzume, she was a few tables away from him. Kiyoshi always liked Suzume, she was a great person...well when she wanted to be. With his Meowstic in tow, he strutted over to her, his long hair almost touching the floor. Before sitting down, he wiped off the seat next to her, no telling who or what had been there before him. After making sure the seat was clean enough, he lightly sat down. Neno went over to Mauve, to talk with the Umbreon. "So Suzume, how have you been?" Kiyoshi with his elegant style and manner could start up a conversation like a Charizard could start up a fire.

Kiyoshi and Suzume weren't the closest of pals, but they were both Phoenicis Natives, and Phoenicians needed to stick together. Waiting for her to respond, Kiyoshi went back to his plate. He was almost done with it, not realizing that he had eaten more then he thought. "Ummm, I need to get this recipe." He smiled at how Neno got along with Mauve so well.

@Luminous​

 

[Cats]

It took some time, but Alex finally made it to the castle. Once inside he fell over, for his Pokemon, Dusknoir, can catch him. Dusknoir. (You're lucky that I caught you.) The Pokemon said as he caught his owner. "I don't know why you insist on talking Dusknoir, I never know what you're trying to say." Alex said as he got up, out of Dusknoir arms. "But thanks for catching me friend." Alex said as he patted Dusknoir on the back.

The two continued to walk through the castle, until the reached the dining hall. When the two entered the dinning hall they shall everyone and their Pokemon. "I guess this is where we're suppose to be at." Alex said as he looked at Dusknoir. The Pokemon just nodded at his owner. Alex the walked over to a near by chair, and sat down. Dusknoir just took the seat next to Alex.

Alex and Dusknoir just sat quietly, waiting for something to happen. Alex then looks at Dusknoir. "You're not hungry buddy?" Dusknoir just turns his head from side to side. "Yeah me nether."

 

[Firemind]

Atharos, the Bastard of Aurios
"Piss on all the gods, this place is too hot."
​

In hindsight, the choice of Plate Mail and fur was not a wise one. Perhaps it was because Atharos had not truly expected to leave the borders of his home kingdom before he got word of a breakdown in relations; or perhaps it was because he had never been in Phoenicis long enough to appreciate just how hot the place got; or perhaps it was just the Prince's stubborn, pig-headed pride getting in the way of common sense again. Either way Atharos was standing inside the Russet-shaded castle, filled with loud colours and louder people who were unquestioningly consuming more food than most commoners ate in a year. Did none of them worry what was in the food? Should he? He remembered the call of his father to be more forgiving, more understanding, more fluid. 'Be like Suicune, move fluidly through life; ever adapting as one who runs on oceans.'

Despite the multiple layers, Atharos was kept cool by the presence of his favourite spectre. The chill of Bishop, hanging so close to him as to remind him of home, was comforting in the over-warm conditions of Phoenicis' castle. He caught the glares of the odd person as the Froslass kept close to him, almost draping herself over him like a shoal. To his immediate right was his other partner, Knight. The Zangoose was glaring at anyone who would come within a few metres of the prince, doing his best impression of a retainer and a...well...knight. None would likely risk the Pokemon's formidable claws without some merit. It afforded him some comfort, as he thought on the third member of his retinue, likely sitting on the opposite side of the nearest wall. Rook would probably smash a hole through the wall, if Atharos made any indication he was in danger. The Aggron was loyal to a fault, and being separated from her was as uncomfortable for him as it was for her: She was his greatest shield, after all. Having her at his side during these conversations would have him at ease, if nothing else.

Slowly though, Atharos made his way to a small table, filled with food that looked familiar. Hardy looking berries and deep brown meats greeted his nose with a pleasing aroma, and he could almost feel his stomach growl in protest as his mind practiced restraint. He had watched others pick at food from this table, and he'd been watching them for a number of minutes. So far, none of them had dropped dead, and he was sure enough that if the Phoenician people were going to kill him, they would do it without poison. Plucking a few of Cheri Berries from the table, Atharos dropped them into Knight's claws, more than aware that the spicy berries were amongst his favourite snack. "Keep strong for me, Knight. I need you ready in case the worst happens." The Zangoose nods, as it slices off one of the berry's roots and pops the small fruit into his mouth. The Pokemon's face seems to visibly shift into a contented smile as he begins to make work of the berries. While Knight feasts, Bishop seems to move in closer to Atharos, almost cheek to cheek with the Prince. He smiles as he reaches a hand down to a haunch of Piloswine, bringing the meat to his teeth and tearing into it hungrily. The way it was cooked was...adequate. Better than anything he could cook, at least. He'd never admit to it being good, but he could at least admit it was adequate.

