zubatopia | TEN YEARS LATER MEME (Brave New World Edition)....

[ Parking her Rotomcycle in front of the jewelry store, Haruka pulls off her goggles, removes her helmet, and flips a switch to release the power source from her engine. It whirrs in appreciation and darts off to speak with some Pidove nesting on the roof. Years have passed and it still has birds on the brain.

Chuckling to herself, Haruka pushes the door open and raises a hand to the Carbink hovering around a display of rare jewels. ] Business is booming, huh? Is my order ready?

Car! [ The Pokémon floats off to alert its owner that their Very Special Customer has arrived; Haruka checks over her shoulder to make sure she hasn't been followed. She can't be observed on this mission. It's a matter of life and death.

Or worse: failing to surprise someone she desperately wants to surprise. ]

[and the owner emerges from the back of the shop, talking to one Michiru Kaioh. Whoops.]

Thank you very much. I'll - [....why, hello there.] Haruka.

[ OH SAVIOR SHE HELPS SAVE THE WORLD AND THIS IS THE THANKS SHE GETS

Haruka manages not to jump, but only because she's too tall for a slight start to make much difference. (It still happens, though.) ] .....Yo.

[ Quick. She has to come up with a reason why she's here. There's plenty of possible explanations!

Haruka raises a hand. ] Window shopping?

[ Nailed it. ]

[...smile]

You or me? [she wouldn't really be window shopping if she was all the way in the back, talking to the owner.

Speaking of whom, there's a polite cough from behind the counter. You did want to see the owner, right?]

[ Give Haruka a minute, sir. She has to get her smooth back. It picked a lousy time to walk off on her after twenty-eight years of peaceful coexistence.

There is also no good answer to that question so Haruka will just ignore it. ] I thought you'd made plans to go training today.

[ How many babies do you have by this point anyway. ]

I made new plans.

[Togekiss is probably hanging out on the roof with Rotom, if anything. And all the babies. Maybe. At least a couple more.

If anything, the round, smooth rock she's holding seems perfect for a Happiny.

Still waiting patiently for your excuse, however.]

That so.

[ Dammit. And here comes the owner. Ah, Ms. Tenoh, about that -

She ignores him, turning to Michiru. ] You hungry?

[ Maybe they can still get out of here. This isn't how Haruka wanted this situation to go at all. Maybe it's stupid to not just scrap it. Michiru probably suspects by now anyway.

But it's hard for Haruka to let go of a Mission. And she'd thought this one up all by herself. ]

Are we leaving now? [just because she'll go along with your distractions doesn't mean she isn't aware of them.]

[ Haruka tries to subtly signal to the jeweler that she'll be back. Sorry, buddy. She'll give you a tip later to make up for this...assuming she pulls this off and does successfully manage to make it out of the door. ]

It's your chance to grab a ride. Saves the walking.

[ No, she's not acting like herself. This isn't working. Unless it will. Haruka has a feeling if she can just get out of the store she'll manage to get her composure back. She'll try again later. Maybe get Hotaru to keep Michiru occupied or something.

Carbink, meanwhile, is watching in confusion. What's going on? ]

Generous of you to offer. [something is certainly up. However, she steps forward, twining her arm around yours.] I might have to take you up on it.

[she's got an inkling on what this is all about. Whether or not she'll press the issue or let you go about your scheming is still up in the air.]

[ Haruka feigns smug gratitude. ] As you wish.

[ And she thinks she's going to make it, she's reaching to push the door open and lead Michiru out, when - ]

Caaaaaaaaaarr!!!

[ Here comes Carbink, carrying a tiny box and looking so dismayed. You forgot this, Ms. Tenoh!! Please don't leave without your special order!

Michiru can probably feel every muscle of Haruka's body clench. ]

[smiling at the Pokemon] Why, thank you.

[Michiru, that's not the important part.]

...Here.

[ Although it rankles, Haruka gives the Carbink an extra coin in addition to her payment, if only so it'll leave them alone. Diligent little thing. This world is getting too commercial, everybody out for themselves....

She shoves the box in her pocket and clears her throat. Plans will need to be changed, but she is not doing this in the doorframe of the jeweler's shop. They'll go somewhere with some privacy. Even if she can hear the Carbink "bink"ing in the background, wanting her to check and make sure her order looks all right. But there's no time to check that any more.

Haruka holds her head up, her cheeks red, and marches for the door. ]

[there is so much unholy amusement in her eyes, it would probably be a good thing if you kept looking straight ahead.]

That was diligent of them.

[ Haruka is an expert at looking straight ahead. Behold her prowess.

They make it across the street and down a ways before that head hangs and she bursts into resigned laughter. ] I can't win, can I?