The Prince took his time looking around the room, now that he was able to look distracted with eating. There was a notable lack of Aurions, and that worried him. Perhaps he had just been ahead of the curve? Maybe more would arrive? He certainly hoped so, for what he saw left him wanting: Various buffoons from Phoenicis, with more care for their hair than the importance of the event at hand; An uncouth short thing that scraped at food scraps and drew unsightly attention to itself; and a pair of morons from Argent, as announced by the fool to the other's foil. On the other hand, there were signs of at least some merit having been sent from the other countries, as well as the refuse. A tall man with a soldier's walk and a soldier's partner in a Scizor had shown the valor to help the small thing; a blonde woman with an over-demanding Umbreon who seemed to scan the crowd in tandem with himself; and perhaps most peculiarly, a solitary man who bore himself like a fighter. He seemed the most out of place person here, but not because he didn't belong, so much as he shouldn't belong, and yet did. Most others here bore Pokemon partners with them, while this being was alone...

"Curious." Atharos rested a hand on the head of his War-axe, attached to his side without an ounce of care or restraint in how obviously displayed it was. No one had attempted to disarm him, although it would hardly make sense to disarm anyone in the room, what with the simple fact that Pokemon were roaming the halls, and they bore far more destructive power than the average man with an axe: not that Atharos was your average man with an axe. "Who knows, Bishop. This might prove worth our time after all." The Froslass seemed to give off a slight cry in response, rubbing its cheek against Atharos' own. The feel of the icy chill was a comfort to the Prince, as it reminded him of home. He tossed aside the ravaged bone of the Piloswine flank, before picking at a haunch of Bouffalant. He took a bite out of it, ripping hungrily into the flesh.

...Okay, he could admit the Bouffalant was pretty delicious.

 

[Minarawr]

"Suicune itself would melt in this heat..."

That was Minami's thought as she stood in a shaded corner of the large room, her two most trusted partners by her side.
Minami did not do well in heat, not at all. Her pale cheeks were flushed, a thin layer of sweat on her skin causing her long white hair to stick to it, the girl was obviously out of place.
The heat didn't affect only the Aurios girl, her snow-white fox was also showing signs of overheating, letting out small flames every once in a while to relieve the pressure. The noivern by her side was making an attempt to cool them down by lightly flapping his wings their way, but it didn't do much.

Minami felt bad for her Pokémon, especially Mika and Kinzoku, who was waiting outside. She had gotten the opportunity to change out of her thick clothes and beartic cloak, changing into her lighter attire, but her beloved partner could not simmer down her inner flame and her metal tank could only absorb the heat outside.
Kisuke seemed to be the least affected by the heat, being a dragon type and all.

Despite her dislike of interactions with other people, even more so people from other countries that she did not know, Minami knew this couldn't go on any longer. She straightened out her clothing, put on her coldest face so people would not engage in conversation and walked over to the table surrounded by people.

It wasn't long until she found the desserts on the table and let out a small sigh of relief when she pressed a hand full of ice against her neck. Mika looked at her with a foul gaze for a moment, eying her as if she were a traitor, but made a soft sound of enjoyment when Mina's icy hand was rubbed over her fur to cool her down and a little tray of vanniluxe shavings with pecha berry sauce placed down for the fox to enjoy.
Minami could already feel Kisuke's stare burn at her for leaving him out, so she gestured for him to come over and handed him some berries, which he happily started to munch on.

Relaxed by her cooling down, Minami observed the other volunteers with a cold gaze, before reaching a man obviously from Aurios, judging by his appearance.
She had to watch in awe as she looked at his Pokémon, a Frosslass, and couldn't help but feel a spark of envy at the sight if the graceful creature cooling the man down.
She did not approach the man, that was not like her, but she gave him a faint nod as a sort of greeting before eating some of the vanniluxe shavings with sauce herself.