You said it, not me. [she does enjoy being always right, to be honest.]

[ In the interests of full disclosure, she thinks it's pretty great how you're always right too. Pity that sometimes comes with the side-effect of her being wrong.

Haruka turns the box over in her hand for a moment and then passes it to Michiru. ] It's supposed to come with flowers at the Water-level. Sorry.

[ You know, the Water-level where she finally agreed, years ago,

that maybe they should make this official.

Years ago, today. ]

[she's got an oddly blank look on as she slowly takes the small box and opens it, taking a peek at the ring. There's a long moment, and then she's closing the box with a snap aaand you're suddenly getting one of the biggest hugs of your life.

She's got her face buried in your shirt, where she's sporting a ridiculous smile. It's so stupid. She knew this was coming, knew it for years and they've been practically married anyway. But she still has this silly grin on.

Slightly muffled, but:] I suppose I could make do without the flowers.

[ Haruka almost grunts at that embrace - hey, Michiru, we're in public, this is why she'd wanted to pick the place....

But can that really matter, though? No. It never has and it never will. Particularly not now. ] Thanks for understanding.

[ This is only a one-armed embrace - that's more her style - but it's one arm that's holding you close to her, hand on your head, pressing you against her so you can hide that smile all you like. She'd rather feel it than look at it, anyway. Feeling it makes her smile back.

Then again, she can't kiss you like this, so she might have to let up on that pressure a bit. ]

[a nuzzle, and then she's tilting her face up at you. Any qualms about this being a public road are nonexistent at the moment.] You're welcome.

[she'll go on her tiptoes, but you'll probably have to do most of the leaning.]

[ Haruka's used to that. Here you go. Long and sweet and so very thankful to have you in her life.

Her free hand decides it might as well join in this embrace, too. ]

[she's still smiling when she finally pulls back, although a lilt of a tease is making itself known in her tone.]

I was starting to despair of you. [no she wasn't]

[ Why does Haruka doubt that? Wow, it's hard to do anything but smile right now. She wants to quip but all she can think of is practical stuff. ]

We'll do it however you want. Whenever, too.

[ It means more to Michiru than to her, so it's only fair. Haruka wouldn't know where to begin planning anyway. Leave that to the artiste.

....But there will be flowers. Natto ~~probably has been sewing dresses in secret~~ ~~equally probably owns his own clothing store by now~~ will see to that. ]

You don't have any opinions? [Michiru probably has at least a few thoughts on the subject, considering how wedding happy some of their friends could be.

She shifts in your arms, turning around so that while she's still leaning against you, her hands are in front of her, rather than around you. She should probably try it on, shouldn't she?]

[ Once planning gets underway Haruka may be able to offer more concrete opinions when necessary, but while still in the hazy hypothetical stages the details elude her. That's never been her thing.

So she goes for that box again, to try and take out the ring to put it on Michiru's finger. ] Your smile's all the decoration I need.

[ ....at least she means it? ]

[just watching as the ring slides onto her finger. She's been waiting a while for this, huh? It's hardly the most important thing to her, but still. She can't help but smile and turn her head to give you a quick peck on the cheek, assuming she can reach.]

Practicing again?

[ Haruka just grins. Since when does she practice anything?

...thinking it over, though, that she's done. Because she'd wanted to get it right. None of that ended up panning out as planned, but now that it's happened she finds she can't care. This is more her style, anyway: no rehearsals, no idea what's going to come, but moving forward. Moving forward with Michiru.

Darnit, Haruka's the one who knew a ring was going to exchange hands today, she'd better stop being this maudlin. ] Let's go. There's lots to do we can't plan in public.

[ That opening is your last gift, in lieu of the flowers. ]

[as if you could leave her behind. Her hand slips into yours, easy and familiar and practically second nature.]

Lots, you say? [at least she probably won't immediately drag you to a bridal store or something as a practical joke. Probably.]

It'll be a long discussion. [ And there's the subtle pull on your hand to get you closer as they walk. ]

[she doesn't need much encouragement, to be honest. And it's not as if they haven't already perfected the art form of getting in as much contact as possible while walking.]

That long-winded? [Michiru, please.]

We can split it up if you doubt your stamina. [ ....then again, when they actually do get around to discussing this, she has a feeling the opposite will end up true. But she'll try to focus on details and things. Maybe. If she's in a good mood. For Michiru. ]

Considerate of you. [so what you're saying is...she should clear her schedule.

Please. As long as there's no mention of Rhyhorn themed weddings, she'll just run the important things by you.]

Flynn had decided to retire from the Guard after five years to open up a shelter for displaced wild Pokemon. Wild Pokemon that got separated from their groups or families were welcome to stay as long as they needed to. Though since it was mostly just him and his Pokemon working the shelter sometimes they had so many they were stretched a little thin. It was tough, but Flynn found it to be a very fulfilling occupation.

Currently, he was sitting outside of the shelter watching a few of the younger wild Pokemon play with each other.

Edited 2014-09-03 14:18 (UTC)

[Ten years later and Luke hasn't changed much. He's evolved (literally) and matured, but not by much. He's still the son of an important political figure and the younger twin brother of Asch. Their shifting forms have changed, even if Luke thinks they turned out super girly for some reason. What was up with that? Their mental bond had strengthened too, to the point where they could see what the other was doing at any time. While it had been creepy at first Luke found it... strangely comforting now.]

[He'd never gotten over that thing that mirrors akzeriuth that still has to happen like idk killing a bunch of pokemon or something we'll SEE, and it had matured him a lot... but he was still Luke in the end. Now 27, he doesn't even look that different from how he'd been years earlier.]

[Right now, he's currently outside of Union, collecting Big Mushrooms to help preserve his mother's health, and generally being... quiet? Mieu is with him as always, the Flareon trailing after his master's heel, and for right now they're alone.]

Edited 2014-09-04 00:20 (UTC)

[ It's quiet around the forest outside of the random noise of a Pidove flying or Rattata's scrounging around the brush, but soon there's the more noticable sounds of something larger going through the bush and it seems to be getting closer and closer to where Luke is.

But, worry not. It doesn't take long for a long pair of black tipped pink years to peek over the leaves and up comes Pinky the Clefable carrying a perfectly sized pack with what looks like supplies. ]

Fable!

[ Usagi isn't with her, but she isn't too far off as the sound of her voice calling out for the pokemon is in the distance. ]

Wh-- hey!

[Luke looks around at the Clefable, then frowns a little at the sound of Usagi's voice off in the distance.]

What're you doing out here? Did you see any of these around? [He holds up the few mushrooms he'd found already in his bag. Mieu runs forward to headbutt Clefable in a friendly manner.]

[ Well, hello to you too, Luke. Pinky glances at the mushrooms in question and points off in the direction that she had just came from. There were a few in that direction she had just come from, but first things first!

Time to return said affection to Mieu by means of a big huge Clefable hug. Because she's huge and can do that.

As Pinky's giving Mieu a happy little greeting, Usagi finally comes into the area that everyone is at with a larger rucksack on her back. She looks like she's been travelling for awhile with the small spots of dirt on her clothes. ]

Did you really have to run off like that Pi-- [ And she stops when she finally notices the reason why Pinky ran off.

Sneaky little thing. But still, seeing an actual person after two weeks of pokemon watching was a sight for sore eyes. Even better being someone that she actually knew. ]

Well, it's nice to know I'm going in the right direction this time.

[Mieu trills, snuggling into Pinky's big huge hug eagerly. Luke just sighs, grabbing him by the scruff and pulling him up onto his shoulder before he sees Usagi, his eyebrows raising.]

You're lost huh?

Nope! I'm just on my way back to Union from a really amazing research trip.

[ Pinky lets out an unhappy little noise as her snuggling buddy is taken away, but opts to shuffling back to her human partner for now. Just you wait, Mieu. There will be more cuddles when Luke isn't looking! ]

What are you doing out here, though?

You looked lost to me. [He kind of hugs Mieu up onto his shoulder, showing Usagi his bag of mushrooms.]

I'm finding these for my mom. She needs them for her medicine.

Oh? [ And like that, Usagi just leans forward to get a better view of the mushrooms that he's collected so far. She's seen those before, on her travels and quite recently. ]

I saw a couple of these a few moments ago. [ And, despite really wanting to get home and take a nice long hot shower, she turns around and starts heading the way she came. ] Come on, I'll show you.

[ She can't really say no, especially since he was doing this for his mother. ]

Time hasn't changed Feliks's looks too much, too obviously. His sparkling has gotten a little more obviously flame-like, and the red in his hair a little brighter, but he still looks very nearly like a teenager, with a youthful face and bright eyes.

He's never going to be the kind of person, one suspects, who grows up completely. Still a bit of a loose cannon, still with the inappropriate comedic timing and issues understanding people and the general sparkly flamboyancy. But in a way, he guesses he has settled down.

...In a way. While it had some trouble getting off the ground at first, Feliks's Rapidash cavalry is a major organization now, and they're kind of a big deal these days! His unconventional thinking has turned out to be a great asset to Union, though they spend more time exploring the outer limits of human territory than anything else, often escorting researchers, Seekers, and so on into dangerous areas. Feliks loves his home, but he also loves his freedom, his nights under the stars and days out exploring. In that sense, he hasn't settled down.