 

[Eeveon]

As a citizen of rural Argent, Shui was used to mild temperatures and working in the sun in the fields of his family's farm, harvesting and replanting day in and day out. That, and hard days of intense training as a warrior-priest at the monastery. There was, though, a difference between mildly warm and hot, and Pheonicis was just plain hot. Just a glance around and one could tell that the ones not accustomed to the heat were sweating profusely, people and Pokemon alike. Shui shed a droplet or two compared to the waterworks flowing from those used to cold weather, having brought fur coats and thick boots. Jiao and Huang, being Water-type Pokemon, were fine in the heat, naturally remaining cool. Each sat at his side, one on each, Jiao on her haunches and Huang sitting in the traditional Argentian style, as if he was mimicking Shui's own posture.

Shui decided he would eat dishes he knew best, and had a kaiseki-style dinner, comprised of sakizuke, hassun, mukozuke, takiawase, futamono, su-zakana, hiyashi-bachi, naka-choko, shiizakana, gohan, ko no mono, tome-wan, and mizumono as a dessert. This was way more than he'd ever normally eat, either at home or at the monastery, but it was a feast in honor of those recruited, and that included himself. Why not treat himself? The room was filled with gluttony anyways, and it was a day to be ravenous. If you left hungry, it was going to be your own loss. So, Shui decided to feast like the others. He would also make sure Jiao and Huang were fed as well, having smaller dishes of rice and Magikarp sushi. The food they all ate was a bit different, being what would normally be prepared in the city in Argent, but was closest to what they ate in rural Argent.

 

[Crow]

Tachibana recognised that region name. The Emerald Seas are most fine.

"Verdante you say? The land overlooked by Celebi. I always wanted to see its lush forests," Tachibana comments before taking a sip from some Escavalier escargots mixed with mashed Accelgor. As he choked a little, he covered his mouth. "My apologies, Thea," he replies, knowing that coughing was plain rude.

He then looks at Thea's Pokemon. She appeared to be accompanied by just one - a Sawsbuck. "A Sawsbuck? Interesting. Its antlers signal the ever-changing seasons, sprouting flowers and leaves to signify a new dawn, before the flora withdraw in winter, only to repeat the cycle that it repeats every year. What might her name be?"

Afterwards, Tachibana felt a minor chill. He turned for a short while, only to notice a woman's cold glare.

@Sen

~~~

On a rocky plateau, far, far away from Phoenicis, a meeting was being held. Chatters of Pokemon sounds were being heard, before a loud roar resonated throughout the crowd.

"Rrraarrgghhh?(Are you sure about this Lind? There is still time to make changes to your choice.)" a great Hydreigon displayed the face one would least expect from a Hydreigon - worried expressions from all three heads. He was conversing with what appeared to be a bare, tiny human.

"Lind, sure. Lind, know!" the human, 'Lind' as she calls herself, responds. "Lind, help humans. Lind, help Pokemon."

The Hydreigon smiles. "Rrrra... rrraaaa.... (I am unsure if you are a brave soul or a fool, maybe both or maybe neither. You will either be remembered by us as a hero, or... anyways, your bravery is noted. However, I believe it is best for you to have some company. After all, strength in numbers are important. I believe you know Bahamut.)"

A Dragalge mildly hovers above the ground as it approaches Lind and greets Lind.

"Lind, thank King Tiamat! Lind, grateful."

A couple consisting of a Flygon and an Escavalier, along with a Trapinch, move towards Lind.

"DDDNg RRRRrrr....(Lind, you're going to be a warrior, just like daddy. Chivalry is important, but always put your life and the life of others above it.)" the Escavalier clanged as it placed one of its hornlance-like arms over Lind's shoulder, then the other, in a similiar way kings beknight knights.

"Dddrrrrr rrrrr!(Dear, mommy will be sure to miss you. You know, I'm glad to see that you've grown into a beautiful young lady,)" the Flygon bellowed as it hugged the human.

"Crrrrr?(Big sister, I'll be sure to miss you, so can I come with you, pretty please?)"

"Wyrm, still young. Danger out there, for me!" Lind responds, "Lind, miss everyone. So long!"

With that, the stark naked human, with her Dragalge Guardian by her side, headed off as they waved a goodbye towards the crowd of Dragon Type Pokemon behind them.

The Flygon then began to look around. "Ddddrrrr?(Honey...)"

"Ding?(Yes dear?)"

"Drrrrr rrrr?(Where's Wyrm?)"

 

[Mu]

​

Thea could feel the eyes of other volunteers on her, looking at the royally dressed man in front of her. While she looked out of place with her stick antlers and the colourful wild flowers in her hair, along with her small stature, he fitted in perfectly fine with the robes and silks like a true Phoenicis citizen. The glares and curious glances felt almost intrusive and judging, a small little girl standing on a chair, looking like... well, straight from a forest. Though she respected and knew that the others did not worshipping Celebi like she had spent most of her life in the Verdante forests, she wondered what she must look like in their eyes. After all, many volunteers were soldiers from great armies from the nations of the country. From where she stood, Thea spotted many men and women with weapons by their sides and steel and leather armour protecting their skin. In this strange new land, at least she had the comfortable presence of Stargrove by her side.

She clapped her hands in excitement at Tachibana's comment. "Oh yes, the forests are so pretty, all year round." She had never been to the other forests that littered in other nations, were they as pretty as Verdante jungle-like forests? With herbs and plants with such strange properties that could create wonderful potions capable of healing and restoring the human body as well as Pokemon? What fun it would be to be able to explore every nook and cranny of the country, visit nations and see what sort of plants grew in foreign soil. "Celebi makes the forests thrive with life."

Distracted from her thoughts by some loud coughs, presumable the man in front of her choking on the cup of liquid he had just taken a sip of, she blinked at him curiously. "Hm? Oh..." she looked down at the steaming cup in his hand. "I-It's okay," she said, waving his apology aside good-naturedly. For someone from a foreign land and an enemy, he seemed very kind.

Turning slightly to look at Stargrove, she stroked her head, brushing the fur between her antlers. She looked quite agitated with Tachibana's presence, while still munching on some Pecha berries, the Pokemon was examining the man from head to toe, sharp eyes taking and soaking in every detail. Under her fingers, she could feel Stargrove's tension loosening, making Thea smile knowing she could ease some of the nerves and the stress in the Sawsbuck's body. "This is Stargrove. My closest companion and my greatest friend." She looked behind Tachibana expectantly, "Where are your companions?"

@Crow​

 

[Chexmix]

Before Gentry could get away, conversation had already started, and not just by the girl. A Phoenician man had approached them and introduced himself. The girl replied stating she was from Verdante, which made sense. Only Verdante could produce a flower child like her. The two of them chatted and exchanged names; Gentry stopped and observed the two.

The girl was clearly innocent, but the man he could not figure out. He was the only one in the room without a pokemon companion, and for some reason that made Gentry suspicious.

"Yes, you certainly know a lot about other lands and pokemon, though you don't seem to have one." Gentry didn't intend on being rude, but with his usual tone it just came out that way. He knew these people would be travelling with him for a potential long and dangerous journey, and it wouldn't be smart to make enemies this early on.