In another sense? He totally has. He and Fai have got themselves an apartment big enough for Fai to not feel cramped in, where they live with a fair number of Pokemon friends who don't feel like living in the Habitats. They're grown-ass adults with, like, dinner parties and stuff. It's weird, and also it's wonderful.

At the moment, Feliks is out and about in the shops, with the smaller of his dearest Pokemon friends. He holds up a pretty necklace, grinning down at Jadwiga.

"What do you think? It'd totally go with your eyes!"

Some things never change, after all.

[ Had anyone forseen just where Usagi would turn up, they would have been genuinely surprised. After many lifechanging events following her awakening as an Enlightened, Usagi was now, of all things, a pokemon researcher. It had been very obvious just how important it was that both Pokemon and Humans lived in harmony, and now it was more than essential that she continue to help support that bridge to prevent the past from ever happening.

It had been rather easy to get closer and learn more about pokemon with her Enlightened abilities as well as her part psychic type and once she had gotten all she could from everything that surrounded the city, it had been time to start venturing out farther and farther from her home.

Her latest excursion involved a large flock of blue fluffy pokemon, having watched them for two weeks before finally making her way back to Union.

Which is exactly where she is, right now. Standing right past the entrance gate to the city, with Pinky the Clefable strolling next to her. ]

Nothing beats finally coming home, right Pinky?

Clefable!

[ Exactly. Both human and pokemon partners just stand there for a moment, taking a deep breath of that familiar air and allowing it to sink in that they could finally relax. ]

The port had grown over the past ten years, as had the fleet that used it. The original building still stood, and Pathfinder still docked at the same pier it always had, but both had long since been overshadowed by what had come after. Banzu's workshop spread along the shore, a jumble of roof-lines, short towers, and oddly-shaped structures. Set farther back from the water was the tower that held offices and the Harbor Operations room, and next to the tower was the enormous dome of the port's habitat. Homes and businesses lined the streets, their owners having come because for the larger homes they could have here for the same price as a smaller one in Union. Others had come for less pure reasons; the port had a reputation for not looking too deeply into its residents' activities so long as rents and fees were paid on time. Despite the complaints of those who owned large manors, that didn't seem like it would change anytime soon.

Extending into the water were multiple piers, with various ships coming and going: Sojourner, departing with passengers to the Tropical Island; Opportunity, waiting to take on more cargo; Progress, returning with trade goods from one of the seafaring civilizations that Union had contacted; Ranger, shadowing Progress with guns ready to deal with any pirates or Pokémon that might attack; Voyager, resting in Drydock Two for repairs after its last attempt at crossing the ocean; Mariner, Banzu's personal ship, docked as usual. And many more, both from Union and the various civilizations that sailed the seas. Ships of the sea weren't the only ones at the port, however. New Horizons and Dawn both flew through the skies, providing fast travel across the land. As long as the sun shone, the port was a place of comings and goings.

And Banzu? At 27 he was still single, and still receiving offers of marriage from people who would love to have access to his wealth and influence. His involvement with the normal operations of the port and trade routes had dwindled to almost nothing recently, being left to various underlings. He had a project he was focusing on, one that everything else was starting to feel secondary to.

His Klinklang, Smeargle, and Lucario at his sides, Banzu stood on the observation platform, forearms resting on the railing. With living metal growing from his skin and wearing dirty work clothes, the other people at the observation platform assumed him to be just another sailor or dockworker, rather than a man whose wealth could put many noble houses to shame. The sight that the observation platform showed was impressive and caused jaws to drop when people saw it for the first time.

Before them was a construction yard that spanned acres, and in it was an enormous bird of glass and metal, a machine that surpassed anything and everything that had been built even before the war. It had been under construction for over a year now, and it was almost done. He knew that there was an endless stream of discussion and suggestions about what to name it, but from the moment he had begun to draft the blueprints it had already had a name.

It was Freedom, and on the wings of freedom he would fly until he'd seen the world.

Toothless alights on the deck, and his rider dismounts. While Hiccup would never be the size of Stoick, he was somewhat taller than he was as a teen, and built with a wiry strength. At some point during the last decade, he'd lost part of his left leg, replaced with a prosthetic.

"I still say making the airship that large was overkill," he said to his fellow engineer.

"And I still say that being able to carry a small habitat full of Pokémon around is worth it," he replied casually. "Especially if you're leaving the range of the Warp Transmitters."

TEN YEARS LATER MEME (Brave New World Edition)....

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Luke

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