"I'm Gentry, from Leonias, and this is Scizor. Your sawsbuck is beautiful, Thea. You share her likeness." he said trying to sound as respectful as possible, motioning with his hand to the antlers on her head. He gave a nod, and Scizor stepped forward and gave a jab into the air with his claw as if to show his strength. "Tachibana, since you are from Phoenicis, perhaps you have already met with the king? I would love to know a little more information on this quest we are about to take. How long does he intend to keep us waiting?"

@Crow @Sen

 

[ResolverOshawott]

Cazanna to say the least was quite a bit nervous as she haven't been to place this grand before and especially not one with so much tasty food, she could give less of a crap about how many glares she's getting from people in other countries here, her houndoom merely gorged himself on some slowpoke tails along with haxorus though they remained close to Cazanna, while they're very much happy with all the food they could eat, they reminded themselves that they're in a castle with many, many different people from other countries, some of which would most likely want Cazanna dead, in fact Cazanna was a bit surprised tat there wasn't a dead body on the floor yet.

On the other hand her Sylveon hand other things in mind rather than staying close to Cazanna, which mostly involved running around all over the place though was careful to not provoke anyone or any pokemon for that matter though she seemed to be particular interested in Thea's sawsbuck, Stargrove though kept her distance because she did not want to get stomped on if the much larger pokemon happened to get spooked. @Sen

 

[Mu]

She turned at a new voice, one that was more recognisable knowing she had heard it before. It was the kind, tall man who had helped her before getting the bowl of berries earlier. She beamed at him, despite knowing this person was a complete stranger. Though she was emanating an air of friendliness, Stargrove peered at the blond man with wariness and suspicion, moving to stand between him and Thea, disregarding Tachibana now that the Sawsbuck had enough of examining the silk-clothed man.

Now that he had introduced himself, she felt more at ease. Gentry had left her before she could even say a proper 'thank you' when he had helped her. That was something that irked her. But she wouldn't even be surprised if he was somewhat shy, people were just as different from each other personality was as they were physical. Seeing such a polite and strong looking soldier amused Thea, imagining the man as a shy little thing.

"Greetings, Gentry." Her voice was high-pitched and friendly. "Leonias? I believe you worship Entei, yes? Such a fiery creature... despite me being a nature lover, the paintings I have seen of it are really beautiful." She smiled softly, standing on her toes to look at the scarlet Scizor standing behind him. "And you have a very handsome Scizor," Thea commented, admiring the curve of the claws. She was instantly reminded of the Scyther living back in the Verdante forests.

While Thea chattered on well-mannerly, Stargrove looked over the tall man standing in front of the Sawsbuck. The Pokemon near the same level as him in height, with only the antlers making her slightly taller. She never liked anyone approaching Thea, it was a terrible and burdensome habit at times but there were times she had a feeling that her behaviour was appreciated. The mother-like instinct always kicked in when she looked at the small woman, who looked more like a child than someone who had lived over twenty years. Keeping her body still, she kept her eyes fixated on the man who had introduced himself as Gentry, only to have her eyes move towards another Pokemon that seemed to be curious about Stargrove. The Sawsbuck blinked at the Sylveon. Now that was a rare sight. Leafeons she had seen plenty of, but Sylveon? "Hello?" she called out in a slightly low pitched rumbling tone, tilting her head ever so slightly at the Eeveelution, ignoring Gentry for now.

---

Quinn continued to blink at the volunteers, taking in all he could see as he ate at the table. While Thresh continued to scoff down any food it could reach with its claws, his Luxray simply sat lapping away at the soup it had been given, one in a while flickering its eyes towards the other Luxray not far from where they stood. Quinn sighed, picking up a few slices of Bouffalant meat, he turned around, leaning against the table. Jachin the Clawitzer stood to guard by his feet, his eyes watching the crowd unblinkingly like the guard Quinn was. Jachin was always so patient and silent, it was normal whenever he sat still like a statue of rock. He had crinkled his nose at the raw Pokemon sushi, preferring not to eat anything.

Squinting his eyes at a figure of a woman across the room, a piece of the Bouffalant meat that he had stabbed with his fork halted halfway to his mouth. It was something he knew, someone he would rather forget, yet had shared pleasant memories with. Had she volunteered as well? He hadn't even remembered the last time he had seen her, but the features were so startlingly striking there was no doubt that was Cazanna. Jachin seemed to have noticed her as well, the Clawitzer looked up at Quinn with a worried face. Frowning, the soldier simply continued to eat, pretending he had never seen the girl who had been his friend.

@Chexmix @ResolverOshawott

 

[ResolverOshawott]

"Hello!" the small pink eeveelution responded in a cheerful and upbeat tone, Gaiana had seen plenty of sawsbucks during her adventures with Cazanna but never really got a chance to get close to them as they often run away when a human is around but she found it really interesting to see one up close for once. @Sen

Whilst Gaiana is busy interacting with Stardove. Cazanna having had her feel just merely observed the others, there is a lot of pokemon around and some of which she hasn't even seen yet, there's also quite an interesting array of people too, the girl with the sawsbuck seemed interesting and she could have sworn she saw someone familiar around but that could just be her mind playing tricks on her.

 

[Marlowe]

Suzume
​

More and more people were mingling together, praising each other's Pokemon and deeming how well-kept they were. Some of the larger Pokemon had somehow made it in without the guards uttering a word. If she had known that... well, she would have brought along Caius, at least. The Noivern would have enjoyed himself in the mess hall more than she was. Then again, he would have caused havoc before long, and she couldn't deal with that embarrassment in front of everyone. She caught sight of many different types of people, moreso than she had before. There was a frosty, judgmental-looking man waltzing about with a Froslass and a Zangoose. There was another girl with a Sawsbuck. Two men were causing a ruckus on the Argentian side, and she glowered at the brown-haired one with the Ampharos and Volcarona. Seriously, they have no idea how the control themselves. she thought, reaching over and taking a piece of a particularly delicious-looking Golduck. The fishy taste to the soft meat made her crave more of the well-seasoned meat, and she carved off another piece of the roast.

Someone called her name, and she perked up to see a frivolous man approach. Oh... she knew him. Kiyoshi was one of her own, which made a small smile come over her lips in greeting. "Hello, Kiyoshi," the blonde woman greeted, sucking the grease from her fingers. Even that tasted better than most things she ate... "I've been doing well, more or less... trying to look better than those two over there." Her eyes wavered to where the two Argentian men were. How was that man already drunk? "And the food is pretty good, isn't it? It's much better than the crap we had to eat at camps and all."

She looked over at Mauve and Neno as she ate, noticing how well the two got along, even though their typing was the complete opposite of each other.

Mauve turned his head to face Neno, flicking his ear in greeting. 'Greetings, Neno. I trust you have been well?' the Umbreon questioned the golden-furred Meowstic.

@Crescent @Shattered♦Secrets™
​

Wyeth
​

Ciel paused his feasting for a moment, his pricked up ears swiveling towards the other male. The long-haired man patted the beast's back immediately after he felt the Luxray tense up and heard a low growl emit from deep within his throat. His partner had always been the one to pick fights with other males, much to his distress. The Electric-type's long tail lashed once or twice before he finally calmed down and turned towards his food again. At that, a sigh escaped his lips. The last thing he wanted was a fight. Wyeth's eyes lifted up from the table at a slight chill; it was almost as if someone had left a window or door open on a cold night. He caught sight of a nearby Froslass and a... rather interesting looking man. He gave off a royal aura and his skin was as pale as snow. An Aurion? That's interesting. he thought to himself. Was he some sort of prince or something? He felt like he should recognize him, even if they came from different countries. Ciel turned his head towards the man as well, his features alert once he saw the sharp-taloned Zangoose at his side.

"I didn't think that the Aurions would be so eager to join us," Wyeth said, loud enough for Quinn to hear. He spoke to the man familiarly, due to the fact that they came from the same nation. He did not notice Quinn's reaction to a certain presence and continued to look around. There was another Aurion, a woman walking about with a Ninetails and Noivern. The three moved with serene grace that he had never seen before. Fulmi people were not known for their grace; it certainly was foreign to him. His hands went to grab at another piece of meat when Ciel suddenly leaped over the table and shot towards the man with the Zangoose. "Ciel!" he cried out, jumping out of his seat and rushing after his Pokemon. Is he crazy? How can he start a fight here-?!

The Luxray slid to a stop in front of the Zangoose and Froslass, his tail lashing wildly. 'Well, what do we have here?' Ciel snarled. 'You're getting too close to my master for comfort, long-ears. Back off.'

@Sen @Minami @Limeypanda
​

​

​

 

[Mu]

He looked at the man with the Luxray, his plate of Bouffalant meat balanced on his fingertips. The man looked interesting with his long hair and slightly pale skin. His Pokemon seemed to be ravenously eating beside him. Upon hearing a low growl coming from behind him, both he and Dinari looked to see the other Luxray bearing his teeth at another man, one with skin so pale it was like snow. A Froslass and a Zangoose stood by his side, the white colour scheme standing out. Quinn frowned, what nation where they from? Silently and without stepping in, he simply waited to see what would happen. Clearly the other Luxray did not like the prece of this pale man.

Quinn's face was quizzical. Us? Was he also from Fulmion? Coming from a village, he didn't know others except his fellow soldiers and the tiny amount of people from his home. How interesting, knowing that this man shared their god and possible beliefs. "You are also from Fulmion, then?" Thresh looked up at the long-haired man curiously at Quinn's words, blinking at him and the Pokemon at his side. Quinn was just about more to sate his curiousity - a rare sight since he was quite the silent man - when the other Luxray leapt towards the pale man and the Zangoose, spooking Dinari who moved his attention from the soup to the dashing, blurring colours of the Luxray's black mane, followed by the dashing figure of the man.

@Luminous